Crank-Slider With Spring Constant Force Mechanism

This paper explores the development and performance of new constant-force compliant mechanisms that involve the addition of a translational spring element to slider-crank constant force mechanisms. The translational spring element has the additional requirement that, similar to a slider, it resists off-axis loads sufficiently to permit translation along only one axis. Geometric and energy storage parameters have been determined by optimization for five classes of mechanisms. The results of the optimization are values for geometric and energy storage parameters for each mechanism class for various levels of the translational spring parameter and various levels of constant-force behavior. The new configurations experience decreasing performance with increasing translational spring stiffness. The potential to implement a translational spring that also acts as a slider link provides the motivation for the new configurations. Such a spring would have the potential to completely remove friction from the mechanism and provide a constant-force solution that could replace current solutions such as hydraulic or pneumatic devices. The new configurations also have the potential to be manufactured as one piece or in layers, opening up new arenas for compressive constant-force mechanisms. Prototyping and testing of one of the new configurations are included as an example to demonstrate the use of the behavioral model.