Contact Analysis of Spatial Fixed-Axes Pairs Using Configuration Spaces

We presentthe first configurationspacecomputationalgorithm for pairs of rigid parts that move along fixed spatial axes. The motivation is contactanalysisformechanical design of spatial systems and of planar systems with axis misalignment.Thepart geometryis specifiedin a parametric boundary representation using planes, cylinders, and spheres. Our strategy is to exploit the specializedpart geometryand the two-dimensionalstructureof the configuration spaceto: (1)derivelow-degreealgebraiccontactequations in the two part motion parameters,which can readily be solved to obtain contact curves, and (2) to use a practical planar configurationspace construction algorithm. We demonstratea preliminary implementationon three representativepairs, none of which is covered by other contact analysisalgorithms. We show how the program is used in answeringdesign questions.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1999
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Iddo Drori, Leo Joskowicz, Elisha Sacks
• Keywords: ICRA 1999, Parametric Boundary Representation, Practical Planar Configurationspace, Robotics, Spatial Axes