Parametric Design of a Spherical Eight-Bar Linkage Based on a Spherical Parallel Manipulator

Abstract

This paper presents a procedure that determines the dimensions of two constraining links to be added to a three degree-of-freedom spherical parallel manipulator so that it becomes a one degree-of-freedom spherical (8, 10) eight-bar linkage that guides its end-effector through five task poses. The dimensions of the spherical parallel manipulator are unconstrained, which provides the freedom to specify arbitrary base attachment points as well as the opportunity to shape the overall movement of the linkage. Inverse kinematics analysis of the spherical parallel manipulator provides a set of relative poses between all of the links, which are used to formulate the synthesis equations for spherical RR chains connecting any two of these links. The analysis of the resulting spherical eight-bar linkage verifies the movement of the system.