New Variable-Structure Floating Linkage Mechanism

A new three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) variable-structure floating linkage mechanism is presented in this article. The proposed mechanism consists of six links, five revolute joints, and one rolling or sliding joint. In the mechanism, the fixed link of a traditional five-bar linkage and its adjacent links serve as the driving links. The mechanism is a fully rotatable five-bar linkage relative to a fixed link. Depending on which links are driven, the mechanism’s structure transforms among four-bar linkage, five-bar linkage, floating four-bar linkage, and floating five-bar linkage. A key advantage of this mechanism is its adjustable structure and workspace, and its ability to solve all planar path generation and motion generation problems within a specified workspace. Structural and positional analysis results of the mechanism developed are presented in this article, along with examples and experimental validations demonstrating its feasibility for planar path and motion generation tasks.