An example electromagnetic actuator includes a drive shaft, a motor operable to rotate the drive shaft, and a load shaft coupled to an armature body. A clutch is operable to control whether the drive shaft engages the load shaft. A rotatable portion of the clutch corotates with the drive shaft and includes a field winding and a clutch body. A stationary portion of the clutch includes an exciter winding that is inductively coupled to the rotatable portion and is operable to energize the field winding. The field winding is operable, when energized, to provide a magnetic field that causes engagement or disengagement between the clutch body and an armature body. A method of operating an electromagnetic actuator is also disclosed.

A friction clutch having an electromagnet assembly including a coil and a magnet connected to the coil. When the coil is energised, a magnetic field is generated and passes through the magnet and a magnetisable conductive body adjacent to the magnet, such that a displaceable magnetisable armature portion can be brought from one position into another position. The coil has a plurality of outer portions each having an associated outer dimension of the outer portion. The magnet completely covers an outer portion of the coil by a magnet side. Two further outer portions of the coil are not covered by the magnet or are not covered by more than 20% of an outer dimension of the further outer portion, or wherein, in the case a single further outer portion covered by the magnet, the outer portion is not covered by more than 70%.

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 clutch assembly includes a housing, a rotational member configured to rotate relative to the housing about an axis, and a clutch pack coupled between the housing and the rotational member. The clutch pack is configured to regulate movement of the rotational member relative to the housing. The clutch pack includes a speed sensor ring coupled to the rotational member such that the speed sensor ring is configured to rotate with the rotational member about the axis. The clutch assembly includes a sensor in communication with the speed sensor ring. The sensor is configured to measure an angular velocity of the rotational member relative to the housing.

A rotational coupling includes a rotor configured for rotation about a rotational axis. The rotor includes a hub disposed about the axis and configured to receive a shaft and a disc extending radially outwardly from the hub. An armature and electromagnet are disposed on opposite axial sides of the disc. The electromagnet is fixed against rotation. A bearing is disposed between the hub and the electromagnet. The hub and electromagnet engage the inner and outer races, respectively of the bearing on opposite axial sides of the bearing. A spacer is disposed radially inwardly of the electromagnet and engages the inner race of the bearing on the same axial side of the bearing as the electromagnet. An air gap separates the spacer from the electromagnet. A shield is supported by the spacer and extends radially outwardly therefrom such that a portion of the shield is axially aligned with the air gap.

A driving force transmission device includes a clutch, an output shaft, a bearing and an annular shim. The clutch is capable of being switched between a transmission of a rotational force and an interruption of the transmission of the rotational force. The output shaft outputs the rotational force of the clutch. The bearing supports an end portion of the output shaft with grease. The annular shim is disposed around the end portion of the output shaft between the clutch and the bearing. The shim has a through hole through which the end portion of the output shaft is inserted. The through hole has the same shape as a cross section of the end portion of the output shaft. A circumferential edge of the through hole comes into tightly contact with an outer circumferential face of the end portion of the output shaft.

A driving force transmission device includes a clutch, an output shaft, a bearing and an annular shim. The clutch is capable of being switched between a transmission of a rotational force and an interruption of the transmission of the rotational force. The output shaft outputs the rotational force of the clutch. The bearing supports an end portion of the output shaft with grease. The annular shim is disposed around the end portion of the output shaft between the clutch and the bearing. The shim has a through hole through which the end portion of the output shaft is inserted. The through hole has the same shape as a cross section of the end portion of the output shaft. A circumferential edge of the through hole comes into tightly contact with an outer circumferential face of the end portion of the output shaft.

A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperate with the drive train at a first lateral position to cause the output shaft to turn and to move the clutch member to a second lateral position to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft. A permanent magnet is supported by one end of the clutch shaft and arranged for receiving an external magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to selectively move the clutch member between the first and second lateral positions. A traveling shaft can be used to support a selected gear for movement by the permanent magnet to implement transmission and reversing configurations.

Electromagnetically-operated coupling device for selectively connecting and disconnecting a first rotating member and a second rotating member in a driveline of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the first and the second rotating members are coaxial with each other and rotatable about a same axis of rotation. The coupling device comprises: an engagement sleeve provided with a control disk made of a ferromagnetic material, the engagement sleeve being axially slidable between an engaged position and a disengaged position; and a control system for controlling the sliding movement of the engagement sleeve between said engaged and disengaged positions. The control system comprises a pair of magnetic coils which are placed on opposite sides of the control disk, coaxially therewith, and are arranged to be selectively activated by an electric current to generate a magnetic force acting on the control disk to axially move the control disk, and therefore also the engagement sleeve, in either directions. The control system further comprises an elaboration unit for controlling activation and deactivation of the magnetic coils based on the axial position of the engagement sleeve.

A transmission control unit for a wedge clutch, comprising a controller configured to send one or more signals to a switch connected to the wedge clutch, the switch being configured to demagnetize the wedge clutch by sending current in a first direction to a coil of the wedge clutch.