Jared Butler

Bio: Jared Butler is an academic researcher from Brigham Young University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Compliant mechanism & Finite element method. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 14 publications receiving 72 citations. Previous affiliations of Jared Butler include Pennsylvania State University & Intuitive Surgical.

Highly Compressible Origami Bellows for Harsh Environments

Abstract: Highly Compressible Origami Bellows for Harsh Environments Jared J. Butler Department of Mechanical Engineering, BYU Master of Science The use of origami-based bellows is of interest in fields where traditional metal bellows are incapable of meeting compression, mass, or flexibility constraints. Metal bellows are often used in space applications but frequently complicate spacecraft design. Origami-based bellows capable of meeting design constraints while adequately shielding sensitive spacecraft parts may be advantageous to space mechanism design. The design and testing of a highly compressible origami bellows for harsh environments is described. Several origami patterns were evaluated and the Kresling fold pattern was designed to meet constraints and selected for use in the bellows design. Origami bellows were prototyped in five different materials and tested in fatigue, thermal cycling, ablation, and radiation. Tested bellows show good fatigue life exceeding 100,000 cycles for some materials and resilience to potential harsh environmental conditions such as thermal cycling, abrasion, and high radiation. The bellows can be designed to fit within a given inner and outer diameter and stroke length depending on the design requirements. The origami bellows shows promise for space application and as an adequate replacement for current metal bellows due to its high compressibility and low mass. The design, testing, and fabrication of an origami-based bellows for microgravity drilling is presented. The benefits of origami created an opportunity for application on NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to protect sensitive parts from debris. Origami-based bellows were designed to fit spacial limitations and meet needed compression ratios. Designs have demonstrated high mass reductions, improved stroke length, greatly decreased stowed volume, improved flexibility, and reduced reaction forces in comparison with traditional metal bellows. Material and design testing demonstrated that a nylon-reinforced polyvinyl fluoride based bellows with an aramid fiber stitched seam is well suited for debris containment in space conditions. Various epoxies were able to maintain an adequate bond with polyvinyl fluoride below expected environmental temperature for bellows mounting to the ARM drill. Asymmetric compression of the bellows can occur at extreme low temperatures and is preventable by balancing stiffness within the structure.

An Origami-Based Medical Support System to Mitigate Flexible Shaft Buckling

Abstract: This paper presents the development of an origami-inspired support system (the OriGuide) that enables the insertion of flexible instruments using medical robots. Varying parameters of a triangulated cylindrical origami pattern were combined to create an effective highly compressible anti-buckling system that maintains a constant inner diameter for supporting an instrument and a constant outer diameter throughout actuation. The proposed origami pattern is composed of two repeated patterns: a bistable pattern to create support points to mitigate flexible shaft buckling and a monostable pattern to enable axial extension and compression of the support system. The origami-based portion of the device is combined with two rigid mounts for interfacing with the medical robot. The origami-based portion of the device is fabricated from a single sheet of polyethylene terephthalate. The length, outer diameter, and inner diameter that emerge from the fold pattern can be customized to accommodate various robot designs and flexible instrument geometries without increasing the part count. The support system also adds protection to the instrument from external contamination.

A Model for Multi-Input Mechanical Advantage in Origami-Based Mechanisms

Abstract: Mechanical advantage is traditionally defined for single-input and single-output rigid-body mechanisms. A generalized approach for identifying single-output mechanical advantage for a multiple-input compliant mechanism, such as many origami-based mechanisms, would prove useful in predicting complex mechanism behavior. While origami-based mechanisms are capable of offering unique solutions to engineering problems, the design process of such mechanisms is complicated by the interaction of motion and forces. This paper presents a model of the mechanical advantage for multi-input compliant mechanisms and explores how modifying the parameters of a model affects their behavior. The model is used to predict the force-deflection behavior of an origami-based mechanism (Oriceps) and is verified with experimental data from magnetic actuation of the mechanism.

Highly compressible origami bellows for microgravity drilling-debris containment

Abstract: The design and testing of an origami-based bellows for microgravity drilling is described. The potential benefits of an origami-based solution created an opportunity for application on NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to protect sensitive parts from debris. Origami-based bellows were designed to fit spatial limitations and meet needed compression ratios. Designs have demonstrated high mass reductions, improved stroke length, greatly decreased stowed volume, improved flexibility, and reduced reaction forces in comparison with traditional metal bellows. A nylon-reinforced polyvinyl fluoride based bellows with an aramid fiber stitched seam is well suited for debris containment in space conditions. Various epoxies maintained an adequate bond with polyvinyl fluoride below expected environmental temperature for bellows mounting. Asymmetric compression of the bellows occurs at extreme low temperatures and is preventable by balancing stiffness within the structure.

Folding of thick origami through regionally sandwiched compliant sheets

Abstract: The regional sandwiching of compliant sheets (ReCS) technique presented in this work creates flat-foldable, rigid-foldable, and self-deploying thick origami-based mechanisms. Regional sandwiching of the compliant sheet is used to create mountain-valley assignments for each fold about a vertex, constraining motion to a single branch of folding. Strain energy in deflected flexible members is used to enable self-deployment. This work presents the methods to design origami-based mechanisms using the ReCS technique, including volume trimming at the vertex of the compliant sheet and of the panels used in the sandwich. Three physical models, a simple single fold mechanism, a degree-four vertex mechanism, and a full tessellation, are presented to demonstrate the ReCS technique using acrylic panels with spring and low-carbon steels. Consideration is given to the risk of yielding of the compliant sheet due to parasitic motion with possible mitigation of yielding by decreasing the thickness of the sheet.

Origami-based earthworm-like locomotion robots.

Abstract: Inspired by the morphology characteristics of the earthworms and the excellent deformability of origami structures, this research creates a novel earthworm-like locomotion robot through exploiting the origami techniques. In this innovation, appropriate actuation mechanisms are incorporated with origami ball structures into the earthworm-like robot 'body', and the earthworm's locomotion mechanism is mimicked to develop a gait generator as the robot 'centralized controller'. The origami ball, which is a periodic repetition of waterbomb units, could output significant bidirectional (axial and radial) deformations in an antagonistic way similar to the earthworm's body segment. Such bidirectional deformability can be strategically programmed by designing the number of constituent units. Experiments also indicate that the origami ball possesses two outstanding mechanical properties that are beneficial to robot development: one is the structural multistability in the axil direction that could contribute to the robot control implementation; and the other is the structural compliance in the radial direction that would increase the robot robustness and applicability. To validate the origami-based innovation, this research designs and constructs three robot segments based on different axial actuators: DC-motor, shape-memory-alloy springs, and pneumatic balloon. Performance evaluations reveal their merits and limitations, and to prove the concept, the DC-motor actuation is selected for building a six-segment robot prototype. Learning from earthworms' fundamental locomotion mechanism-retrograde peristalsis wave, seven gaits are automatically generated; controlled by which, the robot could achieve effective locomotion with qualitatively different modes and a wide range of average speeds. The outcomes of this research could lead to the development of origami locomotion robots with low fabrication costs, high customizability, light weight, good scalability, and excellent re-configurability.

Foundations for Soft, Smart Matter by Active Mechanical Metamaterials.

Abstract: Emerging interest to synthesize active, engineered matter suggests a future where smart material systems and structures operate autonomously around people, serving diverse roles in engineering, medical, and scientific applications Similar to biological organisms, a realization of active, engineered matter necessitates functionality culminating from a combination of sensory and control mechanisms in a versatile material frame Recently, metamaterial platforms with integrated sensing and control have been exploited, so that outstanding non-natural material behaviors are empowered by synergistic microstructures and controlled by smart materials and systems This emerging body of science around active mechanical metamaterials offers a first glimpse at future foundations for autonomous engineered systems referred to here as soft, smart matter Using natural inspirations, synergy across disciplines, and exploiting multiple length scales as well as multiple physics, researchers are devising compelling exemplars of actively controlled metamaterials, inspiring concepts for autonomous engineered matter While scientific breakthroughs multiply in these fields, future technical challenges remain to be overcome to fulfill the vision of soft, smart matter This Review surveys the intrinsically multidisciplinary body of science targeted to realize soft, smart matter via innovations in active mechanical metamaterials and proposes ongoing research targets that may deliver the promise of autonomous, engineered matter to full fruition