Innovative Design of a Variable Intermittent Slider-Crank Mechanism

This paper describes a method used to elaborate the design of a slider-crank mechanism. The TRIZ contradiction table method is used to select an appropriate innovation principle, here to connect, in series, n pneumatic cylinders to the connecting link of the mechanism, so that it will have a length of 2 ⁿ , and then to combine automatic pneumatic and electronic control methods. The result is a variable intermittent slider-crank mechanism with multiple functions, such as a straight reciprocating motion, a straight intermittent reciprocating motion, a step variable, variable stroke, and mixed motions. The paper presents example designs and a prototype. The study results can act not only as teaching material (e.g. low-cost and easy programming) for mechanism creative design and mechatronics courses, but also as a reference for developing similar mechanisms for a feeding machine, printing machine, bias cutter, or surface glue cutter for the rubber industry.