Author(s): Brooklyn Clark, Quinn Earnest
Mentor(s): Jake Sutton, Larry Howell
Institution BYU
Compliant mechanisms are parts that move by bending flexible members. One use for complaint mechanisms is in origami-inspired engineering. Adapting origami patterns into 3D designs requires flexible hinges at each of the fold lines, and compliant mechanisms are utilized to achieve such flexibility. These compliant origami systems are often used in aerospace applications, as they have desirable abilities to fold up compactly. In this work, we will quantify the behavior of a specific kind of compliant mechanism, known as a Lamina Emergent Torsional (LET) joint. This joint is currently being used in the design of an origami inspired Earth observation LiDAR telescope. This work quantifies the stiffness of the LET joints in the design and how they interact to impact the overall stiffness of the design. We will first quantify the stiffness by using existing models for the stiffness of individual LET joints. We will then develop a novel mathematical model to quantify the stiffness in one area (a gore) of a deployable system based on what’s termed an origami flasher pattern. The design includes several LET joints. This will be used to model the stiffness of the whole design. We will validate the mathematical model through experimentation on a prototype of the design with LET joints. Once validated, the model will then be used to refine the LET joint stiffnesses to reach a desired overall stiffness of the design to meet a specific constraint. This work shows promise for making a positive impact on the preliminary design of an Earth observation LiDAR telescope. It will aid in the future modeling of LET joints in other use cases.