Parametric study of an elastic singularity-based frequency doubler for concatenation

Abstract

The use of elastic frequency multipliers presents the ideal platform to address the coupling between the footprint and range of motion of elastic mechanisms. By transmitting unidirectional into reciprocating motion they efficiently increase the range of motion without a huge compromise in size. In this thesis, an elastic
frequency doubler based on an eight-bar mechanism that exploits the displacement around a singularity to double the frequency is presented. Higher frequency multiplications can be achieved by concatenating this mechanism, surpassing previous designs in the literature. To facilitate effective concatenation, criteria for optimization were established and a design study was conducted to determine the optimal geometrical parameters of the mechanism. The utilization of not only the actuation capabilities but simultaneously leveraging the inherently stored strain energy during operation has the potential to serve as the foundation for a novel group of architected materials. The embodiment of both functionalities makes these architected materials highly desirable for control in autonomous robots where, through the exploitation of close synergy and decrease in dissipation, this multifunctionality could increase the efficiency in usage of the usually limited space and available energy.