The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Dec. 28, 2021

Filed:

Sep. 05, 2019
Applicant:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);

Inventors:

Jifei Ou, Cambridge, MA (US);

Sen Dai, Cambridge, MA (US);

Zhao Ma, Zurich, CH;

Jannik Peters, Aachen, DE;

Nikolaos Vlavianos, Boston, MA (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
E04B 1/34 (2006.01); E04B 1/344 (2006.01); F16C 11/00 (2006.01); A63H 33/04 (2006.01); E04B 1/32 (2006.01); E04B 1/343 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
E04B 1/3441 (2013.01); A63H 33/04 (2013.01); E04B 1/32 (2013.01); E04B 1/343 (2013.01); F16C 11/00 (2013.01);
Abstract

A modular structure may comprise multiple mechanical linkages. The structure may undergo two-dimensional or three-dimensional shape transformations, such as bending, twisting, shearing, uniform scaling, and anisotropic scaling. These shape transformations may be actuated by applying force to one or more specific locations in the structure. Each of the linkages in the modular structure may comprise a four-bar linkage. The exact shape transformation that the structure undergoes may be determined by the type and location of the linkages in the structure.


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