Abstract:
Load-displacement curve can be considered as one of the key factors for a structure to achieve specific mechanical functions. The cam-roller-spring system is currently an effective means of customizing load-displacement curves. However, the contact force between the cam and the roller can only be pressure, which thus limits the design space of the system. In view of this, a hollow-out plate-roller-spring system is proposed, the characteristic of which lies in that customizing various track patterns inside a rigid plate in a hollow-out manner provides more degrees of freedom for the mechanical design. More importantly, the track pattern can impose bilateral constraints onto the rollers, and thus overcomes the limitation of compressive contact forces in the cam-roller-spring systems. This largely expands the design space of the system and enables the customization of more diverse load-displacement curves. As examples, a theoretical method for the track-pattern design is further presented to realize load-displacement curves of “S” shape, and the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed design are also verified through numerical simulations.