The paper studies the tripod mechanisms that comprise novel spatial Cartesian flexible hinges and can be used in three-dimensional sensing/actuation applications. These hinges are formed of serially-connected straight- and circular-axis elastic segments that are located in planes parallel to the planes of a Cartesian reference frame. Two spatial flexible hinge designs are proposed and their compliance matrices are derived based on closed-form compliances of the basic segments. The hinge compliance matrices are utilized to formulate the stiffness matrix of tripod mechanisms that are parallel combinations of three identical hinges and a rigid link. The hinge analytical compliance model is confirmed through finite element code simulation while the tripod analytical stiffness is verified by both finite element analysis and experimental testing of fabricated specimens. Comprehensive simulation is subsequently performed to study the influence of the geometric parameter values on the hinge and tripod analytical compliance/stiffness.

该论文研究了包含新型空间笛卡尔柔性铰链并可用于三维传感/驱动应用的三脚架机构。这些铰链由串联连接的直轴和圆轴弹性段形成，这些弹性段位于平行于笛卡尔参考系平面的平面中。提出了两种空间柔性铰链设计，它们的柔量矩阵是基于基本段的闭合形式柔量导出的。铰链柔量矩阵用于制定三脚架机构的刚度矩阵，三脚架机构是三个相同的铰链和一个刚性连杆的平行组合。铰链分析柔度模型通过有限元代码模拟得到确认，而三脚架分析刚度通过有限元分析和制造试样的实验测试来验证。随后进行综合模拟以研究几何参数值对铰链和三脚架分析柔度/刚度的影响。