Principles and Categorization of Compliant Surrogate Folds for Deployable Origami-Inspired Mechanical Systems

Weber State University

Origami principles, patterns, and thickness accommodation techniques have been explored and tested for engineering applications in many fields. Two of the main difficulties of transferring a design from folded paper to thicker, stiffer materials are accommodating thickness and replicating folding motion with surrogate folds. While literature reviews exist for thickness accommodation, it is difficult for a designer to survey and assess work that has been on the subject of surrogate folds. Currently, many engineering origami instances limit themselves to using pin hinges, adjusting all other design parameters to accommodate pure revolute motion. The possibilities for origami design and application are augmented when designers are aware of the array of capabilities compliant surrogate folds have to offer. This work categorizes compliant mechanisms that may be effective as surrogate folds in a large array of origami applications. This catalog is a tool for designers of origami systems to select and/or design mechanisms that can imitate folds. Principles and characteristics are discussed that a designer should consider in order to design dynamic origami systems that more effectively meet design requirements. These characteristics include manufacturing considerations; controlling and utilizing off-axis motion; and introducing secondary functions surrogate folds may play beyond attaching panels together, such as damping, self-deploying, self-stabilizing, and/or conducting heat or electricity. Also presented are guidelines on how to use this catalog to design new or adapt existing surrogate fold mechanisms by parameterizing aspects of material, geometry, and topology. The organization structure is explained, and future work introduced on how this tool will be further refined.