Abstract
Serpentine flexures offer several advantages for use in linear motion mechanisms, including distributed compliance to reduce stress and increase range of motion and manufacturability. In this work, we develop a model for predicting the moment, vertical deflection, and maximum stress experienced in both uniform and extended serpentine flexures in response to an input vertical force. Finite element validation demonstrates the model’s ability to capture these three metrics across several flexure topologies with a mean error of 0.86%, while maintaining fixed-guided boundary conditions for flexures with any number of horizontal segments. Finally, the model’s utility is demonstrated in the design of a novel single-piece compliant fracture fixation plate that leverages serpentine flexures to deliver controlled axial motion for long bone healing. Model-derived stress-equivalent flexures are compared in their transverse and torsional rigidity. The proposed model and specific findings can be leveraged to design linear motion mechanisms that incorporate serpentine flexures across a wide range of applications.
