General Characteristics of the Motion of Multiple-Pode Joints

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical method on the investigation of the motion characteristics of a class of spatial mechanical components involving the ball-and-trunnion type of joint, namely, the multiple-pode joint. Algebraic derivations of the input-output equation and explicit relations for motion parameters are presented for these joints as well as their shaft couplings. From this general displacement analysis, some insights into the basic nature and behavior of the multiple-pode joint are observed and interpreted. The creation of shaft couplings using these joints and their functional analysis are also illustrated in several cases.