A friction clutch assembly includes a friction clutch having at least two coupling elements coupled to each other and disposed axially movable with respect to each other. Immediately adjacent coupling elements are each assigned to two sides of a power path defined by the coupling of the at least two coupling elements. An intermediate element is provided on which the coupling elements of one side of the power path are held movably in an axial direction of the coupling elements. The intermediate element is switchable between a locked state and a free-running state. An actuator element opens and closes the friction clutch. In a free-running state, a free rotation of the held coupling elements with respect to the assigned side of the power path is permitted, and in a locked state the held coupling elements are blocked from free rotation.

A modular robotic snake-arm assembly is described which is animated principally by an articulated drive shaft that threads the length of the snake-arm. The articulated drive shaft is driven by a motor in the fixed base. One or more clutch mechanisms in each segment couple with the articulated drive shaft so as to cause all snake arms further from the base to reorient in either one or two angles, in either direction. Snake-arm segments can be coupled end-to-end to form a robotic snake arm of great length.

A clutch control device is provided for a four-wheel drive vehicle for transmitting drive force to the rear wheels. The clutch control device includes a dog clutch and a friction clutch, and a controller that controls the engagement and disengagement of the dog clutch and the friction clutch. In this clutch control device, the four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle includes a disconnected, two-wheel drive mode and a connected, four-wheel drive mode. When a driver's foot is lifted off an accelerator in a low-speed region when the connected, four-wheel drive mode is selected, the 4WD control unit maintains the connected, four-wheel drive mode while the brakes are not depressed, and shifts the mode to the disconnected, two-wheel drive mode when the brakes are depressed.

A clutch control device is provided for a four-wheel drive vehicle for transmitting drive force to the rear wheels. The clutch control device includes a dog clutch and a friction clutch, and a controller that controls the engagement and disengagement of the dog clutch and the friction clutch. In this clutch control device, the four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle includes a disconnected, two-wheel drive mode and a connected, four-wheel drive mode. When a driver's foot is lifted off an accelerator in a low-speed region when the connected, four-wheel drive mode is selected, the 4WD control unit maintains the connected, four-wheel drive mode while the brakes are not depressed, and shifts the mode to the disconnected, two-wheel drive mode when the brakes are depressed.

A powertrain for an electric vehicle, may include: an input shaft and an output shaft mounted in parallel to each other; first and second power transmission mechanisms provided to transmit power from the input shaft to the output shaft at two gear ratios different from each other; a one-way clutch included in the first power transmission mechanism; a friction clutch included in the second power transmission mechanism; and a bypass mechanism provided to form a power transmission path that bypasses the one-way clutch and a power transmission path that bypasses the friction clutch.

A braking assembly for a strain wave gearing of a surgical robotic manipulator, the braking assembly including a first braking member fixedly coupled to an input portion of a strain wave gearing of a surgical robotic manipulator; and a second braking member fixedly coupled to an output portion of the strain wave gearing, and wherein during a braking operation the first braking member contacts the second braking member to mechanically brake the input portion to the output portion.

A braking assembly for a strain wave gearing of a surgical robotic manipulator, the braking assembly including a first braking member fixedly coupled to an input portion of a strain wave gearing of a surgical robotic manipulator; and a second braking member fixedly coupled to an output portion of the strain wave gearing, and wherein during a braking operation the first braking member contacts the second braking member to mechanically brake the input portion to the output portion.

A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor, and a friction engagement element provided between the engine and the motor so as to be engageable and disengageable, is provided. An engine startup control for starting the engine stopped is performed to switch a traveling mode. The method includes raising an engine speed by cranking of the motor, while shifting the friction engagement element from a disengaged state to an engaged state, when the engine startup control is started, temporarily reducing an engaging torque of the friction engagement element, after the engine speed is raised by the cranking of the motor and before the engine speed coincides with a motor rotational speed, and raising the engaging torque to set the friction engagement element to a fully engaged state, after the temporarily reducing the engaging torque and the engine speed coincides with the motor rotational speed.

A clutch as used, for example, in vehicle drives, in particular rail vehicle drives. A clutch is specified, by way of which the electric contact between the drive side and the output side of the clutch is prevented reliably, and a simple and inexpensive method for the production thereof is also specified. The problem is solved by way of a clutch, at least consisting of a clutch half on the drive side and a clutch half on the output side, wherein at least one clutch half has at least two hollow cylinders which are arranged above one another and are arranged in a bore of the clutch half, wherein the second hollow cylinder consists of electrically insulating material, and wherein at least the first hollow cylinder, at least on its outer circumferential surface, and at least the inner circumferential surface of the bore have knurling at least in part.

Methods and systems for a clutch assembly in an electric drive axle of a vehicle are provided. In one example, a clutch assembly in a gear train is provided that includes a locking clutch. The locking clutch includes a gear including a plurality of teeth having at least one tooth with a tapered end, an indexing shaft rotationally connected to an output shaft, a shift collar mounted on the indexing shaft, configured to translate on the indexing shaft into an engaged and disengaged configuration, and including a plurality of teeth on a face, where at least one tooth in the plurality of teeth in the shift collar includes a tapered end, and an indexing mechanism coupled to the shift collar and the indexing shaft and configured to accommodate for indexing between the indexing shaft and the shift collar during shift collar engagement.