Toward the Creation of a Hybrid 4-UPS CDPR

A hybrid cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) is being developed that expands the capabilities of conventional CDPRs by replacing one of the cables with a linear actuator that can be spooled and extended. This actuator uses three curved leaf springs connected using magnetic strips to provide compressive or tensile forces while being very compactly stored, and is kinematically similar to a cable that can push. When used in conjunction with a suspended CDPR, this actuator is being designed to be part of a novel pick-and-place robot that combines the benefits of cable robots (lightweight actuators) with those of a conventional manipulator (each of the actuators can be above the workspace to help avoid cable collisions). The developments of this novel actuator are outlined, showing how pointing motions were made possible through mechanical design.