Design of an engaging-disengaging compliant mechanism by using bistable arches

Abstract: Compliant mechanisms utilise elastic deformation of their segments to transmit motion or force. The utility and behaviour of specific compliant mechanisms can be enhanced by introducing an engaging and disengaging ability with its elastic segments. Towards this, we present an engaging-disengaging compliant mechanism (EDCM) that can switch its stiffness between infinite and zero. The design of the EDCM is based on bistable arches and a locking mechanism. We describe its working, identify its design parameters, and use analytical expressions to arrive at its dimension. The design is verified by detailed finite element analysis and experiments on a 3D-printed prototype. Three alternate designs that lead us to the final mechanism are also briefly discussed.