Parallel-motion Thick Origami Structure for Robotic Design

Abstract

Structures with origami design enable objects to transform into various three-dimensional shapes. Traditionally origami structures are designed with zero-thickness flat paper sheets. However, the thickness and intersection of origami facets are non-negligible in most cases, uniquely when integrating origami design with robotic design because of the more efficient force transfer between thick plates compared with zero-thickness paper-sheets. Meanwhile, the single-layer-paper oriented initial design limited the shape transformation potential as multiple layer origami structures could conduct more variety of deformation. In this article, we are proposing a general design method of parallel-motion thick origami structures that could apply in robotic design like a parallel-motion gripper.