Valid joint workspace and self-aligning docking conditions of a reconfigurable mobile multi-robots system

JL-1 is a reconfigurable multi-robots system based on parallel mechanisms and cone-shaped docking mechanisms. To reveal how the force cooperation between robots enhances the terrain adaptability of JL-1 and to discover the limits of the current reconfiguration mechanism, this paper analyzes the forces arising between robots during cooperation in docking and docked state. The static analysis of the posture-adjusting mechanism yields the force amplifying feature and the valid workspace of this motorized spherical joint consisting of a parallel and serial mechanism. This paper also deduces the self-aligning conditions of the docking mechanism, which is useful to improve the mechanism and clarify the demands on the docking guidance sensors. At last, a series of onsite experiments confirm the analysis and perform two new types of locomotion according to the results of static analysis.