Patent ID: 8151414

Claim:
A frictionless self-driven articulation designed to be mounted between two neighboring elements, comprising: a first fitting which rotates about a first axis interior to the first fitting; a second fitting which rotates about a second axis interior to the second fitting and parallel to the first axis of rotation; a leaf spring, the ends of which are fixed respectively to the first and second fittings, which rotationally drives the first and second fittings from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration; first winding plates which unwind from the first fitting and wind onto the second fitting when the leaf spring rotationally drives the first and second fittings; second winding plates which unwind from the second fitting and wind onto the first fitting when the leaf spring rotationally drives the first and second fittings; first tracks concentric to the first axis; and second tracks concentric to the second axis and in direct contact with the first tracks; wherein the first and second tracks maintain separation of the first and second fittings and provide prestress on the first and second winding plates when the leaf spring rotationally drives the first and second fittings.