Type Synthesis of Variable Degrees-of-Freedom Parallel Manipulators With Both Planar and 3T1R Operation Modes

Parallel manipulators (PMs) with multiple operation modes are novel reconfigurable PMs which use less number of actuators and can be reconfigured without disassembly. Although several classes of PMs with multiple operation modes that have the same DOF (degrees-of-freedom) in all the operation modes have been proposed, only one class of variable-DOF PMs with multiple operation modes — PMs with multiple operation modes that do not have the same DOF in all the operation modes — have been proposed so far. This paper deals with the type synthesis of variable-DOF PMs with both planar and 3T1R (or Schonflies motion which has three translational DOF and 1 rotational DOF) operation modes. The axes of rotation of the moving platform in the planar operation mode are not parallel to the axes of rotation of the moving platform in the 3T1R operation mode. At first, an approach to the type synthesis of PMs with multiple operation modes is recalled. Based on the results on the type synthesis of planar PMs and 3T1R PMs, the types of variable-DOF PMs with both planar and 3T1R operation modes are then obtained. This work can be extended to the type synthesis of other classes of PMs with multiple operation modes.Copyright © 2012 by ASME