An origami-based adaptive vibration isolator with Yoshimura-patterned reconfigurable module

In this paper, a novel concept of the adaptive vibration isolator is presented. The proposed adaptive isolator is based on the thin-walled Yoshimura-patterned tube, which is able to reconfigure its shape to tune the stiffness. Multiple numbers of reconfigurable modules compose the proposed vibration isolator; thus, the force transmissibility of the isolator can be adjusted by systematic reconfiguration of the modules to show the best performance for the subjected vibration environment. The paper presents the analytical and experimental analysis of the force transmissibility of the proposed adaptive vibration isolator. The dynamic equation of the motion for the isolator system is established, and the force transmissibility is analyzed for the various configuration that a single design can have. The prototype of the proposed adaptive isolator is manufactured with an embedded actuation mechanism for reconfiguration. The performance of the isolator is experimentally confirmed through the vibration test of the fabricated prototype. Both the results of the analytical and the experimental investigation well demonstrate the adaptive characteristics of the proposed isolator concept.