Variable stiffness spatula mechanism that can be made highly stiff by deformed into a U-shape for high stiffness

Abstract

This paper proposes a variable stiffness spatula mechanism that can be deformed into a U-shape. This mechanism is a spatula mechanism that scoops up and lifts the object by increasing the cross-sectional quadratic moment of the thin plate. The principle of this mechanism, the configuration and basic operation of the prototype, and the stiffness measurement experiment using a prototype spatula and its results are described.