中文摘要：

以平面柔顺五杆机构为研究对象，提出一种柔顺五杆三稳态机构的设计方法。建立了平面柔顺五杆机构的5R 伪刚体模型和势能函数，基于最小作用量原理用约束优化方法确定了单输入柔顺五杆机构的运动位形及势能曲线，提出用势能极小值点数目和位置闭环方程构建优化目标函数，用无约束优化方法来设计柔顺五杆三稳态机构。最后，用两个设计实例证明了该方法可有效用于柔顺五杆三稳态机构的设计。

英文摘要：

The compliant multistable mechanism is capable of steadily staying at several stable equilibrium positions without a power input , and has many applications in valves , switches , relays , and closures . In this paper , we propose a new idea of using the optimization algorithm to develop the compliant five‐bar tristable mechanism ： The compliant five‐bar mechanism is modeled using a 1 degree of freedom pseudo‐rigid‐body model first . Then based on the least action principle , a constrained optimization routine is presented to determine the angular displacements of the three follower bars and the potential energy stored in the compliant five‐bar mechanism . Finally , an objective function is proposed , which includes the number of the minima of the potential energy curve and the loop closure equations of the model , and an unconstrained optimization routine is described to develop a compliant five‐bar tristable mechanism . The effectiveness of the idea is demonstrated by two prototypes .