Method of topology optimization for flexible hinge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10824780-B2
Application number	US-201615542080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A design method of topology optimization for flexible hinge is disclosed in the invention, comprising following steps: step 1: establishing a design model of topology optimization for flexible hinge, setting an outline of flexible hinge with a typical notch as a shape of design domain and defining a rigid region (non-design domain); step 2: establishing a finite element model of topology optimization for flexible hinge; step 3: establishing a mathematical model of topology optimization problem for flexible hinge based on the finite element model; step 4: calculating a sensitivity of topology optimization problem for flexible hinge; step 5: employing an optimization algorithm to solve the topology optimization problem for flexible hinge, updating a design variable and obtaining a final topology result graph; step 6: according to the final topology result graph obtained by the topology optimization, extracting its outline and obtaining a novel flexible hinge by appropriate modification. Using the method of topology optimization, the invention designs the flexible hinge on a concept level. The novel flexible hinge can be designed with a more complex structure and more excellent performances, having a larger flexibility, a higher precision and a smaller maximum stress.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for designing a topology of a flexible hinge comprising:
step 1: establishing a design model of topology optimization for the flexible hinge, setting an outline of the flexible hinge with a typical notch as a shape of a design domain, and defining a rigid region which is a non-design domain;
step 2: discretizing the design domain to a plurality of first elements and discretizing the non-design domain into a plurality of second elements, wherein a first density of the first elements of the design domain is a design variable, and a second density of the non-design domain is a preset value;
step 3: establishing a mathematical model of topology optimization problem for the flexible hinge based on the first elements of the design domain by establishing an objective function which is configured to determine an optimal shape of a notch in the flexible hinge to maximize a displacement of a right midpoint of the design domain under a first load exerted in a first direction and to minimize a displacement of the right midpoint of the design domain under a second load exerted in a second direction;
step 4: calculating a sensitivity of the topology optimization problem for the flexible hinge;
step 5: employing an optimization algorithm to solve the topology optimization problem for the flexible hinge by iteratively updating the design variable until the optimal shape of the notch is determined through the objective function, and obtaining a final topology result graph that indicates the optimal shape of the notch; and
step 6: according to the final topology result graph obtained by the topology optimization, extracting a new topology of the flexible hinge, wherein the new topology has the notch with the optimal shape, and material of the flexible hinge in the notch is removed to generate a new flexible hinge.

2. The design method of claim 1 , wherein the step of setting the outline of the flexible hinge with the typical notch as the shape of the design domain comprises: setting a circle, an oval, a parabola, a hyperbola and a V-shape as the shape of design domain and setting a non-design domain as a rectangle of which height is equal to a height of design domain and length is set as 3 times or more of the height of design domain.

3. The design method of claim 1 , wherein a relative density of non-design domain being preset as x i =1, and four virtual springs being respectively added in an X and Y direction of input end and an X and Y direction of output end for simulating gaps and reaction forces between the hinge and workpieces.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maximum displacement of the right midpoint of the design domain U y,F y and the minimum displacement of the right midpoint of the design domain U y,F x serving as objective functions, a volume ratio serving as a constraint condition, an optimization mathematical model being shown as below:

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wherein, w represents a weight coefficient, F x represents a load exerted in an X direction of right midpoint of non-design domain, F y represents a load exerted in a Y directio

Assignees

• Univ South China Tech

Inventors

• Zhang Xianmin
• Liu Min

Classifications

• G06F30/18

  Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling (circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18) · CPC title

• G06F2113/24

  Sheet material · CPC title

• G06F2111/06

  Multi-objective optimisation, e.g. Pareto optimisation using simulated annealing [SA], ant colony algorithms or genetic algorithms [GA] · CPC title

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · CPC title

• G06F30/367

  Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods · CPC title