Kaleidocycle

Summary

The kaleidocycle is unique among compliant mechanisms for its ability to undergo continuous rotation. Most compliant mechanisms are able to flex back and forth over a certain range, however, the kaleidocycle's arrangement of compliant mechanisms allows the mechanism assembly to continuously rotate. This ability to continuously rotate was once thought to be possible only with traditional mechanisms, like bearings or bushings, but the kaleidocycle shows that belief is a thing of the past. Additionally, because each of the flexures has a certain stiffness, the kaleidocycle has multistable behavior. Depending on the relative stiffness of each joints, monostable, bistable, tristable, and even quadstable behaviors are possible.

Because there are no breaks in the joints, kaleidocycles can be fabricated out of an electricity-conducting material and used in electrical applications. This creates a continuously rotatable conductor, which could find unique uses in the electrical field.

Learn More

This design was developed by the Compliant Mechanisms Research Group (CMR) from Brigham Young University (BYU). Follow us at @byucmr on Instagram or visit the BYU Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) website to learn more about compliant mechanisms.

Technical Information

For in-depth technical information, see the following publications:

Safsten, C., Fillmore, T., Logan, A., Halverson, D., Howell, L., “Analyzing the Stability Properties of Kaleidocycles,” ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 83, No. 5, 051001-051001-13, DOI: 10.1115/1.4032572, 2016.

Evans, T.A., Rowberry, B.G., Magleby, S.P., Howell, L.L., “Multistable Behavior of Compliant Kaleidocycles,”DOI: 10.1115/DETC2015-46637, Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences, Boston, MA, Aug 2-5, 2015, DETC2015-46637.

To learn more about compliant mechanisms in general, see the BYU Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) website or these books: Compliant Mechanisms, Handbook of Compliant Mechanisms 

Intellectual Property

The downloadable 3D print files provided here may be used, modified, and enjoyed for noncommercial use. To license this technology for commercial applications, contact:

BYU Technology Transfer Office

3760 Harold B. Lee Library

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT 84602

Phone: (801) 422-6266

https://techtransfer.byu.edu/contact