Topological Synthesis and Integrated Kinematic-Structural Dimensional Optimization of a Ten-Bar Linkage for a Hydraulic Rescue Spreader

Abstract

Hydraulic rescue spreaders are used by emergency response personnel to extricate occupants from a vehicle crash. A lighter and more portable rescue spreader is required for better usability and to enable utilization in a variety of scenarios. To meet this requirement, topological synthesis, dimensional synthesis, and an optimization were used to develop a solution linkage. The topological synthesis technique demonstrates that ten links are the minimum possible number that achieves the desired motion without depending primarily on rotation of the spreader jaws. A novel integrated kinematic-structural dimensional synthesis technique is presented and used in a grid-search optimizing the linkage dimensions to minimize linkage mass. The resulting ten-bar linkage meets or exceeds the kinematic performance parameters while simultaneously achieving a near-optimum predicted mass.

Design and optimization of a novel rescue end-effector

“…The kinematics of the shearing form and the grasping form are then analysed. To ensure that the manipulator can operate flexibly, light weight is an important aspect of the design of end-effectors, [14][15][16] and this is particularly important for rescue end-effectors; 17,18 minimal mass was thus selected as an optimization objective to prevent secondary injuries occurring during rescue operations. The second optimization objective involves the kinematics of the grasping mechanism, which consists of four pairs of six-bar linkages.…”