Concept and behavior of rolling joints for multistable plate structures

Abstract

In this paper, a concept of using rolling joints for a multistable structure, which deforms elastically into a variety of curved shapes, is presented. A multistable joint is obtained by modifying the geometry of a rolling hinge. The proposed concept can hold the stable state without any continued actuation. Then detailed mathematical derivations are carried out to obtain the wire tensions and joint resultant moment during the motion, which are used to compute the external action that should be applied to move the joint. The effect of asymmetric configurations on the mechanical behavior is also investigated. The results show that the asymmetric configuration has a higher value of the wire tension and joint resultant moment. Moreover, the maximal wire tension and maximal joint resultant moment during the motion increase linearly with the increase of the degree of asymmetry.