NOVEL LOCKABLE PASSIVE JOINTS FOR JOINT LOCKING-BASED RECONFIGURABLE MECHANISMS

This paper presents a novel design of lockable passive prismatic, revolute, universal, and spherical joints that can be used in a joint locking-based reconfigurable mechanism. The proposed lockable joints offer several advantages, including 1) modularity, 2) small locking force/torque, 3) low-power active trigger, 4) no-slip, and 5) simplicity. All the lockable passive joints proposed in this work provide locking at one or multiple discrete positions, considering that it is the requirement. The modular design, in particular, provides a cost-effective solution for the manufacturing and maintenance of the joints. Designed to have one or more discrete locking positions, the proposed lockable joints have a self-aligning capability that increases the reliability of the locking action. The locking action can be triggered by a low-cost, low-power, short-stroke binary piston such as a solenoid. While the trigger only requires small power, the locking action provides strong locking provided by mechanical locking.