Abstract: A nut assembly for use with lead screws is provided. The nut assembly includes a nut member and an adjustment arrangement that can independently adjust the biasing of flexible fingers of the nut member.

Abstract: A spindle nut (S) for a ball screw is conventionally designed as a hollow cylinder with a central-symmetrical middle longitudinal axis (Z). The spindle nut has an internal thread, which is designed as a ball groove (K) arranged on the cylinder inner surface. Pairs of load-relief bores (B) serve as substantially cylindrical channels for guiding the balls out of and into the ball channel (K) through the wall of the spindle nut. Each load-relief bore (B) is distinguished by a generatrix (L), which has an intersection point (C) with the thread base line of the ball channel (K) and constitutes the geometric continuation of the traveling path of a ball from the ball channel (K) into the load-relief bore (B). A tangent (T) to the cylinder surface (G) runs in a parallel manner at a spacing a >0 to the generatrix (L), both T and L being perpendicular to a common normal (R) to the middle longitudinal axis (Z).

Abstract: A light-weight gear including: an annular tooth portion made of metal; a shaft extending along a central axis of the tooth portion and made of metal; and a coupling element configured to couple the shaft to the tooth portion and made of a resin, in which a joining part between the shaft and the coupling element and a joining part between the tooth portion and the coupling element are provided with irregularities configured to be engaged with one another in a circumferential direction, and corners of the irregularities are rounded to release a stress. Also, provided is a manufacturing method of a light-weight gear including: disposing the tooth portion and the shaft in a mold and injecting a molten resin into a cavity of the mold, thereby simultaneously performing injection molding of the coupling element and joining the coupling element to the tooth portion and the shaft.

Abstract: A power train component such as a gearbox includes driving and driven, coaxially arranged cooperating gears which engage each other via teeth. The engaging end surfaces of the teeth are provided with a first chamfer and a second chamfer, in which the chamfer edge is offset from bisecting the tooth. Preferably the offset chamfer edges are provided on both a driving gear (shifter), axially positionable using a shifting fork on a shift drum, and a driven low gear. In one preferred driving gear (shifter) design, the offset chamfer edges are only provided for the side engaged when the shifting fork moves against a spring force. The invention facilitates smoother and less binding movement between the non-engaged and the engaged axial positions, such that the gear can be more easily shifted by the shifting fork in at least one direction.

Abstract: Multi-RET actuators include a plurality of shafts that have respective axially-drivable members mounted thereon. Each of axially-drivable member is mechanically linked to a respective one of a plurality of phase shifters. The multi-RET actuator further includes a motor having a drive shaft and a gear system that is configured to selectively couple the motor to the respective shafts. The gear system is configured so that rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction creates a mechanical linkage between the motor and a first of the shafts 1340/1342, and rotation of the drive shaft in a second direction that is opposite the first direction rotates the first of the shafts.

Abstract: A three-rotational-degree-of-freedom connection mechanism required for a robot that can make motion similar to a human has a simple structure, and there is no restriction on motion within a movable range. The three-rotational-degree-of-freedom connection mechanism includes a joint connecting a second member rotatably to a first member with three rotational degrees of freedom including rotation around a torsion axis, three actuators each including variable length links having a variable length, and power sources for generating force changing the lengths of variable length links and three first-member-side link attaching units provided in first member and the second-member-side link attaching units provided on the second member such that variable length links having a twisted relationship with respect to a torsion axis exist in each state within a movable range of joint.

Abstract: A ball return tube for connecting openings of a ball nut to circulate balls comprises tube end portions for being coupled to the openings of the ball nut, and a tube body connecting the tube end portions so that the balls can pass through the tube body. The ball return tube is constructed in first and second tube portions fixedly joined together by structures included in a first projection protruding from a first surface of the tube body. The ball return tube further comprises one or more of a second projection protruding from a second surface of the tube body in a direction toward the ball nut, a third projection protruding from a lateral side surface of the tube body, and a fourth projection protruding from the tube open end portions so that the projections can be coupled to corresponding recesses of the ball nut.

Abstract: A lift truck employs forward and reverse pedals connected through respective cams having different upper and lower cam profiles that engage to provide asymmetric reciprocal pedal motion. For example, first pedal depression causes a first cam upper profile to engage with a second cam upper profile and cause increased elevation of a second pedal, and first pedal depression causes a first cam lower profile to disengage with a second cam lower profile associated with the second pedal, such that first pedal depression is greater than the increased elevation of the second pedal.

Abstract: A gear unit is described as having a first and a second housing part, an intermediate shaft of the gear unit being mounted via two bearings in a bushing accommodating the bearings, the bushing centering the first housing part against the second housing part.

Abstract: A robot wrist structure includes a first wrist element that is supported by a forearm in a rotatable manner about a first axis; a second wrist element that is supported by the first wrist element in a rotatable manner about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and a third wrist element that is supported by the second wrist element in a rotatable manner about a third axis that is orthogonal to the second axis and that is disposed in the same plane as the first axis. Further the second wrist element is provided with, at a position at which the second axis is included, a second axial hollow hole that passes therethrough in a direction along the second axis.

Abstract: A drive train linkage includes a drive arm having a drive arm pivot axis, a driven arm having a driven arm pivot axis, at least one first coupling member extending between and being rotatably coupled to each of the drive arm and driven arm, and at least one second coupling member extending between and being rotatably coupled to each of the drive arm and driven arm so that the at least one second coupling member opposes the at least one first coupling member, where the at least one first coupling member and the at least one second coupling member are coupled to both the drive arm and the driven arm so to form a substantially zero mechanical deadband coupling between the drive arm and the driven arm.

Abstract: A boom arm assembly includes an anchoring portion for attachment to an anchoring surface, and a mounting portion for attachment to an auxiliary electrical device. A telescoping link includes an elongate outer member and an elongate inner member. The outer member has a first distal defining a ball joint which is connected to the anchoring portion or the mounting portion, and the inner member has a second distal end defining a ball joint connected to the anchoring portion or the mounting portion. The inner member telescopes within the internal through bore of the outer member. An internal through bore of the inner member and an internal through bore of the outer member align with each other to allow passage of the flexible elongate supply link from the anchoring portion to the mounting portion. A locking mechanism connects locking relative movement between the inner member and the outer member.

Abstract: A cam device includes a drive cam, a follower, a holding cam, and a restriction roller. The drive cam reciprocally rotates. The follower intermittently reciprocate linearly by the drive cam. The holding cam is rotationally driven integrally with the drive cam. The restriction roller is provided on the follower and restricts a movement of the follower by coming in contact with the holding cam. The holding cam separates from the restriction roller and the holding cam is in a holding release state, when the drive cam is in an engaged state with the follower.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compound harmonic gear motor having: first and second ground gears connected by a stationary shaft; a wave generator including an outer surface that can rotate completely around the stationary shaft, the wave generator including a rotor and a stator, wherein rotation of the rotor causes rotation of the outer surface; a flex spline surrounding the outer surface of the wave generator that is driven to rotate by rotation of the outer surface of the wave generator; and an output flange including internal teeth that mate with the flex spline to cause rotation of the output flange completely around the stationary shaft.

Abstract: A rotary actuator is used in a shift-by-wire system for a vehicle. The actuator includes a motor, an output shaft, a speed reducer, and a case. The motor includes a motor shaft. The output shaft is disposed in parallel with the motor shaft. The case houses the motor and the speed reducer. The case includes an upper case that houses the motor and a lower case that houses the speed reducer. The speed reducer includes a first reducer that includes a ring gear embedded in a resin portion of the lower case and a parallel-shaft type second reducer that includes a drive gear on the motor shaft and a driven gear on the output shaft. The ring gear includes an annular gear portion and a cover that protrudes radially inward from one end of the annular gear portion.

Abstract: Gear drive systems used with a camera comprise a housing with an electric drive gear disposed outside of the housing. A host gear is engaged with the drive gear and is rotatably disposed on a stationary shaft extending from the housing. An adapter is attached to the host gear and extends axially outwardly therefrom. A secondary gear is attached to the adapter and comprises a plurality of teeth disposed along an outside diameter. The secondary gear is releasably attached to the adapter by retaining elements and is fixed rotatably to the adapter by registration elements. The secondary gear is attached to the adapter by a push on snap-fit, and is removed from the adapter by being pulled off, thereby avoiding the need for tools to interchange a secondary gear having a desired configuration of teeth to engage a camera optical adjustment element such as a lens ring.

Abstract: A joint structure for a robot includes a first link and a second link, rotatably coupled to each other through a joint part. The joint part has a first rotary member so that an axial center thereof is oriented in a first direction and connected to the first link, and a pair of the second rotary members so that axial centers thereof are oriented in a second direction. A first linear-motion actuator is connected at a base-end part thereof to the second link and connected at a tip-end part thereof to the second rotary member. A second linear-motion actuator is connected at a base-end part thereof to the second link and connected at a tip-end part thereof to the second rotary member. The first rotary member is pivoted relatively to the second rotary members by pivoting the second rotary members.

Abstract: An external circulation ball screw includes: a screw shaft; a nut sleeved on the screw shaft and including a through hole having an opening end; and a return member mounted on the nut, and including a return groove having a return section and a continuation section, one end of the return section connected to the through hole including a connecting end which abuts against the opening end. The opening end and the connecting end are non-tangentially connected, the return section circles around a reference point, the outer wall surface of the return section is arc-shaped and centered on the reference point, a distance between the outer wall surface and the reference point is a radius of curvature, and the radius of curvature is greater than or equal to 1.2 times the ball diameter, but is less than or equal to 1.5 times the ball diameter.

Abstract: A door opening and closing device for vehicles of the present invention includes: a motor drive mechanism; a first housing that accommodates the motor drive mechanism; a spindle drive mechanism connected to the motor drive mechanism; and a second housing that is arranged coaxially with the first housing and relatively moves with respect to the first housing by the spindle drive mechanism. The spindle drive mechanism includes: a spindle connected to the motor drive mechanism; a spindle nut screwed with the spindle; a push rod fixed so as not to rotate relative to the spindle nut and provided with a protrusion on its outer periphery; and a guide tube in which a guide groove guiding the protrusion of the push rod in an axial direction is formed.

Abstract: An improved steering shaft assembly is provided. The steering shaft assembly further includes an output shaft that is rotatable with respect to the input shaft. The output shaft includes a rotary valve portion and a longitudinal portion. The steering shaft assembly further includes a torsion bar coupled to the input shaft and coupled to the output shaft distal from the input shaft. The steering shaft assembly further includes a mid-coupler extending around about the longitudinal portion of the output shaft and adapted to cooperate with the rotary valve portion of the output shaft. The steering shaft assembly further includes a screw mechanism extending about the longitudinal portion of the output shaft and adapted to cooperate with the mid-coupler. The screw mechanism is adapted to move laterally relative to the output shaft to maintain transfer of power from between output shaft and the screw mechanism despite misalignments therebetween.