Design of a Bistable Mechanism for Symmetric Force Output

Abstract

A compliant bistable mechanism (CBM) for symmetric force output in the forward and backward directions is developed. Effects of design parameters on the force-displacement characteristics of the bistable mechanism are identified. The performance of the mechanism is confirmed by experiments. Such a mechanism can be applied in nonvolatile memory devices with two logical levels “1” and “0” assigned to the two stable states which are separated by nearly equal switching forces in back and forth directions.