ISOMORPHISM AND INVERSIONS OF KINEMATIC CHAINS UP TO TEN LINKS USING DEGREES OF FREEDOM OF KINEMATIC PAIRS

This paper presents a new method for identifying the distinct mechanisms (DMs) from a given kinematic chain (KC). The KCs are represented in the form of the weighted physical connectivity matrix (WPCM). Two structural invariants derived from the characteristic polynomials of the WPCM of the KC are the sum of absolute characteristic polynomial coefficients (Sigma WPCM) and the maximum absolute value of the characteristic polynomial coefficient (MWPCM). They have been used as the composite identification number of a KC and mechanism. This is capable of detecting DMs in all types of simple jointed planar KCs tip to ten links having the same or different kinematic pairs (KPs). The proposed method has been tested successfully in identifying all the DMs derived from the family of single degree of freedom (dof) KCs up to ten links. Also, it does not require any test for isomorphism separately. This study will help the designer to select the best KC and mechanisms to perform the specified task at the conceptual stage of design.