Spatial Straight-Line Linkages by Factorization of Motion Polynomials

Abstract

We use the recently introduced factorization of motion polynomials for constructing overconstrained spatial linkages with a straight-line trajectory. Unlike previous examples of such linkages by other authors, they are single-loop linkages and the end-effector motion is not translational. In particular, we obtain a number of linkages with four revolute and two prismatic joints and a remarkable linkage with seven revolute joints one of whose joints performs a Darboux motion.