Motion Paths Finding for Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Mechanisms

Abstract

Multiple degree-of-freedom (DOF) mechanisms can provide more flexible reconfigurations than 1 DOF ones but are more complex to analyze. One difficulty is the existence of an unlimited number of valid motion direction at each configuration point. In this paper, a shooting method that is defined by customized target functions is introduced to help determine a specific motion direction at each configuration point. As a result, an incremental path-finding simulation can be carried out by following a unique motion direction at each step. The ability to arbitrarily define the target function allows a flexible and desirable exploration of the motion space, and it can find different motion paths to the target state. Two examples are provided, in which different motion paths for deploying a 5-bar linkage and folding a Resch-ori pattern are generated.