Synthesis of a reconfigurable mechanism and its kinematic chains

This paper explores the synthesis problems of a reconfigurable mechanism and its kinematic chains through an analytical process. Firstly, it presents a general procedure to synthesize the kinematic chains of an end-effector with the prescribed motion specifications, and then deduces the construction criteria of such chains. Any mechanism with a certain specified motions can be synthesized; and vice versa, all of the mechanisms synthesized with the same criteria must have the proscribed motions. A novel reconfigurable mechanism that can be used as rigid body guidance to follow a specified line is synthesized through the procedure proposed in this paper. Analysis demonstrates that this analytical methodology is valid and powerful to synthesize a reconfigurable mechanism that has the best motion specifications.