Kinematic Analysis of Three-Link Spatial Mechanisms Containing Sphere-Plane and Sphere-Groove Pairs

Abstract

Kinematic pairs in a spatial mechanism are viewed either as allowing relative screw motion between links or as constraining the motion of the two chains of the mechanism connected to the two elements of the pair. Using pair geometry constraints of the sphere-plane and sphere-groove kinematic pairs, the displacement, velocity and acceleration equations are derived for, R-Sp-R,* R-Sp-P, P-Sp-P, P-Sp-R and R-Sg-C three-link mechanisms. For known values of the input variable, other variables are computed in closed form. The analysis procedures are illustrated using numerical examples.