Abstract: An apparatus for mechanically coupling a motor to a rotor includes an outer ring including an inner surface shaped to define multiple recesses, an inner ring disposed within the outer ring and shaped to define multiple compartments having respective outer openings, which face the outer ring, and respective inner openings opposite the outer openings, and multiple gripping elements disposed within the compartments, respectively. The inner ring is configured to receive the rotor while the compartments are aligned with the of recesses, by virtue of the gripping elements sitting at least partially within the recesses. The outer ring is configured to couple with a shaft coupled with the motor such that rotation of the shaft by the motor causes the compartments to become misaligned with the recesses, thereby causing the outer ring to push the gripping elements, through the outer openings, against the rotor, through the inner openings.

Abstract: A locking clutch having an inner race that is rotatable with respect to an outer race. One of the races is cylindrically shaped and rotates adjacent to a race having valleys. Each valley is connected to an inclined surface. Rollers are located adjacent to the valleys. A cage having fingers may be restrained with respect to the valleys to set the starting position of the rollers. The cage may be selectively restrained to determine the direction in which the rollers are wedged to determine a direction that drives the rollers into contact with both races to lock the races with respect to each other. Rotation of the inner race with respect to the outer race in a direction opposite direction is a free rotating direction. The locking clutch is designed to simultaneously engage all of its rollers to evenly distribute the forces amongst them.

Abstract: A ball bearing and housing assembly includes a shaft having a stepped bore extending therethrough. The stepped bore is defined by a first bore segment having an inboard cylindrical interior surface that has a first bore diameter. The first bore segment extends from a shaft end and terminates at a shoulder. The shoulder is axially located between a first radial centerline of a plurality of balls and an inner axial end. The stepped bore is further defined by a second bore segment having an outboard cylindrical interior surface that has second bore diameter. The second bore segment extends axially from the inner axial end towards the shaft end and terminates at the shoulder. The second bore diameter is greater than the first bore diameter. A fastener is fitted through the first bore segment and threaded into a housing.

Abstract: A clutch unit includes a lever-side clutch part that controls transmission and interruption of rotational torque input through a lever operation, and a brake-side clutch part that transmits the rotational torque from the lever-side clutch part to an output side, and interrupts rotational torque reversely input from the output side. The brake-side clutch part includes an outer ring, which is constrained in rotation, an output shaft that outputs the rotation, and a cylindrical roller that controls the interruption of the rotational torque reversely input from the output shaft and the transmission of the rotational torque input from the lever-side clutch part through engagement and disengagement between the outer ring and the output shaft. The output shaft includes a slide gear, which meshes with a side plate during interruption of the rotational torque and does not mesh with the side plate during transmission of the rotational torque.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating air-cooling of, for instance, one or more electronics racks within a data center. The apparatus includes an air-moving assembly and an auxiliary turbine drive. The air-moving assembly includes a shaft, one or more mechanical fans coupled to the shaft to rotate, at least in part, with the shaft, and a motor coupled to the shaft to rotatably drive the shaft. The auxiliary turbine drive is coupled to the shaft of the air-moving assembly to provide backup rotational energy to the shaft to facilitate continued rotation of the shaft during interruption in power to the motor. In one implementation, the auxiliary turbine drive is configured to facilitate, for a specified time period, continued rotation of the shaft at a specified percentage, or greater, rotational speed of the shaft compared with a shaft speed when rotatably driven by the motor.