Limit Positions of Spatial Linkages via Connectivity Sum Reduction

Abstract

Several methods are available for determining the configurations of spatial linkages at which joint freedoms take limiting values. These approaches emphasize various characteristics of joint limit positions, but none uses directly the fact that the remainder of the linkage has transient mobility at the instant when the joint being considered is locked. It is this feature which is utilized here to show, by means of a range of examples, how limiting configurations may be determined.