A smooth impact drive mechanism actuation method for flapping wing mechanism of bio-inspired micro air vehicles

In this paper, a smooth impact drive mechanism (SIDM) actuation method for flapping wing mechanism which can be used in bio-inspired micro air vehicles is proposed. The SIDM-actuated flapping wing mechanism is composed of a base, a linear actuator, and a dual slider-crank mechanism. Based on the driving principle of SIDM, the linear actuator can generate a reciprocating linear motion with a long travel range. Via the dual slider-crank mechanism, the reciprocating linear motion can be converted to a flapping motion with a relatively high frequency. In addition, due to no gearbox used in the design, the SIDM-actuated flapping wing mechanism can be made with small volume and light weight.