Development of Basic Conditions for Division of Mechanisms into Subfamilies

AbstractThis study provides the basics for structural organization and classification of mechanisms within their subfamilies. The division of all mechanisms into subfamilies is based on the application of various types of kinematic pairs with varied numbers of relative motions. The introduction of subfamilies gives the necessary base for completed synthesis of all mechanisms within their families. It has been analytically proved that all five families of mechanisms include fifty seven subfamilies, where thirty one are in the zero family, fifteen in the first family, seven in the second family, three in the third family and one in the fourth family. The study presents new foundations for the structural synthesis of the planar and spatial mechanisms which may be only developed with the approach of separation into subfamilies. This new approach gives necessary foundations to further synthesis of any kinds of kinematic chains, such as Assur groups with zero DOF or multi-mobility systems, as well as one DOF mechanisms