Analysis And Application Of Configuration Transformation And Combination Characteristics Of Metamorphic Mechanisms

A metamorphic mechanism is a new kind of mechanisms which was proposed at the 25th ASME Biennial Mechanisms and Robotics Conference in Atlanta in 1998.This kind of mechanisms which can be folded and deployed highly has the characteristics of configuration transformation and automatic combination. It can provide different number of DOF (Degree of freedom) and combine to a new mechanism by changing the number of effective bars in different situations to meet different needs.In this thesis the theory of metamorphic mechanisms is explained and the course of configuration transformation is described by adjacency matrix. The characteristic of the automatic combination of the mechanisms is analyzed and some concept models are designed for practical applications.Firstly, the DOF of the metamorphic mechanism is analyzed. In order to illuminate that the DOF of metamorphic mechanisms isdifferent from ordinary ones, the thesis gives two examples-one is akind of planar brake metamorphic mechanism, the other is a Chinese lantern metamorphic mechanism.Secondly, the configuration changes of the folding course of a packaging box and a double-layer lantern are analyzed. The structural synthesis of a four-bar mechanism to a six-bar mechanism is studied by expanding adjacency matrix. The entire possible result of four to five-bars and partial possible result of five to six-bars are given. The thesis validates the synthetic method by synthesizing an seven-bar box from the synthesized six-bar mechanism. Metamorphic mechanisms usually show the scaling characteristics in their moving course. Enlightened by these characteristics of metamorphic mechanisms, the thesis analyses the rotative theory of a reverse scaling mechanism and the mathematic relationship between the rotational angles and the scaling changes of the velocity and acceleration. Through the software of Matlab, these functional curves are given. An eight-surface mechanism with scaling characteristics is constructed and its movement analysis is given.At last, based on the research of metamorphic mechanisms, a foldaway sunshade panel for cars is designed, and a new lifting device is proposed. Its simulation is performed through modeling software.