Configuration Synthesis of Generalized Mechanism Based on Screw Theory

A mechanism composed of generalized links and kinematic pairs is defined as the generalized mechanism, which is capable of transforming motions and forces. It is an expansion of traditional rigid mechanisms and can better reflect the material characteristics. The constraint screw systems of limbs were constructed according to the screw description of generalized links and kinematic pairs. By using screw reciprocal operations, the kinematics screw can be obtained. In addition, the analysis method of kinematic characteristics was established. After that, the inverse-kinematics configuration synthesis method was proposed by inversing the mechanism kinematics analysis. Given the specified motion, the constraint screw system of generalized mechanism was obtained. The constraint screw system can be further decomposed and computed to get the limb kinematics screw systems. Accordingly, the kinematic limbs of the generalized mechanism were obtained. By permutating the kinematic limbs, the desirable configurations of generalized mechanism were obtained.