Deployable scissor grids consisting of translational units

Deployable scissor grids can quickly transform between different configurations, making them particularly fit for mobile and temporary applications. Their ability to deploy typically comes along with a high design complexity and a limited freedom of shape. However, we’ve found that by using so-called translational scissor units it is possible to generate a myriad of curved spatial grids through a design process that can be simplified into a set of two-dimensional problems. The resulting scissor grids are mechanisms with a smooth and stress-free deployment behaviour. Due to their qualities they have formed the topic of previous research, but nevertheless we’ve noticed that a large part of their design potential has remained unexplored. By for the first time unravelling the general principles that govern the motion and shape of this scissor grid type, we’ve managed to reveal various new and interesting design possibilities. This paper presents these new proposals together with the existing ones in order to form a comprehensive overview of the geometric potential and kinematic behaviour of deployable scissor grids consisting of translational scissor units. It covers the mathematical concepts needed to analyse and generate this scissor grid type, ranging from a single scissor unit to large assemblies. In addition, the paper introduces multiple methods to include joints in the line models without modifying their deployment behaviour. This work therefore broadens the design space and compiles the main characteristics of this scissor grid type in order to improve their accessibility and applicability in design.