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Extending screw theory for analysing mechanisms incorporating higher kinematic pairs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2025

Ruyi Guo ,
Jiangyan Wang ,
Houhua Hu ,
Jun Zhang Open the ORCID record for Jun Zhang [Opens in a new window]  and
Fufu Yang Open the ORCID record for Fufu Yang [Opens in a new window]
Ruyi Guo
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Jiangyan Wang
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Houhua Hu
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
Jun Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China Fujian Province Digital Design Center for Manufacturing, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
Fufu Yang*
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China Fujian Province Digital Design Center for Manufacturing, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
*
Corresponding author: Fufu Yang; Email: yangfufu@fzu.edu.cn
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Abstract

Screw theory serves as an influential mathematical tool, significantly contributing to mechanical engineering, with particular relevance to mechanism science and robotics. The instantaneous screw and the finite displacement screw have been used to analyse the degree of freedom and perform kinematic analysis of linkage mechanisms with only lower pairs. However, they are not suitable for higher pair mechanisms, which can achieve complex motions with a more concise structure by reasonably designing contact contours, and they possess advantages in some particular areas. Therefore, to improve the adaptability of screw theory, this paper aims to analyse higher kinematic pair (HKP) mechanisms and proposes a method to extend instantaneous screw and finite displacement screw theory. This method can not only analyse the instantaneous degree of freedom of HKP mechanisms but also determine the relationships between the motion variables of HKP mechanisms. Furthermore, this method is applied to calculate the degree of freedom and the relationships between the motion angles in both planar and spatial cam mechanisms, thereby demonstrating its efficiency and advantages.

Keywords

higher kinematic pair mechanismsdegree of freedomscrew theoryfinite screw theorykinematics

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , First View , pp. 1 - 26
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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