LAUSR

Abstract This paper proposes a new Bricard-like mechanism composed of three anti-parallelogram units. First, the configuration and connection of the Bricard-like mechanism are given. Second, the mechanism is simplified as a spatial single-loop overconstrained 6R mechanism with variable links’ lengths and its Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) parameters are obtained by identifying the six revolute joints axes. Third, the degree of freedom of the mechanism is calculated through the closure equations, and kinematic paths of output variables are plotted with respect to the input variable. Then, a serial of Bricard-like mechanisms are connected to construct the deployable mechanism. Finally, three prototypes of the Bricard-like mechanism and the triangular prism deployable mechanism composed of four Bricard-like mechanisms are designed and fabricated to verify the feasibility of the proposed method and analysis.