An Analytical Method for Computing the Instant Centers, Centrodes, Inflection Circles, and Centers of Curvature of the Centrodes by Successively Grounding Each Link

Abstract

An analytical method is presented for determining the instant centers, centrodes, inflection circles, and centers of curvature of the centrodes of a mechanism. The method uses the vector loop and kinematic coefficient concepts and is applicable to any mechanism which can be represented by vector loops. A modified vector loop approach includes the idea of mechanism inversion to obtain relative kinematic coefficients, thus eliminating the need for recalculating them. A computer program was written incorporating the method, and examples are given.