Analysis and classification by geometric characteristics of robot wrist joint configurations.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is the analysis and classification of robot wrist joint configurations by geometric characteristic of orientation and canceling. The relations between wrist joint configurations and these characteristics need to be specified for designing the kinematic mechanisms of a robot. The analysis and classification are performed, dealing with a fundamental table of wrist joint configurations. The tabulation process is as follows; 1) enumerating exhaustively the combinations of wrist joint configurations, and 3) tabulating the wrist joint configurations in accordance with the present rules. The analysis and classification of wrist joint configurations provide a useful database for selecting the appropriate wrist according to the required operation functions.