A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism

Weiming Guo; Hong Xiao; Hongwei Guo; Jianguo Tao

doi:10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26

A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism

Weiming Guo
, Hong Xiao^*
, Hongwei Guo
, Jianguo Tao

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Mechatronics Engineering

Harbin Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Rotation is one of the critical motion forms in morphing wings. A rotation-locking joint can significantly improve aircraft stability and adaptability across different environments. However, designing a joint that combines stepless locking, high compact, energy efficiency and lightweight remains a considerable challenge. This paper proposes a novel flexible active locking mechanism for rotational motion. Comprising a piezoelectric actuator, a flexible lever mechanism, and a flexible bridge mechanism, it allows locking at any position. A nonlinear model of the mechanism is developed using the compliance matrix method to predict its amplified displacement output in response to input forces. The model’s accuracy is validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Finally, a locking force experiment further demonstrates the feasibility of the locking mechanism. This compact locking system holds significant potential for aerospace application.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Volume V
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	372-386
Number of pages	15
ISBN (Print)	9789819529971
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26
State	Published - 2026
Event	2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Beijing, China Duration: 11 Apr 2025 → 14 Apr 2025

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
ISSN (Print)	2195-4356
ISSN (Electronic)	2195-4364

Conference

Conference	2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025
Country/Territory	China
City	Beijing
Period	11/04/25 → 14/04/25

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Compliant mechanism
Locking force
Morphing skeleton
Nonlinear model
Stepless lockable joint

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26

Cite this

@inproceedings{db4e4ccad26c428eb1338ac6d3dd0e91,

title = "A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism",

abstract = "Rotation is one of the critical motion forms in morphing wings. A rotation-locking joint can significantly improve aircraft stability and adaptability across different environments. However, designing a joint that combines stepless locking, high compact, energy efficiency and lightweight remains a considerable challenge. This paper proposes a novel flexible active locking mechanism for rotational motion. Comprising a piezoelectric actuator, a flexible lever mechanism, and a flexible bridge mechanism, it allows locking at any position. A nonlinear model of the mechanism is developed using the compliance matrix method to predict its amplified displacement output in response to input forces. The model{\textquoteright}s accuracy is validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Finally, a locking force experiment further demonstrates the feasibility of the locking mechanism. This compact locking system holds significant potential for aerospace application.",

keywords = "Compliant mechanism, Locking force, Morphing skeleton, Nonlinear model, Stepless lockable joint",

author = "Weiming Guo and Hong Xiao and Hongwei Guo and Jianguo Tao",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Press of Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica 2026.; 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 ; Conference date: 11-04-2025 Through 14-04-2025",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8\_26",

language = "英语",

isbn = "9789819529971",

series = "Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

pages = "372--386",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Volume V",

address = "德国",

}

Guo, W, Xiao, H, Guo, H & Tao, J 2026, A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism. in Proceedings of the 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Volume V. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 372-386, 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025, Beijing, China, 11/04/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26

A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism. / Guo, Weiming; Xiao, Hong; Guo, Hongwei et al.
Proceedings of the 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Volume V. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026. p. 372-386 (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism

AU - Guo, Weiming

AU - Xiao, Hong

AU - Guo, Hongwei

AU - Tao, Jianguo

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Press of Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica 2026.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Rotation is one of the critical motion forms in morphing wings. A rotation-locking joint can significantly improve aircraft stability and adaptability across different environments. However, designing a joint that combines stepless locking, high compact, energy efficiency and lightweight remains a considerable challenge. This paper proposes a novel flexible active locking mechanism for rotational motion. Comprising a piezoelectric actuator, a flexible lever mechanism, and a flexible bridge mechanism, it allows locking at any position. A nonlinear model of the mechanism is developed using the compliance matrix method to predict its amplified displacement output in response to input forces. The model’s accuracy is validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Finally, a locking force experiment further demonstrates the feasibility of the locking mechanism. This compact locking system holds significant potential for aerospace application.

AB - Rotation is one of the critical motion forms in morphing wings. A rotation-locking joint can significantly improve aircraft stability and adaptability across different environments. However, designing a joint that combines stepless locking, high compact, energy efficiency and lightweight remains a considerable challenge. This paper proposes a novel flexible active locking mechanism for rotational motion. Comprising a piezoelectric actuator, a flexible lever mechanism, and a flexible bridge mechanism, it allows locking at any position. A nonlinear model of the mechanism is developed using the compliance matrix method to predict its amplified displacement output in response to input forces. The model’s accuracy is validated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Finally, a locking force experiment further demonstrates the feasibility of the locking mechanism. This compact locking system holds significant potential for aerospace application.

KW - Compliant mechanism

KW - Locking force

KW - Morphing skeleton

KW - Nonlinear model

KW - Stepless lockable joint

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023105417

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26

DO - 10.1007/978-981-95-2998-8_26

M3 - 会议稿件

AN - SCOPUS:105023105417

SN - 9789819529971

T3 - Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering

SP - 372

EP - 386

BT - Proceedings of the 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025 - Volume V

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

T2 - 2nd Aerospace Frontiers Conference, AFC 2025

Y2 - 11 April 2025 through 14 April 2025

ER -

A Novel Stepless Lockable Rotation Joint for Morphing Skeleton Mechanism

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this