Kinematic analysis of a single-loop reconfigurable 7R mechanism with multiple operation modes

This paper presents a novel 1-DOF (degree-of-freedom) single-loop reconfigurable 7R mechanism with multiple operation modes (SLR7RMMOM), composed of seven revolute (R) joints, via adding a revolute joint to the overconstrained Sarrus linkage. The SLR7RMMOM can switch from one operation mode to another without disconnection and reassembly, and is a non-overconstrained mechanism. The algorithm for the inverse kinematics of the serial 6R mechanism using kinematic mapping is adopted to deal with the kinematic analysis of the SLR7RMMOM. Firstly, a numerical method is applied and an example is given to show that there are 13 sets of solutions for the SLR7RMMOM corresponding to each input angle. Among these solutions, nine sets are real solutions, which are verified using both the CAD model and the prototype of the mechanism. Then an algebraic approach is also used to analyze the mechanism and the same results are obtained as the numerical one. It is shown from both the numerical and algebraic approaches that the SLR7RMMOM has three operation modes: translational mode and two 1-DOF planar modes. The transitional configurations among the three modes are also identified.