Has anyone made a laminated composite "Live hinge"?

Author	Message
cookeaa	cookeaa posted 11 Years Ago HOT Topic Details
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 58	I'm considering a project making a lightweight single wheeled cycle touring trailer, these typically need a horizontal hinge point to accommodate cornering, most simply use a fairly standard bearing/bushing and shaft arrangement of some sort. But it occurred to me I could design some sort of live hinge insert using a laminate of some sort, the advantages being it would save weight and possibly be simpler/easier to manufacture, and if it was done as an insert rather than as part of the trailer's structure it would allow me to replace a worn or broken hinge element more easily... I know some RC aircraft and cars use laminated composite live hinges and I've definantely seen MTBs that use them as part of their suspension systems, so its not a completely novel concept... My real question is what sort of reinforcement, and resins should I use? It would need to allow movement in only one plane of maybe 90 - 120 degrees (45-60* either side), and it would be under pretty much constant tensile loads from towing so I guess most/all of the reinforcement would need to be aligned to that primary load path and tolerate lots of lateral flex. And just how flexible is a "flexible" epoxy? or should I be looking at other resins?
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