Force characteristics of rolling contact joint for compact structure

In this paper, the force characteristics of the rolling contact joint are studied. Design parameters affecting performance of the rolling contact joint are considered, and the effects of tension and compression are shown by analysis. The rolling contact joint is compared to the pin joint by modeling, and it is shown that the force capability of the rolling contact joint is higher than that of the pin joint at a small scale. Finally, to explore the feasibility of using the rolling contact joint in prosthetics, a prototype hand prosthetic is developed using rolling contact joints.