Workspace analysis of a reconfigurable mechanism generated from the network of bennett linkages

Abstract

In this paper, a workspace triangle is introduced to evaluate the workspace of a reconfigurable mechanism generated from the network of Bennett linkages. Three evaluation indexes of workspace including movement locus of the joint, surface swept by the link and helical tube enveloped by the workspace triangle have been discussed. The comparison between the workspace of the reconfigurable mechanism and the sum of five resultant 5R/6R linkages including generalized Goldberg 5R linkage, generalized variant of the L-shape Goldberg 6R linkage, Waldron’s hybrid 6R linkage, isomerized generalized L-shape Goldberg 6R linkage and generalized Wohlhart’s double-Goldberg 6R linkage is accomplished by using the evaluation indexes and mapping the workspace to the joint space which is defined by a vector whose components are joint variables.