Kinematic chain

In mechanical engineering, a kinematic chain is an assembly of

rigid bodies connected by joints to provide constrained (or desired)
motion that is the mathematical model for a mechanical system.[1]
As in the familiar use of the wordchain, the rigid bodies, or links, are
constrained by their connections to other links. An example is the
simple open chain formed by links connected in series, like the usual
chain, which is the kinematic model for a typical robot
manipulator.[2]

Mathematical models of the connections, or joints, between two links

are termed kinematic pairs. Kinematic pairs model the hinged and
sliding joints fundamental to robotics, often called lower pairs and
the surface contact joints critical to cams and gearing, called higher The JPL mobile robot ATHLETE is a platform with
six serial chain legs ending in wheels.
pairs. These joints are generally modeled as holonomic constraints.
A kinematic diagram is a schematic of the mechanical system that
shows the kinematic chain.

The modern use of kinematic chains includes compliance that arises

from flexure joints in precision mechanisms, link compliance in
compliant mechanisms and micro-electro-mechanical systems, and
cable compliance in cable robotic andtensegrity systems.[3] [4]

Contents
Mobility formula
Analysis of kinematic chains
Synthesis of kinematic chains
See also
References
The arms, fingers, and head of theJSC Robonaut
are modeled as kinematic chains.
Mobility formula
The degrees of freedom, or mobility, of a kinematic chain is the number of parameters that define the configuration of the chain.[2][5]
A system of n rigid bodies moving in space has 6n degrees of freedom measured relative to a fixed frame. This frame is included in
the count of bodies, so that mobility does not depend on link that forms the fixed frame. This means the degree-of-freedom of this
system is M = 6(N − 1), where N = n + 1 is the number of moving bodies plus the fixed body
.

Joints that connect bodies impose constraints. Specifically, hinges and sliders each impose five constraints and therefore remove five
degrees of freedom. It is convenient to define the number of constraints c that a joint imposes in terms of the joint's freedom f, where
c = 6 − f. In the case of a hinge or slider, which are one degree of freedom joints, havef = 1 and therefore c = 6 − 1 = 5.

The result is that the mobility of a kinematic chain formed from n moving links and j joints each with freedom fi, i = 1, ..., j, is given
by
 The movement of the Boulton & Watt steam engine
is studied as a system of rigid bodies connected by
joints forming a kinematic chain.

Recall that N includes the fixed link.

Analysis of kinematic chains

The constraint equations of a kinematic chain couple the range of movement allowed
at each joint to the dimensions of the links in the chain, and formalgebraic equations
that are solved to determine the configuration of the chain associated with specific
values of input parameters, calleddegrees of freedom.

The constraint equations for a kinematic chain are obtained using rigid
transformations [Z] to characterize the relative movement allowed at each joint and
separate rigid transformations [X] to define the dimensions of each link. In the case
of a serial open chain, the result is a sequence of rigid transformations alternating
joint and link transformations from the base of the chain to its end link, which is
equated to the specified position for the end link. A chain of n links connected in
series has the kinematic equations,

where [T] is the transformation locating the end-link—notice that the chain includes
a "zeroth" link consisting of the ground frame to which it is attached. These
equations are called theforward kinematics equations of the serial chain.[6] A model of the human skeleton as a
kinematic chain allows positioning
Kinematic chains of a wide range of complexity are analyzed by equating the using forward and inverse
kinematics equations of serial chains that form loops within the kinematic chain. kinematics.
These equations are often calledloop equations.
The complexity (in terms of calculating theforward and inverse kinematics) of the chain is determined by the following factors:

Its topology: a serial chain, a parallel manipulator, a tree structure, or a graph.

Its geometrical form: how are neighbouringjoints spatially connected to each other?
Explanation

Two or more rigid bodies in space are collectively called a rigid body system. We can hinder the motion of these independent rigid
bodies with kinematic constraints. Kinematic constraints are constraints between rigid bodies that result in the decrease of the degrees
of freedom of rigid body system.[5]

Synthesis of kinematic chains

The constraint equations of a kinematic chain can be used in reverse to determine the dimensions of the links from a specification of
the desired movement of the system.This is termed kinematic synthesis.[7]

Perhaps the most developed formulation of kinematic synthesis is forfour-bar linkages, which is known as Burmester theory.[8][9][10]

Ferdinand Freudenstein is often called the father of modern kinematics for his contributions to the kinematic synthesis of linkages
beginning in the 1950s. His use of the newly developed computer to solve Freudenstein's equation became the prototype of
computer-aided design systems.[7]

[2]
This work has been generalized to the synthesis of spherical and spatial mechanisms.

See also
Assur group
Denavit–Hartenberg parameters
Chebychev–Grübler–Kutzbach criterion
Configuration space
Machine (mechanical)
Mechanism (engineering)
Six-bar linkage
Simple machines
Six degrees of freedom
Superposition principle

References
1. Reuleaux, F., 1876 The Kinematics of Machinery, (https://books.google.com/books?id=WUZV
AAAAMAAJ&printsec=f
rontcover&dq=kinematics+of+machinery&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qpn4T se-E9SasgLcsZytDw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwAQ#v=on
epage&q=kinematics%20of%20machinery&f=false)(trans. and annotated by A. B. W. Kennedy), reprinted by Dover,
New York (1963)
2. J. M. McCarthy and G. S. Soh, 2010,Geometric Design of Linkages,(https://books.google.com/books?id=jv9mQyjRI
w4C&pg=PA231&lpg=PA231&dq=geometric+design+of+linkages&source=bl&ots=j6TS10 43qE&sig=R5ycw5DximWr
QOEVshfiytflD6Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0Zj4TuiCFvCGsgKyvO3FAQ&ved=0CGAQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=geometri
c%20design%20of%20linkages&f=false)Springer, New York.
3. Larry L. Howell, 2001, Compliant mechanisms(https://books.google.com/books/about/Compliant_mechanisms.html?
id=tiiSOuhsIfgC), John Wiley & Sons.
4. Alexander Slocum, 1992,Precision Machine Design(https://books.google.com/books?id=uG7aqgal65YC&printsec=f
rontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false) , SME
5. J. J. Uicker, G. R. Pennock, and J. E. Shigley, 2003, Theory of Machines and Mechanisms,Oxford University
Press, New York.
6. J. M. McCarthy, 1990, Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics,MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
 7. R. S. Hartenberg and J. Denavit, 1964,Kinematic Synthesis of Linkages,McGraw-Hill, New York.
8. Suh, C. H., and Radcliffe, C. W., Kinematics and Mechanism Design,John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1978.
9. Sandor,G.N.,andErdman,A.G.,1984,AdvancedMechanismDesign:AnalysisandSynthesis, V
ol. 2. Prentice-Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
10. Hunt, K. H., Kinematic Geometry of Mechanisms,Oxford Engineering Science Series, 1979

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kinematic_chain&oldid=850106393

"

This page was last edited on 13 July 2018, at 16:58(UTC).

Text is available under theCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of theWikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.