On the Perfect Gravity-Balance of a Spatial N-DOF Manipulator Based on the Localized Pseudo-Base

This paper offers an exact solution for the perfect gravity-balance of a class of spatial manipulators with no translational joints. The methodology used is based on the concept of conservation of the gravitational and elastic potential energy of the system. The overall gravitational potential energy of a serial-connected, n-link manipulator is identified to be contributed by n subsystems, where each subsystem is kinematically equivalent to one of the primary links of the manipulator, and possesses the accumulated mass of its post-connected links with a fixed mass center located on the subsystem. The gravitational potential energy of such a subsystem can be fully balanced by the elastic potential energy of the spring fitted between the link and its adjacent pseudo-base. Since the rotation axis of the pseudo-base is required to be in the direction of gravity, n serial-connected RSSR modules are constituted along the primary chain of the manipulator to provide a pseudo-base for each of the primary links. With one linear, zero-free-length spring fitted between each of the primary links of the manipulator and its associated pseudo-base, a static equilibrium of the considered mechanism in any configuration can be reached. A numerical example of the model of a six-DOF industrial robot has demonstrated the success of the proposed methodology.Copyright © 2009 by ASME