Synthesis of a family of regular deployable polyhedral mechanisms (DPMs)

Abstract

This paper for the first time presents the synthesis of a family of overconstrained regular deployable polyhedral mechanisms (DPMs). The mechanisms are developed based on a novel plane-symmetric eight-bar linkage with exact straightline motion. By implanting the plane-symmetric eight-bar linkages into the regular polyhedron bases, the synthesis of a family of overconstrained regular DPMs are presented in this paper and the constraint matrix of the mechanisms is constructed using the screw-loop equation method verifying the mobility of the mechanisms. The synthesis method presented in this paper can used to synthesize more DPMs and the proposed DPMs have potential applications in the fields of machines, deployable robots, architectural applications and space technologies.