Abstract: A passive artificial knee includes a knee hinge assembly defining a knee axis, a locking hinge assembly defining a locking axis, and a post linking the knee hinge assembly and the locking hinge assembly. A ground reaction force applied to the artificial knee posterior to the locking axis causes an interfering relation by compression of the locking hinge assembly and the knee hinge assembly during heel strike at early-stance gait phase of an individual wearing the artificial knee, thereby locking rotation of the post about the knee axis. Shifting of ground reaction force anterior to the locking axis during a mid-stance to late-stance gait phase of the individual causes rotation of the post about the locking axis, thereby unlocking rotation of the post about the knee axis and enabling flexion and subsequent swing phase extension of the passive artificial knee joint. The artificial knee is a passive joint that can be fabricated and maintained at low expense.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a drive shaft, a transmission, a motor shaft, and an engine shaft. The drive shaft includes several drive gears and is used to transmit power to a wheel of a vehicle. The transmission includes a first transmission subassembly and a second transmission subassembly, each subassembly having a transmission shaft, an input gear, and several output gears. Each transmission shaft includes a shifting element to select an output gear. Each transmission subassembly transmits power to the drive shaft when the shifting element of each respective subassembly is engaged. The motor shaft is coupled to a motor and is also directly coupled to the first transmission subassembly via a first motor gear. The motor shaft is also coupled to the engine shaft via a second motor gear. The engine shaft includes several engine gears to couple the engine shaft to the first and second transmission subassemblies.

Abstract: An apparatus for a clutchless manual transmission includes a transmission, a drive shaft, and a motor shaft. The transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft, and an intermediate gear. The input shaft is coupled to an engine shaft to receive power and the output shaft is coupled to the drive shaft to transmit power to a wheel of a vehicle. The input shaft and output shaft are coupled by a plurality of input and output shaft gears. A first synchronizer is coupled to the output shaft to selectively engage a particular output shaft gear, adjusting the speed of the output shaft relative to the input shaft. The motor shaft receives power from a motor and includes a second synchronizer to selectively engage the engine shaft to the drive shaft via the motor shaft. The apparatus can be used to reduce acceleration and turbo lag in hybrid and high-performance vehicles.

Abstract: A passive artificial knee includes a knee hinge assembly defining a knee axis, a locking hinge assembly defining a locking axis, and a post linking the knee hinge assembly and the locking hinge assembly. A ground reaction force applied to the artificial knee posterior to the locking axis causes an interfering relation by compression of the locking hinge assembly and the knee hinge assembly during heel strike at early-stance gait phase of an individual wearing the artificial knee, thereby locking rotation of the post about the knee axis. Shifting of ground reaction force anterior to the locking axis during a mid-stance to late-stance gait phase of the individual causes rotation of the post about the locking axis, thereby unlocking rotation of the post about the knee axis and enabling flexion and subsequent swing phase extension of the passive artificial knee joint. The artificial knee is a passive joint that can be fabricated and maintained at low expense.

Abstract: An apparatus including a drive shaft, a transmission, and a motor shaft. The drive shaft includes a drive gear and is configured to transmit power to a wheel of a vehicle. The transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft, and an intermediate gear. The input shaft includes a transmission input gear and a plurality of input shaft gears. The output shaft includes a transmission output gear and a plurality of output shaft gears. The input shaft and the output shaft are aligned such that the input shaft gears mesh with the output shaft gears. The output shaft includes a first synchronizer configured to selectively engage an output shaft gear from the plurality of output shaft gears to adjust a ratio between an input shaft speed and an output shaft speed. The transmission output gear is operably coupled to the drive gear such that power is transmitted between the transmission output gear and the drive gear when the output shaft gear is engaged.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a drive shaft, a transmission, a motor shaft, and an engine shaft. The drive shaft includes a plurality of drive gears and is configured to transmit power to a wheel of a vehicle. The transmission includes a first transmission shaft including a first transmission input gear and a first plurality of output gears and a second transmission shaft including a second transmission input gear and a second plurality of output gears. The first transmission shaft includes a first shifting element configured to selectively engage an output gear from the first plurality of output gears to adjust a ratio between a shaft rotation speed of the first transmission shaft and a shaft rotation speed of the drive shaft. The second transmission shaft includes a second shifting element configured to selectively engage an output gear from the second plurality of output gears to adjust a ratio between a shaft rotation speed of the second transmission shaft and a shaft rotation speed of the drive shaft.

Abstract: A stator has a plurality of segments connected with connectors to define a core for the stator. Each of the segments comprises a plurality of laminations arranged side by side forming a lamination stack with axially opposite sides. The lamination stack has an end cap abutting an axial side of the lamination stack. The end cap has first and second posts extending axially therefrom. At least one of the posts defines a wire path for wire wound around the stack. Each of the connectors comprises a bridge portion. The bridge portion has openings dimensioned to receive the posts in a manner that the connector is removably attachable to the post of the end cap of a segment and the post of the end cap of an adjacent segment. The connector has an insulator portion projecting from the bridge portion. The insulator portion extends between adjacent segments.

Abstract: A stator has a plurality of segments connected with connectors to define a core for the stator. Each of the segments comprises a plurality of laminations arranged side by side forming a lamination stack with axially opposite sides. The lamination stack has an end cap abutting an axial side of the lamination stack. The end cap has first and second posts extending axially therefrom. At least one of the posts defining a wire path for wire wound around the stack. Each of the connectors comprises a bridge portion. The bridge portion has openings dimensioned to receive the posts in a manner that the connector is removably attachable to the post of the end cap of a segment and the post of the end cap of an adjacent segment. The connector has an insulator portion projecting from the bridge portion. The insulator portion extends between adjacent segments when the connector is removably attached to adjacent segments.