A well-behaved revolute flexure joint for compliant mechanism design

This paper describes the design of a unique revolute flexure joint, called a split-tube flexure, that enables (lumped compliance) compliant mechanism design with a consider ably larger range-of-motion than a conventional thin beam flexure, and additionally provides significantly better multi-axis re volute joint characteristics. Conventional flexure joints utilize bending a s the primary mechanism of deformation. deformation. In contrast, the split -tube flexure joint incorporates torsion as the primary mode of deformation , and contrasts the torsional properties elf a thin-walled open-section mem ber with the bending propel-ties of that member to obtain desirable joint b ehavior. The development of this joint enables the development of compliant mechanisms that are quite compliant along kinematic axes, extremely stiff along structural axes, and are capable of kinematically well-behaved large motions.