Logical Foundations of Kinematic Chains: Graphs, Line Graphs, and Hypergraphs

In terms of concepts from the theory of graphs and hypergraphs we formulate a precise structural characterization of a kinematic chain. To do this, we require the operations of line graph, intersection graph, and hypergraph duality. Using these we develop simple algorithms for constructing the unique graph G (KC) of a kinematic chain KC and (given an admissible graph G) for forming the unique kinematic chain whose graph is G. This one-to-one correspondence between kinematic chains and a class of graphs enables the mathematical and logical power, precision, concepts, and theorems of graph theory to be applied to gain new insights into the structure of kinematic chains.