This is a switch mechanism that I made for a toy knife. I decided to release this as an example of a 3D-printed flexible mechanism. I am curious to see if anyone else can think of a purpose for a mechanism like this. It's also fun to play with.

You can find my new gravity utility knife design here.

You can obtain a commercial license to sell prints of this here. Commercial seller tier club members have permission use this model for commercial purposes during active membership.

Instructions

The first step in assembly is to push the flex part into the body. Orientation does matter because the walls of both the body and the flex part are slanted. This slant prevents the flex from becoming dislodged from the body during operation. Next, screw the knob into the flex part. The proper orientation can be seen in the photos. Applying lubricant will make the mechanism significantly smoother. Otherwise, the more you toggle the switch the smoother it will get.