Multistable Behavior of Compliant Kaleidocycles

We present an analysis of the compliant kaleidocycle, a mechanism which, unlike other compliant mechanisms, may undergo continuous rotation. We analyze the strain energy characteristics of this mechanism during its motion and show that by varying the stiffness and orientation of the flexures, kaleidocycles may be designed to achieve customizable multistable behavior. These devices may be designed to include up to four distinct stable equilibrium positions and may also include regions of neutral stability.