Directing acoustic energy by flasher-based origami inspired arrays

Abstract

Acoustic arrays with fixed spatial positions of transducers are used for wave guiding capabilities in the far field. Recent developments in the field of reconfigurable structures reveal that origami inspired foldable arrays may enhance the near and far field wave guiding functionality by virtue of physical shape change. This research explores reconfigurable acoustic arrays based on the deployable flasher tessellation frame using acoustic transducers at mountain crease nodes. Leveraging an experimentally validated model of the flasher acoustic array, this research reveals that arrays with transducers distributed about a spiral arm exhibit higher-order interference that results in broadside directive beam patterns at lower frequencies than radial arm distributions. The class of flasher arrays also exhibits a switching behavior from broadside directive to omnidirectional by virtue of distinct repositioning of the acoustic transducers in the folding process. The discoveries from this research motivate the use of flasher arrays for potential implementation in underwater applications.

Configuration design and crease topology of origami-inspired spinning space deployable structures

“…Despite multitudinous origami patterns and deployable mechanisms that have been developed in various fields, the patterns of origami-inspired space deployable structures are extremely rare, especially in spinning deployment. The configuration of RPDS is compared with origami-inspired classic configuration with spinning properties for decades, such as the “square-twist” pattern, 8 the pattern proposed by Guest and Pellegrino, 35 and the origami “Flasher.” 20 Some key analyses on highlights of these crease patterns are listed in Table 1 to compare the deployable/folding approaches and mechanisms, such as the deployable type, crease topology with the shape of the central body, radial and longitudinal directions, the number of creases in sides of the central body of these typical origami patterns. These configurations are concluded in Figure 13.…”

“…17,18 However, most active origami-inspired investigations have developed about mechanical characteristics, material properties, and geometric deformation of spinning deployable structures. 19–21 Chen et al presented a computational method for automatically assigning mountain-valley fold lines to given geometric configurations of origami structures. 22 Lang et al presented new families of thick origami mechanisms that achieved rigid foldability and parallel stacking of panels in the flat-folded state.…”

“…MegaFlex), 31 to “Spinning-Fold” (e.g. Flasher), 20 and others. Zirbel et al first designed an origami-inspired non-zero thickness flasher configuration, which was applied to a high-power deployable solar array, so that the array had a high unfolded-to-stowed ratio of about 9.2.…”

Design Optimization of Origami-Tunable Frequency Selective Surfaces

“…Electromagnetic Variables O RIGAMI, the art of paper folding, offers a large variety of engineering applications such as satellite or antenna deployment [1]- [4], self-folding micro-devices and robots [5], [6], tunable stiffness structures [7], acoustic energy focusing [8]- [11] and frequency tuning and reconfiguration in electromagnetic devices [12]- [18]. Integrating this intricate art form in engineering design provides the advantage of transforming a 2D manufacturing process into a 3D functional space with many degrees of freedom.…”

Deployable linear and spiral array structures based on a Kresling-inspired mechanism with integrated scissor arms

“…To advance research efforts for origami-inspired acoustic wave guiding arrays, Srinivas and Harne (2020) have employed flasher-based origami to create reconfigurable arrays with acoustic wave guiding characteristics similar to those found in rigid, canonical spiral arrays studied by Prime and Doolan (2013). Alternatively, researchers have used origami-inspired spatial structures to create adaptive radio-frequency (RF) antennas.…”