Patent ID: 8540452

Claim:
A flexible joint comprising: a top base comprising a lower surface; a bottom base comprising an upper surface; and a plurality of flexure assemblies disposed between and unitarily formed with the top and bottom bases, each flexure assembly comprising: an intermediate block comprising opposing upper and lower surfaces; upper and lower structural members each disposed between the intermediate block and a respective one of the top and bottom bases, each structural member including opposing upper and lower surfaces and opposing side surfaces; a flexure member disposed on each opposing upper and lower surface of each structural member, the flexure members connecting each structural member to a respective one of the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate block and to a respective lower or upper surface of one of the top and bottom bases; wherein the opposing upper and lower surfaces of the structural members, the upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate block, the lower surface of the top base, and the upper surface of the bottom base each comprise a wrapping surface adjacent a corresponding flexure member, and wherein the wrapping surfaces of the top base, bottom base, and intermediate block define an arcuate curve; wherein each structural member is rotatable with respect to the top and bottom bases to move the top base relative to the bottom base, such that the top base and the bottom base are movable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration relative to each other, the compressed configuration characterized by: the top and bottom bases being moved toward each other such that the wrapping surfaces of each structural member are aligned with a side surface of a respective flexure member so that the flexure members conform to the shape of the wrapping surfaces of the structural member, and one of the opposing side surfaces of each structural member is shaped to correspondingly engage one of the respective upper or lower surfaces of the top and bottom bases; and the expanded configuration characterized by: the top and bottom bases being displaced from each other such that the arcuate wrapping surfaces of each of the top base, bottom base, and the opposing upper and lower surfaces of the intermediate block are engaged with an opposing side surface of a respective one of the flexure members so that the flexure members conform to the shape of the arcuate wrapping surfaces.