Mechanism and Machine Theory 37 (2002) 15051512

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Synthesis of four-bar mechanisms by FreudensteinChebyshev

Todor Stoilov Todorov
Department of Theory of Mechanisms and Machines, Technical University of Soa, Soa 1156, Bulgaria Received 11 February 2002; received in revised form 16 June 2002; accepted 22 June 2002

Abstract A new dimensional synthesis method is described in the paper. The position function of the four-bar mechanism is presented by the Freudensteins equation and it is minimized by the Chebyshevs best approximation theory. The target function is used as an exactly satised equation and the Freudensteins equation is considered as a Chebyshevs polynomial. In some cases the method provides possibilities to nd simple solutions of the synthesis tasks. These solutions are known as the best Chebyshevs approach of the weighted target function. This approach is near the best one for the original target function. A numerical example given here explains the essence of the method. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. R esum e Un nouvelle m ethode de synth ese metriquee est d ecrite dans larticle. Le fonction de la position des m ecanismes quatre members articules est present e par le  equation de Freudenstein et est minims ee par la th eorie de la meilleure approximation de Th ebychev. La fonction de but est appliqu ee comme  equation ^me de Tch satsfaite precise et l  equation de Freudenstein est admise comme un polino ebychev. Dans certtains cas la m ethode donne la possibilit e de truver des solutions simples  a la tache de la syth ese. Ces solusions sont connues comme la meilleure approximation de Tch ebychev de la fonction de but mesur ee. Cette approximation est tres pr es de la fonction de but orginaire. Un example numerique present ee ici explique lessence de la m ethode. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction Most of the algebraic methods for approximate kinematic synthesis of four-bar mechanisms are based on the well-known Freudensteins equation [1]. The distinctions in the big variety of these
E-mail address: tst@tu-soa.acad.bg (T. Stoilov Todorov). 0094-114X/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 0 9 4 - 1 1 4 X ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 7 2 - 1

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methods are due to the computational procedures that are used to nd a proper solution. The Freudensteins equation provides very powerful possibilities for solving any approximate tasks because of its simplicity. The Chebyshevs best approximation theory is a powerful tool in the eld of the function approaches. Some methods shown in [2,5] use the so-called accuracy points to nd the rough solution, which could be identical to the Chebyshevs approximation if some additional conditions are satised. The methods based on the Chebyshevs polynomial rows [6] give good solution if the aim function can be presented as a power polynomial. In this paper a method combining the Freudensteins equation with the Chebyshevs best approximation theory is presented. The main idea of this method is the considering of the Freudensteins equation as a generalized polynomial consisting of system of Chebyshevs functions, which allows the use of the Chebyshevs theorem for the best approximation [3,4]. Here this method is called synthesis by FreudensteinChebyshev.

2. Theory An (n 1)th order polynomial of functions P x p0 f0 x p1 f1 x pn fn x; 1

where p0 ; p1 ; . . . ; pn are constant coecients, f0 x; f1 x; . . . ; fn x linearly independent and continuous functions of the variable argument x is called Chebyshevs system polynomial, if each polynomial of given functions fi x (i 0; 1; . . . ; n) has no more than n roots in the interval a; b [3]. The set of the functions fi x (i 0; 1; . . . ; n) is called Chebyshevs system functions of order n. A given continuous function F x is least deviated from a Chebyshevs system polynomial of order n of type (1) if Dmax maxa;b jP x F xj is minimum. Such kind of function approximation is called as well the best Approach or the Chebyshevs approximation. The Chebyshevs theorem is formulating in the following way: In order the polynomial (1) to be least deviated from given continuous function F x in the interval a; b, it is necessary and enough that the dierence Dx P x F x 2

no less than n 2 ways reaches its limit values L consecutively changing its sign. For the four-bar mechanism shown in Fig. 1 the Freudensteins equation [1] can be written in the view p1 p2 cos u p3 cos w cosw u 0; where p1 d 2 r2 R2 l2 ; 2rR d p2 ; R 4 5 3

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Fig. 1. Four-bar mechanism.

and p3 d r 6

are constant coecients which depend on the dimensions of the links r, R, l and d shown in Fig. 1. In the function generation synthesis problems the output angle has to be approached to a given function F F u of the input angle u. The usage of any approximate method leads to build a target function D wu F u; and to search its minimum in a limited interval for u 2 u1 ; um . The essence of the new method considered here is: (i) to assume that the target function is satised e.g. D wu F u 0; (ii) to nd (if it possible) a solution of (8) w wD u; 9 8 7

where UD u is a preferably trigonometric function (iii) to substitute (9) in the Freudensteins equation (3) and to present its left hand side as the difference Dw u P u Fw u; where P u p1 p2 cos u p3 cos wD u; Fw cos wD u cos u sin wD u sin u; 11 12 10

(iv) the next step is the proving that the set of the functions f1; cos u; cos wD ug is a Chebyshevs nth order system. If this is true, then we can apply the Chebyshevs Theorem to the dierence (10) and nd the unknown coecients according this theorem by the system of the equations

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Dwui 1i L i 1; 2; 3; 4; D0w uj 0 j 2; 3;

13

where D0w uj dDw u=dujuuj and L is the maximum value of the deviation (v) at last the dimensions of r, R, l or d have to be determined and to nd the rest ones using the relations (4)(6). If it is possible instead of (12) a solution of type Uw UD u to be found, where Uw is a trigonometric function which allows the functions sin w Sw u; and cos w Cw u to be determined, the expressions (11) and (12) can be simplied to P u p1 p2 cos u p3 Cw u; Fw Cw u cos u Sw u sin u: 17 18 16 15 14

3. Example The six-link mechanism OABCDEF shown in Fig. 2 has to guide the output link 5 vertically and symmetrically to the groove walls of the transport link 6 for a given interval u1 ; um of the input link angle u. The transport link 7 moves by transmission, which is conditionally presented here by belt driving. The grooves are made with constant step p 4:23 mm, and the transport link has to move uniformly with respect to the input angle. For the position of the symmetrically disposed in the groove point M follows the relation p 19 xM u: 2p The position of the point D that belongs to the output link 5 is xD a cos w; 20

where a CD and w is the position angle of the link 3. The necessary vertical orientation of the link 5 is guaranteed by the parallelogram CDEF (CD EF , CF DE). The second synthesis condition for the positions of the points D and M can be described by the expression Dx xM xD uu a cos w; 21

where the substitution u p=2p is the necessary uniform velocity ratio of the transmission that connect the input link 1 and transport link 6.

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Fig. 2. Guiding six-link mechanism.

According the method mentioned above it is assumed that the position condition (21) is exactly fullled, that means Dx uu a cos w 0: 22 For the four-bar mechanism OABC the Freudensteins equation (3) is written in the view p p1 p2 cos u p3 cos w cos u cos w sin u 1 cos2 w 0: 23 From the equation (22) the function is expressed cos w k u; 24 where k u=a. On substituting the function (24) in the Eq. (23) and considering its left hand side as a function that has to deviate the least from zero, is obtained p Dw u k u cos u sin u 1 k 2 u2 p1 p2 cos u p3 k u: 25 According to the Chebyshevs best approximation theory the expression (25) can be separated in two parts. The rst one called here approximated function is p 26 F u k u cos u sin u 1 k 2 u2 : This function has to be strictly determined and continuous in the interval of approximation. The second part of the dierence (25) P u p1 p2 cos u p3 k u 27

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could be considered as a third order Chebyshevs polynomial if the set f1; cos u; k ug is a Chebyshevs system of functions in the considered interval. Here obviously the coecient k and the limits of the approximating interval u1 and um have to be previously given. The constant k is limited by the second term in (26). It ensues from this that 1 umax 6k6 1 umax ; 28

where umax maxfu1 ; um g. Here it is accepted that u1 p=3 rad, um 3p=4 rad and a 12 mm. A simple verication shows that the condition (28) is satised. So it is evaluated that u 0:673225 mm and k 0:056102. For the so chosen values it is easy to prove that the expression (27) is polynomial consisting of a Chebyshevs system of functions. On applying the Chebishevs Theorem the system (13) is solved numerically using by Maple 6.0 command fsolve, and the values of the optimized parameters p1 13:52129491, p2 8:287905794 and p3 142:7573721 are obtained. The least maximum deviation is L 0:09644186764 and it has to be obtained of the limits of the approximation interval and in the points u2 1:376621335 and u3 2:027581187 (Fig. 3). After R 10 mm is chosen from the system Eqs. (4)(6), the next solutions d 82:879 mm, r 0:5806 mm, l 84:4173 mm for the real dimensions of the fourbar mechanism are obtained. The Freudensteins equation (3) is solved with respect to the function cos w where A p2 p3 cos u p3 p1 p2 cos2 u p1 cos u; q 2 2 2 2 B j sin uj 2p1 p2 p3 cos u 1 p2 cos u p3 p1 ;
2 Z p3 2p3 cos u 1;

AB ; Z

29

30 31 32

Fig. 3. Distribution of the Chebyshevs polynomial.

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Fig. 4. Target function distribution.

and the expression (29) is substituted in the target function (2). By using the exact solution of (29) the distribution of this target function shown in Fig. 4 is obtained. The comparison of both graphs shows that the dierence (25) can be considered as some kind of weighted dierence, which is not investigated here. In point of view of the necessary accuracy the so obtained results are completely suitable. If the proportions of the dimensions of the mechanism are not appropriate and some additional synthesis conditions are posed, then the approximation accuracy could be decreased. This could be done by decreasing the order of the polynomial, assuming that one of the coecients pi , i 1, 2, 3 is preliminary given. Another possibility is to nd the optimal ratio of the dimensions a and R.

4. Conclusions The combination of Freudensteins equation and the best Chebyshevs theory enlarges the possibilities of the dimensional synthesis. The constant coecients of the Freudensteins equation are considered as coecients of the Chebyshevs polynomial. It is interesting to investigate the connections between the original target function and the weighted one. The examples shown here do not exhaust all applications of the method. The valuable feature of the method is the possibility for evaluation of the best deviation simultaneously with the optimized dimensions of the links. The advantages of the synthesis by FreudensteinChebyshev are the simplicity of the method and possibilities to nd the best solution of the tasks.

References
[1] F. Freudenstein, Approximate synthesis of four-bar linkages, Trans. ASME 77 (1955) 853. [2] H.H. Mabie, F.W. Ocvirk, in: Mechanisms and Dynamics of Machinery, third ed., John Wiley and Sons, 1978, pp. 260278. , CbH T ep [3] N.I. Levitskii, in: Synthesis by Chebyshev, Science Academy of USSR, 1946, p. 167 [H. B. KeB bT C rbb MexaH bpM O B go Xe,mI ieB y, AH CCCP, p. 167, 1946, in Russian].

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[4] P.L. Tchebyshev, Th eorie des m ecanismes connaissent comme parallelogrames, Memoires pr esenes  a lAcad emie Imperial des sciences de St.- R etersbourg par divers savants VII (1845) 539568. [5] R.S. Hartenberg, J. Denavit, Kinematic synthesis of four-bar linkages, Aust. J. Appl. Sci. 5 (4) (1954) 305308. [6] V.N. Galabov, in: Synthesis of Mechanisms in Robotics Technique, Technical University of Soa, 1992, pp. 136144 [<. B. C]k],oB , CbH T ep H a M exaH bpM b B po,oT oT eX H brata Ty-Coabz pp. 136144, 1992, in Bulgarian].