Dynamic modeling and load distribution algorithm of a trailer type mobile robot

Trailer type mobile robots have been studied from the viewpoint of control and design of nonholonomic mechanical systems in literature. However, researches for its detailed closed form kinematic and dynamic modeling are rarely being progressed. Though the trailer type mobile robot is shaped like a kinematically redundant system consisting of surplus joints, its actual kinematic characteristic is similar to a closed chain system since the motion of every trailer is constrained to the ground and the following trailers´ motion is dependent on the leading trailer´s motion. The exact kinematic relationship between the leading trailer and the following trailers is derived by the transfer method using the augmented generalized coordinates. A general dynamic model is derived using the Lagrangian approach and load distribution algorithm is suggested. It can be seen that the proposed approach facilitates distribution of the system load to all trailers. Forward dynamic simulation is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the suggested kinematic and dynamic models.