Compliant microjoint replacements

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Title Compliant microjoint replacements
Publication Type thesis
School or College College of Engineering
Department Mechanical Engineering
Author Ford, Kurtis Ross
Date 2011-05
Description Contact surfaces in micromechanical pin joints, hinges, and sliders introduce stiction and friction that disrupt motion in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). This thesis presents compliant design alternatives that move both in-plane and out-of-plane without introducing contact interference. This document correlates experimental results from fabricated devices to numeric models developed to predict key mechanical responses. The microsystems include the following: • A spiral cantilever spring (shaped like a watch spring) deflects out-of-plane 70% of its largest in-plane dimension. The deflection occurs because of force imparted by injected charge from a scanning electron microscope. • Compliant beams in torsion enable motion that is similar to that of a bushing-style substrate or scissor hinge. • A manual torsion load turns an elastic hoop inside-out as an example of a compliant bistable threshold hinge. • A compliant linkage symmetrically translates in-plane rotary motion to radial motion, similar to a blade aperture mechanism in a camera. These devices exemplify microsystems that avoid failure-inducing surface contact by exploiting an increase in component compliance that occurs as a result of lower bending and torsion stress response in beams with microscale cross-sections.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Micro compliant bistable mechanism; Micro-compliant linkage; Mircohinge; Out-of-plane spiral actuator; Remote actuation; Scanning electron microscope; Compliant microjoints
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name Master of Science
Language eng
Rights Management Copyright © Kurtis Ross Ford 2011
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 3,709,972 bytes
Identifier us-etd3,27664
Source Original housed in Marriott Library Special Collections, TK7.5 2011 .F67
ARK ark:/87278/s66t12d7
Setname ir_etd
ID 194779
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s66t12d7
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