A Large Range Spatial Linear Guide With Torsion Reinforcement Structures

Flexure mechanisms are popular in the precision engineering field due to their highly repeatable behavior. However, implementations are limited to small range of motion applications. In this paper, a spatial linear guide with a range comparable to the size of its footprint is presented. The design is based on two novel 'Triflex' elements in which torsion reinforcement structures are used to decrease build volume and increase guiding stiffness. The mechanism is compared to a common linear guide consisting of six folded leaf springs, after optimizing both designs. The novel linear guide shows better guiding stiffness performance, while occupying a smaller and less obstructive build volume.