MECHANISMS OF A KINEMATIC CHAIN AND THE DEGREE OF STRUCTURAL SIMILARITY BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF LINK-PATH CODE

A new concept of link-path code has been introduced for a link of a pl anar kinematic chain with simple joints. An algorithm has been develop ed for determining link-path codes for all the links of a kinematic ch ain, leading to the identification of its distinct mechanisms. Based o n the concept of link-path code, an algorithm has also been proposed t o quantify the degree of structural similarity between any two simple jointed planar kinematic chains with a given number of links and degre e-or-freedom, as well as between any two mechanisms of a planar kinema tic chain with simple joints. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd