Bundled Wire Drive: Proposal and Feasibility Study of a Novel Tendon-Driven Mechanism Using Synthetic Fiber Ropes

This letter proposes a new wire-driven mechanism in order to relay many ropes very simply and compactly. Ropes pass through in a joint while bundled. Synthetic fiber rope can slide and twist, exploiting its low friction coefficient. In order to use this mechanism, it is necessary to investigate the influence of sliding on tension transmission efficiency and rope strength. The results of this study reveal that it is feasible for a robot arm using this mechanism to have more than 15 joints. Sliding has little influence on the rope strength. The feasibility of this system was studied through hardware experiments, and its mechanical performance was evaluated by constructing a horizontally extendable manipulator with three degrees of freedom.