AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

NOT COMPLETE
Design 1 Design a crank-rocker four-bar (Grashof) where the input link rotates completely and the output link (the follower) rocks back and forth with a prescribed angle. The design requires equal time forward and back for the rocker assuming a constant speed motor turning the crank. As shown in the diagram, link 2 is the crank and link 4 is the rocker with a prescribed angle 4 . Since there are no other requirements, there are infinite numbers of designs that would fulfill the stated requirements. The design process is summarized in the following steps. 1. Select a length L4 for the rocker (follower). Place the pin joint O4 at a convenient location on the ground. Construct the rocker at its limit positions, based on the given angle 4 . This process gives us the position of the pin joint B at its two limit positions, B1 and B2 . 2. Draw an axis through B1 B2 . 3. Place the pin joint O2 at a convenient location on this axis (infinite choices). This established the ground link and the length L1 = O2O4 . 4. Measure the distance B1 B2 . This is twice the length of the crank, L2 . 5. Draw a circle with its center at O2 and the radius L2 . 6. Position the pin joint A at two positions, A1 and A2 , at the intersections of the axis and the circle. This establishes the length of the coupler L3 = A1 B1 = A2 B2 . 7. Test for Grashofs condition. If non-Grashof, repeat the process from step 3 by locating O2 at a different location on the axis.
A1

4
B A

O2

O4

B2 B1

4
L4

L4

O4

2 L2 B2 B1 2 L2

O4 O2
B2 B1

A2 O4 O2

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

This is the designed four-bar.

O4 O2

Example 1 Design an equal time forward and back four-bar mechanism to operate the windshield wiper of the rear window of an automobile. The dimensions are given in the figure. The range of motion of the rocker (blade) is 105 o . The designed four-bar must fit within a compartment shown as a shaded area.

23

16 blade

17 6 36 38

Time Ratio In Design-1 it is required that the rocker to have equal time forward and back assuming a constant speed motor as the input. We achieved this requirement by assuring the crank to rotate 180 o when the rocker moved forward, and 180 o when the rocker moved backward. For such mechanism, the time ratio is one-to-one; i.e., TR = 1 :1 . In another design, it may be required for the output link to move slow in one direction and fast in the other direction; for example, the time ratio could be TR = 1 :1.5 (slow:fast). This is normally called a quick-return mechanism. To design such a mechanism, we must assure that the crank circle is split into two portions, and , such that / = TR . Since + = 360 o , we can determine the two angles: TR 1 A2 o o = 360 , = 360 (a) 1 + TR 1 + TR The difference between any of these two angles from 180 o is denoted as : (b) = 180 o = 180 o
A1 O2

Design 2 This is similar to Design 1, but here the time ratio is not one-to-one; e.g., TR = 1 :1.2 .

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

1. (Same as step 1 in Design 1) Select a length L4 for the rocker (follower). Place the pin joint O4 at a convenient location. Construct the rocker at its limit positions, knowing the angle 4 . This process gives us the position of the pin joint B at its two limit positions, B1 and B2 . 2. Compute , , and . 3. Draw two axes from B1 and B2 such that the angle between them is . For this purpose, you may draw an axis through B2 first (infinite choices), and draw a line making an angle with the first axis. Then from B1 draw an axis parallel to the line. The intersection of the two axes is O2 . This establishes the ground link and the length L1 = O2O4 . 4. With its center at O2 , draw a circle arc from B2 until it intersects the O2 B1 axis at B2 . Measure the distance between B1 and B2 . This is twice the length of the crank, L2 . 5. Draw a circle with radius L2 , centered at O2 . 6. Position the pin joint A at two positions, A1 and A2 , at the intersections of the two axes and the circle. This establishes the length of the coupler L3 = A1 B1 = A2 B2 . 7. Test for Grashofs condition. If non-Grashof, repeat the process from step 3 by drawing the axis through B2 in a different orientation. Note that: O2 B2 = L3 + L2 , O2 B1 = L3 L2 Therefore, O B O2 B1 O B + O2 B1 L2 = 2 2 , L3 = 2 2 2 2 This is the designed four-bar.
B

B2 B1

O4 O2

B 2 L2 B
1

O4 O
2

B 2 L2 B1

B2

A2
O2 A1

O4

O4 O

Note: This method is adequate for time ratios up to 1 :1.5 . For larger time ratios we need to design a six-bar or a more complex mechanism.
3

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

Example 2

Design 3 This problem requires designing a crank-rocker four-bar, where an extension to the rocker link should find two limiting positions, C1 D1 and C2 D2 , as shown. This design can easily be turned into Design 1 or Design 2 depending on the required time-ratio. 1. Draw the perpendicular bi-sector to C1C2 . 2. Draw the perpendicular bi-sector to D1 D2 . 3. The intersection of the two perpendicular bi-sectors is the location of the pin joint O4 . 4. Construct the rocker link at its two limits O2 C1 D1 and O2 C2 D2 . 5. Select a proper value for L4 and place the pin joint B at its two limits B1 and B2 . 6. Continue with either Design-1 or Design-2 procedure.
C1

D1 C2

D 2

C1
D1 C2 D2

O4
D1 C2 D2

B
C1

4
L4

L4

O4

Example 3

Design 4 In some four-bar mechanisms, the output link could be the coupler, not the follower. In this design problem two positions of the coupler links are provided. These are not necessarily the limiting positions. We assume that A1 and A2 are two positions of the pin joint A, and B1 and B2 are two positions of the pin joint B; i.e., L3 is known.

A1

A2 B
2

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

1. Draw the perpendicular bi-sector to A1 A2 2. Place the pin joint O2 at a convenient location on this line (infinite choices). This establishes the length L2 . 3. Draw the perpendicular bi-sector to B1 B2 . 4. Place the pin joint O4 at a convenient location on this line (infinite choices). This establishes the length L4 and L1 . If it is required for the four-bar to be Grashof, we must check for that. If the designed mechanism is not Grashof, we repeat steps 2 and 4 by placing O2 and O4 at different locations on their corresponding bi-sectors. We repeat this process until we find a Grashof four-bar.

A1

A2 B2

O2

O4
B

O4

If (a) the problem statement did not require a Grashof four-bar, or (b) we cannot find a Grashof four-bar, or (c) A1 B1 and A2 B2 should be the limiting positions of the coupler, we should do the followings: (1) we must assure that the designed four-bar can move from position 1 to position 2 and back continuously (without a need to disassemble/re-assemble the mechanism); and (2) design a dyad to drive this four-bar (dyads are discussed later in this chapter). Example 4

Design 5 A variation of Design 4 could be that three orientations of the coupler link are provided. 1. Draw the perpendicular bi-sectors to A1 A2 and A2 A3 . The intersection of these two bi-sectors is the pin joint O2 . This establishes the length L2 . 2. Draw the perpendicular bi-sector to B1 B2 and B2 B3 . The intersection of these two bi-sectors is the pin joint O4 . This establishes the lengths L4 and L1 . We observe that the design is unique. Most likely, the design is non-Grashof. As long as the designed four-bar can move between the three configurations continuously, we can add a dyad to drive this four-bar.
A1 A2

B1

A3

B2

B3

B1

A1

A2 A3 B2

B3 O2 O4

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

O4

Example 5

Design 6 Another variation of Design-4 or Design5 is that two or three positions of an extension of the coupler link are provided. We are given the freedom to shape the coupler link as desired. Assume the extension is given at three EF positions as shown. 1. We can decide on the shape of the coupler link and construct it at one of the positions. This step establishes the location of the pin joints A and B at that configuration, and the length of the coupler L3 = AB . 2. Construct the same shape for the coupler at the other configurations. This step establishes the location of the joints A and B at the other configurations. The design can be continued as either Design-4 or Design-5.

F1

E1

E2 F2 E3

F3
F1

B E1

A1

F1

B1 E1

B A1 A2 A3

B3

Example 6

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

Dyad D Most six-bar mechanisms are B combinations of two four-bars or a (5) four-bar and a slider-crank. Most often (3) A C (6) one of the four-bars is the driving (4) Dyad Original four-bar mechanism; i.e., it is a Grashof four(2) bar with a rotational motor (input). O6 O2 O4 The second mechanism, whether a four-bar or a slider-crank, contains the output link. As an example, consider the six-bar mechanism shown containing two four-bars in series. The original four-bar O4 CDO6 was designed first to perform certain task. Link 6 (or link 5) is the output link. This four-bar may or may not be Grashof. Regardless of that, the four-bar O2 ABO4 has been added to drive the original four-bar. This second four-bar is called a dyad. The output link of the dyad becomes the input link of the original mechanism. Design 7 A four-bar has been designed in such a way that its follower link can rock back and forth by an angle of 6 . The input link of this four-bar negotiates in a range of 4 . Design a dyad to drive this four-bar with a given time ratio ( TR could be 1 :1 or 1 :1 ). 1. Select an appropriate position for the pin joint B on the input link of the original four-bar. This point could be along the axis of the link, could coincide with pin joint C, or the link could be made triangular; i.e., C, B, and O4 form a triangle. 2. Construct link 4 in its two limiting positions in order to determine the locations of B1 and B2 .
B1
C 1

O6

4
(4)

(5) (6)

O4

6
O6 B

4
C2

D1

6
D2

O4

O4

3. Follow the procedure of Design-1 or Design-2, depending on the time ratio, to complete the dyad. In this example, we have assumed TR = 1 :1 . The resulting six-bar is depicted in the form of an animation.

A1 A2 O
2

B1

B2

O4

P.E. Nikravesh

AME 352

KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS

Example 7

P.E. Nikravesh