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Figure 1
Figure 2
the curved blade in the open position and allow the tip of the straight blade to move
along the circular arc AB as the jaws close. Figure 2 shows the straight blade in an
arbitrary intermediate position. The design specification requires that b0 be constant.
For convenience, we select b0 5 py4. Let the function representing the curved blade
be y 5 f sxd and the point P of the intersection of the blades be sx, yd.
The slope of the tangent line l can be expressed as dyydx 5 tan (ad. But a 5 b0 1 u, so
p
1 tan u
p
4
tansad 5 tan
1u 5
.
4
p
1 2 tan tan u
4
tan
y
dy
x
5
dx
y
12
x
11
11v
,
12v
1
12v
dv 5 dx.
2
11v
x
or
Integration yields
Arctan svd 2
Arctan
12
1
In s1 1 v2d 5 In |x| 1 C,
2
or
y
1
y2
2 In 1 1 2 5 In |x| 1 C.
x
2
x
As often happens with separable equations, this implicit general solution does not yield
a solution in the form y 5 f sxd, so does not lend itself to recognition of the shape of the
Figure 3
curved blade. But further simplification yields Arctan syyxd 2 ln!x2 1 y2 5 C, which
suggests. . . polar coordinates! The polar form of the general solution is the logarithmic
spiral u 2 ln r 5 C or r 5 keu.
Since the polar point s5,py3d is on the curve, k > 1.8 and the solution to our design
problem is
r 5 1.8eu for 0 u py3.
Figure 3 shows a plot of the actual blade shape, which could be scaled to build a
template for the blade manufacturing process.
Acknowledgement. This problem was suggested to the author by Helmut Paulo who teaches
mathematics and physics in Lorrach, Germany.
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