ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief description of flexible hinges and flexure-based compliant mechanisms for macro- and micro-scale applications by highlighting the main traits of these mechanical members/devices. The flexible-hinge mechanisms employ their mobility to perform conversions between electric, thermal, magnetic, etc. and mechanical energies. Many of these mechanisms, which are typically of monolithic architecture, are designed to undergo relatively low levels of rotation/deformation in order to generate accurate, quasi-continuous output motion. The biomedical industry is a beneficiary of mechanisms that are based on flexible hinges, and applications in this category include devices for vascular catheters, urethral compression devices, intravascular endoprostheses, cardiac massage apparatuses, orthotic devices and biopsy devices. The compliant micro-/nano-electromechanical systems are almost entirely based on microdevices that generate their motions by means of flexible hinges. The compliant behavior of flexible hinges and flexure-based mechanisms largely depend on the specific geometry of the hinge for a given material.
