A Dimensionless Large Displacement Model for Flexure Hinges of Elliptical Geometry

Abstract

Flexure hinges are joints typically used in the construction of compliant mechanisms, especially when small dimensions do not allow for conventional mechanical devices. In this paper, a closed-form solution is proposed for a nonlinear stiffness model used to describe the static displacements obtained on a flexure hinge of elementary geometry as a function of applied loads. A comparison with the most widely used linear model demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear approach, high- lighting the advantages in its use and its scope of application. The results are verified by Finite Element (FE) simulations, taken as a reference of the actual behavior assumed for the joints studied.