Deformation Analysis of a Joint Structure Designed for Space Suit with the Aid of an Origami Technology

Abstract

Toward future exploration programs on planetary surface, a study on flexibility of joint structure of space suit has been carried out with the aid of an origami technology. Since space suits are pressurized inside, it is necessary to design a pneumatic fabric tube which is able to bend easily. A new joint structure, Membrane-Beam Folding Structure (MBFS), is proposed in the present work to give flexibility to pneumatic tubes. MBFS represents a fabric tube with metal beams attached according to the Yoshimura folding pattern. In order to investigate structural characteristics of MBFS, axial elongation and bending tests are carried out for examining effects of pressurization and external bending moment, respectively. The axial elongation test shows spring-like behavior of MBFS that is explained by restoring force which metal beams produce. The results of bending test show that large deformation of MBFS starts even by initial loading although a 15 kPa-pressurized fabric tube requires 50 N to start large bending deformation. It is confirmed that prestress induced by internal pressure has been mostly counterbalanced with equivalent restoring force. The value of restoring force necessary for starting an immediate bending has been estimated by a numerical analysis based on applied Euler-Bernoulli beam theory.

An Overview of Mechanisms and Patterns with Origami

“…Using preferential movements with strength of flexibility as illustrated in the previous section, can have interest either to store energy in the elastic deformation, or to dissipate energy in plastic deformation. The first case may correspond to springs for maintaining movement stability [32], [46], while the second case can be related to shock absorbers or metal forming [56], [31]. For origami-inspired shock absorbers, the preferential movement is often the continuation of a stable local buckling mode.…”

A Torsional Pneumatic Joint for Spacesuit Inspired with Origami Structure

“…Considering For this pu torsional pneu origami techn folding, with structure like method can b materials and the joint desig n Ref. [12], w Structure (MB with the featur pattern is simi shell under a simulates the wisted buckl bistable behav origami struc mechanics of with thin sh properties, a application [24 In this resea origami struc design of the Section 3, th two-layer stru numerical met torsional and And the conclu…”

“…Then flat-pattern joints with soft pleats were introduced into EMU seeking for a larger range of motion and lower resistance torque [9]. For the same purpose, many novel structures were investigated for advanced spacesuit systems, such as pleated isotensoid joint [10][11], origami-inspired joint [12], and even rigid joints with multi bearing structures [13][14][15]. Nevertheless, for torsional motion, airtight bearings have been the only structures reported in public up to now.…”

Morphology analysis of a foldable kirigami structure based on Miura origami

“…The structure can be folded into a flat stack and deployed into a predetermined three-dimensional configuration, which is an origami-like pattern formed by intersecting mountain folds and valley folds. The most commonly used origami forms in engineering are Yoshimura and Miura folding patterns [10][11][12][13][14].…”