Band employing bistable compliant scissor linkages

A band comprising a plurality of bistable compliant links pivotally attached to one another, each of said plurality of links comprising:

• a compliant section;
• a first rigid section extending from the compliant section;
• and
• a second rigid section extending from the compliant section;
• wherein said plurality of links are pivotally attached to one another via the first and second rigid sections;
• wherein when said plurality of links are pivoted with respect to each other past a threshold position toward a closed position, the plurality of links are biased toward the closed position by forces created by the compliant sections of the plurality of links and wherein when said plurality of links are pivoted with respect to each other past the threshold position toward an open position, the plurality of links are biased toward the open position by forces created by the compliant sections of the plurality of links;
• and
• wherein the forces created by the compliant sections biasing the plurality of links toward the closed position and biasing the plurality of links toward the open position are caused by elastic deformation of the compliant sections.

A band comprising a plurality of bistable compliant links cooperating with one another,

• wherein each of said plurality of links comprises:
• a compliant section having first and second ends;
• a first rigid section extending from the first end of said compliant section, said first rigid section having first and second ends;
• and
• a second rigid section extending from the second end of said compliant section, said second rigid section having first and second ends;
• wherein the first rigid section of a first link of said plurality of links is pivotally connected to the second rigid section of a second link of said plurality of links at a point adjacent to the first end of the first rigid section of the first link and at a point adjacent to the first end of the second rigid section of the second link;
• wherein the second rigid section of the first link is pivotally connected to the first rigid section of a third link of said plurality of links at a point adjacent to the first end of the second rigid section of the first link and at a point adjacent to the first end of the first rigid section of the third link;
• wherein the second rigid section of the second link is pivotally connected to the first rigid section of the third link at a point adjacent to the second end of the second rigid section of the second link and at a point adjacent to the second end of the first rigid section of the third link;
• and
• wherein when said plurality of links are pivoted with respect to each other past a threshold position toward a closed position, the plurality of links are biased toward the closed position by forces created by the compliant sections of the plurality of links and wherein when said plurality of links are pivoted with respect to each other past the threshold position toward an open position, the plurality of links are biased toward the open position by forces created by the compliant sections of the plurality of links.