A generic compliance modeling method for two-axis elliptical-arc-filleted flexure hinges

Abstract

As a kind of important flexible joint, two-axis flexure hinges can realize in-plane and outof- plane motions and can be used for constructing flexure-based spatial compliant mechanisms. The paper introduces a common two-axis elliptical-arc-filleted flexure hinge that is generated by two different elliptical-arc-filleted cutout profiles and that provides some new hinge types. The analytical compliance equations of both half-segments of the two-axis elliptical-arc flexure hinges are firstly formulated, and then, based on a generic compliance modeling method of a flexure serial chain, the closed-form compliance and precision matrices of two-axis elliptical-arc-filleted flexure hinges are established and validated by the finite element method. Some numerical simulations are conducted to compare the effect of different design geometric parameters on the performance of the two-axis flexure hinges.