A Novel Radially Closable Tubular Origami Structure (RC-ori) for Valves

Cylindrical Kresling origami structures are often used in engineering fields due to their axial stretchability, tunable stiffness, and bistability, while radial closability is rarely mentioned date. This feature enables a valvelike function, which inspired this study develop new origami-based valve. With the unique one-piece structure of origami, valve requires fewer parts, can improve its tightness reduce cleaning process. These advantages meet requirements sanitary valves industries such as pharmaceutical industry. paper summarizes geometric definition pattern developed previous studies reveals similarity twisting motion widely utilized iris valves. Through analogy, structure’s conditions characterized. To facilitate operation valve, we optimize existing create crease pattern, RC-ori. novel design an entirely closed state without twisting. In addition, simplified modeling method proposed for non-rigid foldable cylindrical origami. The relationship between open area unfolded length RC-ori explored based on with comparison nonlinear FEA simulations. Not only limited valves, could also be applied microreactors, drug carriers, samplers, furniture.