Compliant bistable micromechanism

Abstract

A method for designing and optimnizing compliant mechanisms is provided, in addition to bistable compliant mechanism designs. According to the method, a selected compliant structure may be modeled analytically, and the characteristics of the analytical model may be optimized. Multiple recursive optimization algorithms may be used, for example, to determine the general location of a global optimum, and then to determine the values of the analytical model characteristics that obtain the global optimum or a feasible configuration for the selected compliant structure. Geometric characteristics of the selected compliant structure may be derived from the values of the analytical model characteristics. Bistable compliant designs may have a shuttle disposed between a pair of base members. The shuttle () may be linked to the base members () by a pair of legs (), via flexural pivots. The base members may have cantilevered mounting beams to create deformable mounts that receive and store potential energy. The stable configurations are those in which the stored potential energy is at a relative minimum.