Configuration design and self-deployment performance of kirigami- inspired thick panel origami

Origami has been widely applied in the design of deployable spacecraft structures. This paper investigates the configuration design and self-deployment performance of a kirigami-inspired thick panel origami mechanism with a single degree of freedom(single-DOF). Firstly, the unit design is based on both intra-leaf and extra-leaf folding patterns, resulting in three unit types with varying leaf angles. Meanwhile, the merge and relace typological connected methods was employed to construct a single-DOF cell. Using the spatial mechanism theory, the kinematic parameters were analyzed, and the constraint equations for the closed-loop mechanism were derived. Moreover, mock-up folding sequences were produced offering a potential solution for spacecraft deployable structures. Finally, the self-deployment performance were explored under varying number and position of driven elements, and the influencing factors in deployment were investigated. The results demonstrate that that both the number and position of the driven elements significantly influence the self-deployment state. Additionally, thicker panels, fewer panels, and higher-quality hinges contribute to easier and more effective unfolding of the model.