MECHANISMS FOR ORIENTING AND PLACING ARTICLES

摘要

A mechanism for orienting an end member utilizes paired five-bar linkages wherein two joints on each five-bar linkage may be actuated. Preferably the actuators are mounted at the baselink of the five bar linkages, such base-links being collinearly aligned. Two or three rotational and one translational degree of freedom are available. This mechanism in its three or two degrees of rotational freedom variants have exceptional motion range, free of singularities, superior structural properties, and is easy to manufacture. This orienting mechanism can be mounted as an end member on a positioning mechanism having a four main links wherein three joints are actuated. The diagonally opposed joints of the positioning mechanism are respectively spherical and revolute. This positioning mechanism can operate with two actuators that are grounded and one that is elevated. In all cases sensors may be substituted for, or used in conjunction with, actuators to provide an apparatus useful, interalia, in the telerobotics and virtual reality fields.