Stable Shape-Reconfigurable Structures And Mechanisms
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsBabak Haghpanah Jahromi, Lorenzo Valdevit, Jonathan Hopkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a shape-reconfigurable structure includes a rigid base having first and second ends, a rigid first beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end being connected to the first end of the base, and a rigid second beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end of the second beam being connected to the second end of the base and the central end of the second beam being connected to the central end of the first beam, wherein the structure can be placed in an expanded orientation in which the first and second beams extend outward away from the base and a contracted orientation in which the first and second beams extend inward toward the base.
Claims23
A shape-reconfigurable structure comprising:
- a rigid base having first and second ends;
- a rigid first beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end being connected to the first end of the base;
- and
- a rigid second beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end of the second beam being connected to the second end of the base and the central end of the second beam being connected to the central end of the first beam;
- wherein the structure can be placed in an expanded orientation in which the beams extend outward away from the base and a contracted orientation in which the beams extend inward toward the base.
A bistable shape-reconfigurable structure comprising:
- a rigid base having first and second ends;
- a first rigid beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end being connected to the first end of the base with a first lateral hinge;
- and
- a second rigid beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end of the second beam being connected to the second end of the base with a second lateral hinge and the central end of the second beam being connected to the central end of the first beam with a central hinge;
- wherein the structure can be placed in an expanded orientation in which the beams extend outward away from the base and the structure has a triangular shape and a contracted orientation in which the beams extend inward toward the base;
- wherein the structure naturally remains in the expanded orientation or the contracted orientation until a critical force is applied to the structure that transitions the structure into the other orientation;
- wherein the structure reversible such that it can be repeatedly placed in either orientation;
- wherein the base, beams, and hinges are all unitarily formed from the same piece of material such that the hinges are flexible living hinges.
A multistable shape-reconfigurable structure comprising:
- at least two bistable shape-reconfigurable structures, each bistable shape-reconfigurable structure comprising:
- a rigid base having first and second ends,
- a first rigid beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end being connected to the first end of the base, and
- a second rigid beam having a lateral end and a central end, the lateral end of the second beam being connected to the second end of the base and the central end of the second beam being connected to the central end of the first beam,
- wherein the structure can be placed in an expanded orientation in which the beams extend outward away from the base and a contracted orientation in which the beams extend inward toward the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.