Patent ID: 7336409

Claim:
A device comprising a spatial flexure comprising: a base section having: an upper edge; and a side edge transverse to the upper edge; an end section having; an upper panel having a first edge, a second edge laterally spaced from the first edge, and a third edge connecting the first and second edges; and a side panel having first side edge, a second side edge laterally spaced from the first side edge and having an upper edge connecting the first and second side edges; the third edge of upper panel and the upper edge of side panel forming a common edge; and an intermediate laterally expanding and contracting section connecting the base and end sections having: an upper segment comprising: a first generally rectangular-shaped panel having a first edge connected to the upper edge of the base section for articulated movement about a first longitudinal axis; and a second generally rectangular-shaped panel having a first edge connected to the first edge of the end section for articulated movement about a second longitudinal axis; the first and second rectangular-shaped panels each having a common second edge connected for articulated movement about a third longitudinal axis defined by the common second edge such that the common second edge moves outwardly when the intermediate section laterally contracts and inwardly when the intermediate laterally expands; a side segment comprising: a first quadrilateral-shaped panel having: a lower edge; an upper edge different in length from the lower edge of the first quadrilateral-shaped panel; a side edge connected to the upper and lower edges of the first quadrilateral-shaped panel, and connected to the side edge of the base section for articulated movement about a fourth longitudinal axis; and a second quadrilateral-shaped panel having: a lower edge; an upper edge different in length from the lower edge of the second quadrilateral-shaped panel; and a first side edge connected to the upper and lower edges of the second quadrilateral-shaped panel, and connected to the side edge of the end section for articulated movement about a fifth longitudinal axis; the first and second quadrilateral-shaped panels having a common second side edge connected to the respective lower and upper edges of the quadrilateral-shaped panels for articulated movement about a sixth longitudinal axis defined by the common second side edge such that the common second side edge moves outwardly when the intermediate section laterally contracts and inwardly when the intermediate laterally expands; whereby: (1) when the intermediate section laterally expands, the end section pivots one of downwardly and upwardly; and (2) when the intermediate section laterally contracts, the end section pivots the other of downwardly and upwardly.