Network model approach to the analysis of multirigid-body systems

The mathematical model of a rigid body in three dimensional motion developed in [1] is used to formulate the equations of motion for the systems of rigid bodies connected to form a special type of open kinematic chain. In this interconnection pattern of rigid bodies, each rigid body is considered as a 3-port component, and for the sake of generality, initially no constraints are imposed on the joints used to interconnect the rigid bodies. The system is considered as an (m+1)-port component and the corresponding terminal equations are obtained in closed form. As an appliction of these equations, a three-link plane manipulator is considered. © 1993 Kluwer Academic Publishers.