A multiple degrees-of-freedom parallel manipulator actuated by three wheeled mobile robots

This paper deals with a new design of parallel mechanism comprising a movable platform supported by three wheeled mobile robots for the purpose of manipulation. The movable platform consists of a hexagonal platform, which is rigidly fixed to three inclined planes regularly fixed at three of its sides. Contrarily to the previous similar works, the platform is not linked to mobile robots but lies down on three free different ball wheels located at the tip of a vertical and rigid link fixed at the top of each mobile robot. The mobile robot motions in horizontal plane are transformed through the frictional contact between ball wheels and inclined planes to transport or orient the platform.