Abstract: A harmonic drive includes: an input shaft connected to a first element that is one of a wave generator, a flex spline, or a circular spline; a drive housing connected to the input shaft via a bearing; a load cell that is installed in any one of the drive housing, the input shaft, or the wave generator and measures an axial load that occurs and is translated from the wave generator to the input shaft or the drive housing via the input shaft; and a processor that reversely calculates output torque, which is output from a second element that is one of the two elements other than the first element, from the axial load measured by the load cell.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmissions (CVT), includes a main axle adapted to receive a shift rod that cooperates with a shift rod nut to actuate a ratio change in a CVT. An axial force generating mechanism can include a torsion spring, a traction ring adapted to receive the torsion spring, and a roller cage retainer configured to cooperate with the traction ring to house the torsion spring. Power roller-leg assemblies can be used to facilitate shifting the ratio of a CVT. A hub shell and a hub cover are adapted to house components of a CVT and, in some embodiments, to cooperate with other components of the CVT to support operation and/or functionality of the CVT. Among other things, shift control interfaces and braking features for a CVT are disclosed.

Abstract: A compact and efficient rotary shift actuator for a shift-by-wire transmission includes a motor having a motor shaft that is rotatable about a motor axis, an output head arranged towards a second end of an output lever and adapted for connection with a shift shaft of a transmission, and a gear train for transferring torque from the motor shaft to the output head. The gear train comprises a first shaft rotatable about a first axis, a second shaft rotatable about a second axis, and the output lever pivotable about a lever axis. The gear train further includes a worm gear for transmitting torque from the first shaft to the second shaft.

Abstract: A surgical robot comprising an articulated arm, the arm having a terminal portion comprising: a distal segment having an attachment for a surgical instrument; an intermediate segment; and a basal segment whereby the terminal portion is attached to the remainder of the arm; a first articulation between the distal segment and the intermediate segment, the first articulation permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the intermediate segment about a first axis; and a second articulation between the intermediate segment and the basal segment, the second articulation permitting relative rotation of the intermediate segment and the basal segment about a second axis; wherein: the intermediate segment comprises a third articulation permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the basal segment about third and fourth axes; and the first, second and third articulations are arranged such that in at least one configuration of the third articulation the first and second axes are parallel and the thir

Abstract: A linear actuator includes a linear module including a base, a screw rod mounted in the base and a transmission carriage threaded onto the screw rod, and a support module including two support carriages movably mounted on the screw rod at two opposite sides relative to the transmission carriage, a protective cover disposed at one side of the base and connected to the two support carriages, two pulley blocks mounted at the two opposite ends of the protective cover and a cable wound round the pulleys of the pulley blocks and connected to the transmission carriage and the base by a respective cable connection plate. Thus, the transmission carriage utilizes the cable to carry one pulley block and then the protective cover, causing the protective cover to carry the two support carriages and the other pulley block, achieving the effect of supporting the screw rod.

Abstract: An actuator having an output slidable between extended and retracted positions is provided. The actuator includes a primary module having a power drive, power screw rotatable by the power drive, and a nut operable to translate rotation of the power screw to linear motion of the nut across the power screw. The actuator includes a secondary module having a power drive, a shaft rotatable by the power drive, a power screw, and a nut. The power screw is slidably coupled to and rotatable by the shaft, and coupled to the output. The nut is coupled to the power screw and is operable to slide linearly across the shaft by rotating through the nut. Both the primary nut and secondary power screw are operable to move the output to the extended position or the retracted position depending on the rotational direction of the primary power screw and secondary power screw.

Abstract: A direction-adjustable jig is capable of translating an artifact between two mutually perpendicular planes in a three-dimensional space. The jig includes a base, a sliding member, and a hinge member. The base has a pair of side walls each having a first guiding portion. The first guiding portion has a lower guiding portion and an upper guiding portion in communication with each other. The lower guiding portion and the upper guiding portion are formed at different height vertically. The sliding member is disposed reciprocatingly on the base and in between the side walls. The hinge member is pivotally connected to the sliding member and has a pair of second guiding portions for engaging the first guiding portions. The reciprocating motion of the sliding member allows the hinge member to rotate above the base and change its direction.

Abstract: A subsea electric actuator includes an electric motor and a telescopic drive connection from the motor to a drive unit that can be moved to and fro and converts rotary motion of the connection to linear motion of an actuating stem. A return spring is operable on the drive unit to urge the actuating stem towards a datum state. An electromagnetic latch is operative when set to maintain the drive unit in a predetermined position so as to decouple the action of the return spring whereby the stem can be advanced and retracted relative to the drive unit free from the action of the return spring. De-energization of the latch allows the return spring to operate on the drive unit to return the actuating stem to the datum state. Various forms of electromagnetic latches are described.

Abstract: A transmission that reduces the difference of rotational speed when engaging a main shaft-side sprocket and a main shaft-outer shaft, in a low-speed traveling mode. When shifting from first gear to neutral in the transmission, a dog on a drive gear is engaged with a dog hole in a main shaft-side sprocket, engagement between a dog on a driven gear for first gear and a dog hole in a driven gear is released, and then a first clutch and a second clutch are disconnected with the drive gear and the main shaft-side sprocket being engaged.

Abstract: A starter (1) includes a motor unit (3), an output shaft (4) configured to receive a rotational force of the motor unit (3) and rotate, a pinion gear (74) (a pinion mechanism) helically engageable with a ring gear (23) of an engine, a clutch mechanism (5) configured to transmit the rotational force of the output shaft (4) to the pinion gear (74), and an electromagnetic device (9) configured to bias a pressing force toward the ring gear (23) to the clutch mechanism (5) and the pinion gear (74), wherein a plunger spring (91) (a backlash absorption mechanism) configured to bring one end (81a) (a point of action) of a plunger inner part (81) in constant elastic contact with the clutch mechanism (5) is installed at the electromagnetic device (9).

Abstract: Provided is a toroidal continuously variable transmission capable of preventing the application of bending stress to a variator shaft during rotation and the application of an eccentric load to each of support parts even when misalignment between the axis of a fitting hole formed in a post and the axis on which the variator shaft is supported occurs. A thrust bearing 12 which determines the position of an output side disc 10 in an axial direction and rotatably supports the output side disc 10 is fitted into a fitting hole 62b provided in a post 61, and a predetermined gap S is provided between the thrust bearing 12 and the fitting hole 62b in a direction perpendicular to the variator shaft 3.

Abstract: A cube type electronic shift lever including a shift lever panel mounted on a console surface or a center fascia of a vehicle, and having a seating unit including a plurality of position fixing magnets, a plurality of cube type buttons including metallic plates coupled to lower portions of the plurality of cube type buttons, the plurality of cube type buttons being detachably installed on the seating unit of the shift lever panel, an operating unit embedded in each of the plurality of cube type buttons, and sending operational signals generated by the each of the plurality of cube type buttons, and a control unit configured to transmit the operational signals sent by each of the plurality of cube type buttons to a transmission control unit (TCU) or an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle, in which shapes and functions of the cube type buttons are arbitrarily selected.

Abstract: A roller position control mechanism including a steering element, positioned inside the bearing of each roller and provided with a skew shaft and a steering shaft defining an angle therebetween. A spider element fixes the steering element to a longitudinal shaft of the CVT and a control ring element interconnects the steering elements of the various rollers. Movement of the control ring element with respect to the spider element translates to a tilting movement of the rollers, thanks to the angle between the skew and steering shafts.

Abstract: An assembly includes, among other things, a front module housing an electric machine and an engine disconnect clutch, a transmission aft of the front module, a torque converter axially between the front module and the transmission, and a baffle radially between the torque converter and the transmission.

Abstract: The restraining strap has a rectangular cross section with a broad side against cylindrical sections holding a release member. The moment of inertia for a rectangular cross section strap is represented by the formula I=BH3/12. The lower moment of inertia reduces the load on the fusible link. With no limit to the number of wraps around the cylindrical sections, higher preloads can be accommodated by increasing the number of wraps of the restraining strap without affecting the moment of inertia or the amount of force borne by the fusible link. The actuator has a catch extending between the restrainer and actuator. The catch ends engage the restrainer and actuator and, upon release from the actuator, the catch rotates to allow the restrainer to unwind from about the cylindrical sections.

Abstract: A parking lock mechanism having a motor, an actuation shaft, an engagement cam, a release cam, a cam biasing member, a pawl member and a lock gear. The engagement cam has a first side, a second side and a perforation there through. An outer edge of the engagement cam has a contact portion and an engagement portion. The release cam has a first side, a second side and a perforation there through. An outer edge of the release cam has a release member and an engagement portion. The cam biasing member has a first end, a coil portion and a second end. The pawl member has a pivot perforation, an engagement end, a locking protuberance and a sensor protuberance. The pawl member is disposed adjacent the engagement cam and the release cam. The lock gear has a plurality of inner splines and outer teeth.

Abstract: A manipulator includes a mount member, a base member with threaded openings, a coupling member, and an output member with threaded openings. The manipulator also includes three motors mounted to the mount member and three drive trains connected to the motors, respectively.

Abstract: A variator having at least one roller which runs upon at least one race to transfer drive from one to the other at variable ratio. The variator has a fluid supply for supplying fluid to the race and roller thereby to provide a fluid film by which the roller and the race are separated in use. The roller has a running surface with root means square roughness Rq(roller) and the race having a root means square roughness Rq(race). The variator's specific film thickness is the minimum thickness of the fluid film in normal operation divided by the composite roughness, and is less than 1.0. At least one of the roller and the race has a powder metal surface with a Ra roughness above 0.1 micrometers.

Abstract: A robotic arm for flexible operation in three dimensional space is provided. The robotic arm is divided into several arm parts with multiple joints to move the robot arm in three-dimensional space. The length and angle of the different arm parts are adjustable. The functioning of arm parts is controlled by one or more motors. The motors are configured to control a change in length and angle of the arm parts. Based on usage, a motor is used to change the length and two, four, or six motors or even more motors are used to change the angle and adjust an access to the target. The robot is assembled by varying the number of attachable arm parts depending on the direction of movement and the degree or direction of rotation.

Abstract: A method of operating a transmission which is shifted to various operating conditions by engaging shifting elements. At least one of the shifting elements is an interlocking shifting element which has to be engaged to obtain at least one defined operating condition of the transmission during which force flows between an input and an output shaft. When a command is received to engage the interlocking shifting element, a rotational speed of the transmission input shaft is displaced in the direction toward a synchronous rotational speed produced in the engaged operating condition of the interlocking shifting element at least as a function of the rotational speed of the transmission output shaft. When the variation of the rotational speed of the transmission input shaft crosses a predefined rotational speed threshold, the interlocking shifting element is actuated in its engaging direction.