Spring-balanced 3-DoF serial planar manipulators for constant forces in arbitrary directions

AbstractWith the use of springs, a method to balance the constant forces in arbitrary directions on a planar serial manipulator is developed in this study. Gravity balancing has been discussed a lot in the past. However, manipulators usually bear forces from various directions rather than only a fixed one as gravity. For instance, an industrial manipulator would bear forces from everywhere during the working process. Therefore, a method to balance these forces in arbitrary directions with springs is proposed. Based on the representation of energy, spring energy is the function of springs’ attachment points. Two spring systems with different attachment angles are needed to balance respectively forces in arbitrary directions and gravity. The spring installations of the above systems on 3-DoF manipulators are proposed. Finally, a resistive force-balanced manipulator with/without gravity balance in the grinding process is shown. In sum, this paper for the first time develops the balancing method for forces in arbitrary directions, expanding the spring balance theory to a broader application.