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US 6,283,666 B1Granted
Planar flexible pivot monolithic unitary modules
AssigneeCsem Centre Suissee d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SA
InventorPierre-Marcel Genequand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The planar flexible pivot is constituted by an axial stacking of unitary modules each forming a monolithic unit comprising two coplanar, rigid linking elements positioned substantially so as to face each other and being connected diagonally by an essentially rectilinear flexible band. Application to elastic hinges, especially cross-band pivots.
Claims16
A monolithic unitary module for a planar flexible pivot comprising:
- two coplanar rigid linking elements positioned in confronting spaced relation;
- a continuously solid generally rectilinear flexible band diagonally connected between the linking elements and suspended between endpoints thereof;
- wherein the flexible band has transition areas at a junction between the band and the linking elements, the transition area being of decreased thickness along the entire length of the band between junctions;
- wherein a plurality of unitary modules are axially stacked and connected to one another by their respective linking elements thereby forming a planar flexible pivot;
- an internal interface;
- two external interfaces located in spaced relation to ends of the internal interface;
- a pair of series connected modules, forming a flexible pivot, connected between confronting ends of one of the external interfaces and a corresponding end of the internal interface;
- and
- a second pair of series connected modules, forming a second flexible pivot, connected between confronting ends of the other external interface and an opposite corresponding end of the internal interface;
- and
- further wherein the flexible bands of each pair of modules are crossed in non-contacting relation with respect to one another.
8 more elements
A flexible pivot comprising stacked monolithic unitary modules, each module having:
- (a) two coplanar rigid linking elements positioned in parallel confronting spaced relation;
- (b) a continuously solid generally rectilinear flexible band diagonally connected between the linking elements and suspended between endpoints thereof;
- (c) the flexible band has transition areas at a junction between the band and the linking elements, the transition area being of decreased thickness along the entire length of the band between junctions;
- each linking element of each module being in direct contact with an adjoining linking element to form axially stacked modules.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.