Wing flapping apparatus

A wing flapping apparatus comprising:

• a frame body;
• a motive power source installed in the frame body;
• a first wing unit and a second wing unit;
• and
• a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit motive power generated in the motive power source to the first wing unit and the second wing unit, the first wing unit and the second wing unit being configured to be driven by the power transmission mechanism, the power transmission mechanism including:
• a rotation transmission member rotatably supported by the frame body, the rotation transmission member being configured to rotate about a first rotation axis as a center of rotation upon reception of the motive power transmitted from the motive power source;
• a slider movably supported by the frame body, the slider being configured to linearly reciprocate in a first direction upon reception of the motive power transmitted from the rotation transmission member;
• and
• a first rotating body and a second rotating body that are rotatably supported by the frame body, each of the first rotating body and the second rotating body being configured to, upon reception of the motive power transmitted from the slider, reciprocate in a corresponding one of a rotation direction about a second rotation axis as a center of rotation and a rotation direction about a third rotation axis as a center of rotation, the second rotation axis and the third rotation axis each extending in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, the first rotating body and the second rotating body being arranged side by side in a third direction that is orthogonal to each of the first direction and the second direction;
• the first wing unit having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being fixed to the first rotating body such that the distal end is located on a side opposite to a side where the second rotating body is located, when seen from the first rotating body;
• the second wing unit having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being fixed to the second rotating body such that the distal end is located on a side opposite to a side where the first rotating body is located, when seen from the second rotating body;
• the first wing unit and the second wing unit being configured to swing such that the distal end of the first wing unit and the distal end of the second wing unit synchronously move approximately in the first direction as the first rotating body reciprocates in the rotation direction about the second rotation axis and the second rotating body reciprocates in the rotation direction about the third rotation axis, respectively;
• the power transmission mechanism further including a pair of crank arms each configured to connect the rotation transmission member and the slider, the pair of crank arms having:
• respective first ends that are connected to an eccentric position of the rotation transmission member so as to be rotatable about a common rotation axis as a center of rotation, the common rotation axis extending in a direction parallel with an extending direction of the first rotation axis;
• and
• respective second ends that are separately connected to the slider so as to be rotatable about a corresponding one of separate rotation axes each as a center of rotation, the separate rotation axes extending in the direction parallel with the extending direction of the first rotation axis and being spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the second ends of the pair of crank arms being connected to the slider so as to be slidable in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the first rotation axis.