Structural synthesis of Euclidean platform robot manipulators with variable general constraints

Abstract

In this paper, new method for structural synthesis of Euclidean platform robot manipulators with variable general constraints (EPRM) is presented. Three dimensional motion of the base moving platform is generated by the motion of dyads on the Euclidean planes. Each dyad is connected to the moving base platform by universal, spherical or spherical in torus (St) kinematic pairs. This allows solving the structural synthesis of Euclidean robot manipulators with various DoF and different platform motions. New structural formulations with variable general constraints for the platform motion and the mobility of robot manipulators are presented. The new structural classification of simple structural groups with variable general constraints including platforms, hinges, legs and branch loops from different subspaces and space is also introduced. Moreover, new method for structural synthesis of serial, parallel and serial-parallel EPRM is illustrated along with examples. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.