Split-Vertex Technique for Thickness-Accommodation in Origami-Based Mechanisms

A novel thickness-accommodation technique for origami based mechanisms is introduced. This technique modifies a zero-thickness pattern by splitting each vertex along the minor folds into a system of two vertices. The modified fold pattern then has thickness applied to it and the resulting mechanism is kinematically equivalent to the modified fold pattern. Origami patterns that are rigid-foldable and only have two panels that stack between folds are utilized in the technique. The technique produces thick origami mechanisms where all panels lie in a plane in the unfolded state without any holes or protrusions and maintain a single degree of freedom. Steps for synthesizing split-vertex mechanisms are presented and examples of split-vertex mechanisms are shown. Advantages and potential applications of the technique are discussed.