Granted Patent B2

US 10,721,828 · App. 16/431,476 · Granted Jul 21, 2020

Inventors: Pratheev Sabaratnam Sreetharan (Cambridge, MA); Andrew Baisch (Cambridge, MA)

Assignee: Vibrant Composites Inc.

H05K5/0226E05D1/00E05D1/02E05D11/0081Y10T16/525Y10T29/49004

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. A method of forming a miniature torsion hinge comprising:

providing a first layer of substantially rigid material;

removing a portion of said first layer of substantially rigid material to define first and second peripheral edges having respective first and second substantially rigid members therewithin;

said first peripheral edge including a first tab feature at one end of said first substantially rigid member, said second peripheral edge including a second tab feature, a third tab feature and a gap therebetween, a portion of said first tab feature being disposed within said gap in interdigitated fashion;

providing a fiber having a longitudinal axis, said fiber being substantially inelastic in tension said fiber being substantially elastic in torsion; and

coupling said fiber to said first, second and third tabs to effectively support a rotation of said first substantially rigid member with respect to said second substantially rigid member, whereupon said first and second substantially rigid members together with said fiber form at least a portion of said torsion hinge.

2. A method of forming a miniature torsion hinge as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling said fiber to said first, second and third tabs comprises adhesively coupling said fiber to said first, second and third tabs.

3. A method of forming a miniature torsion hinge as defined in claim 1 wherein said removing a portion of said first layer of substantially rigid material to define first and second peripheral edges comprises laser ablating said portion of said first layer of substantially rigid material.

4. A method of manufacturing a tendon-actuated joint comprising:

providing a first layer of substantially rigid material;

removing a portion of said first layer to form a first substantially rigid member and a second substantially rigid member, said first and second substantially rigid members being disposed in spaced relation to one another;

disposing a second layer of substantially flexible material adjacent to said first layer;

coupling a first region of said second layer to said first substantially rigid member and coupling a second region of said second layer to said second substantially rigid member so as to form a flexible hinge between said first and second substantially rigid members;

providing a generally flexible, substantially inelastic tendon having a first end, a second end, and an intermediate region;

substantially fixedly coupling said first end of said substantially inelastic tendon to said first substantially rigid member;

slidingly coupling said intermediate region of said substantially inelastic tendon to said second substantially rigid member, whereby said substantially inelastic tendon is adapted to activate said flexible hinge when a tensile force is applied to said second end of said substantially inelastic tendon.

Assignments (7)

Continuity (15)