SWIVEL DIAPHRAGM A NEW ALTERNATIVE FOR RETRACTABLE RING STRUCTURES

摘要

This paper introduces the Swivel Diaphragm: an innovative type of retractable ring structure constituted by straight and angulated elements. Compared to other similar mechanisms for example, Retractable Plates or Deployable Reciprocal Frames, the Swivel Diaphragm can offer the additional advantages of pure rotational motion around fixed external supports, simplicity of components and the possibility of different designs that employ the same number and type of elements. In addition, this paper evaluates the potential of deployable grids using modules of the Swivel Diaphragm.