Band employing bistable compliant scissor linkages and hands-free actuation mechanism

A band comprising a pair of cooperating members configured to move between an open position adapted to receive an article in an article receiving channel defined between the pair of cooperating members and a closed position adapted to retain the article within the channel, each of the pair of cooperating members 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 each compliant section;
• and
• a second rigid section extending from each 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 the closed position, the plurality of links are biased toward the closed position by biasing 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 the open position, the plurality of links are biased toward the open position by biasing forces created by the compliant sections of the plurality of links;
• 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;
• and
• an actuator linkage pivotally connected to at least one of the plurality of links, each actuator linkage comprising an engagement end protruding into the article receiving channel when the pair of cooperating members are in the open position, wherein movement of the article into the article receiving channel causes the article to contact and exert actuation forces on the engagement end of each actuator linkage, and wherein the actuation forces cause the pair of cooperating members to move from the open position to the closed position.