Design of High-Stiffness Five-Bar and Seven-Bar Linkage Structures by Using the Concept of Orthogonal Paths

Abstract

This paper presents a new approach for the synthesis of high-stiffness five-bar and seven- bar linkage structures based on the concept of orthogonal paths. The intersection point of two orthogonal paths is the location of a floating joint at which the motion is prevented to the maximum degree. Instead of analyzing link materials, deformations, and joint clearances, the approaches here provide designers with another way to obtain the geometrical configurations of five-bar and seven-bar linkage structures with high stiffness from a kinematic point of view. Two types of linkage structures, five-bar and seven-bar linkages, will be used for high-stiffness synthesis. The complete design procedures are presented for two different cases of each type.