Abstract
To overcome the weakness in the load capacity of conventional robot manipulators actuated by motors with the speed reducer such as the harmonic driver, we proposed a new closed-chain type of the robot actuator which is composed of the four-bar-link mechanism driven by the ball screw. The robot manipulator is revolute-jointed and composed of four axes. The base axis is actuated by the lineal actuator such as the ball screw, and the others are actuated by the proposed actuator. We analyzed the mechanism of the actuators of the robot joints, and developed the dynamics model. The dynamics are expressed in the joint coordinates and then they are mapped into the sliding coordinates of the ball screw. We performed fundamental tests on the structure of the robot.
