F16H19/00

Retractable pedal assembly for a vehicle

An automotive vehicle includes a body having a passenger compartment and a pedal assembly disposed within the passenger compartment. The pedal assembly includes a housing and at least one pedal coupled to the housing and the at least one pedal is actuatable by an occupant. The vehicle also includes an actuator operably coupled to the pedal and enclosed within the housing. The actuator is configured to selectively move the pedal relative to the housing between a first position and a second position with respect to the passenger compartment. The vehicle further includes at least one controller in communication with the actuator. The controller is configured to, in response to satisfaction of a first operating condition, control the actuator to move the pedal to the first position, and, in response to satisfaction of a second operating condition, control the actuator to move the pedal to the second position.

Pulley assembly for liquid level gauging system
11009108 · 2021-05-18 ·

A pulley assembly includes an elongate pulley hanger, supported at the upper end of a pillar rising from and dependently supported by a base bracket, and first and second pulleys slidingly supported by the pulley hanger. The base bracket securely mounts the pulley assembly to the top of a liquid storage tank. Each provided pulley implements, or is otherwise provided with, a clamp, whereby each pulley is readily positioned along the pulley hanger, and, when in a desired position, easily and securely fixed in the desired position.

POWER TRANSMISSION DRIVE FOR ROBOTIC APPLICATIONS
20210116006 · 2021-04-22 ·

A power transmission drive includes a force amplifier configured to increase power output of at least one motor. The force amplifier includes a first pulley set and a second pulley set, each pulley set including at least one floating pulley and at least one fixed pulley. The first pulley set and the second pulley set are coupled to one or more motors by a corresponding force amplification fiber in tension. Actuation of the one or more motors actuate the first pulley set and the second pulley set. The first pulley set and the second pulley set transmit the force applied by the one or more motors to an output component.

Torque-transmitting steering mechanism for a steerable tool

Disclosed is a steerable tool with proximal and distal ends comprising a mechanical transmission system (MTS), shaft region, omnidirectionally moveable bendable proximal part (BPP), and omnidirectionally moveable bendable distal part responsive to movement of the BPP, where the MTS comprises longitudinal members (LM) each having proximal and distal ends, arranged in a longitudinal direction around a fictive tube, and has a corresponding transmission shaft region (TSR), transmission bendable proximal part (TBPP) and transmission bendable distal part (TBDP), wherein a plane section of at least one LM has an anisotropic area moment of inertia, and the majority of the LMs are axially rotationally constrained at one or more constraining points along the TBDP or TSR, the LMs are longitudinally slidable with respect to each constraining point, and the MTS is configured such that the TBDP tip is axially rotatable in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the TBPP.

Methods, systems, and devices for causing end effector motion with a robotic surgical system

Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for causing end effector motion with a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a surgical tool can be configured to releasably and removably couple to a robotic surgical system. The robotic surgical system can include two motors configured to provide torque to the surgical tool to drive one single function of the surgical tool. In at least some embodiments, at least one of the two motors configured to cooperate with another motor to drive the single function of the surgical tool can be configured to drive a second function of the surgical tool.

Butterfly rotary piston type actuator

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, an articulated joint includes a first rotary actuator having a first housing defining a first arcuate chamber comprising a first cavity, and an arcuate-shaped first piston having a first radius of curvature and disposed in said first housing for reciprocal movement in the first arcuate chamber, a second rotary actuator having a second housing defining a second arcuate chamber comprising a second cavity, and an arcuate-shaped second piston having a second radius of curvature and disposed in said second housing for reciprocal movement in the second arcuate chamber, wherein a first radial side of the first piston relative to the first radius of curvature is in bearing contact with a first radial side of the second piston relative to the second radius of curvature at a contact point between the first axis and the second axis.

Elevation mechanism for a central input selector knob

An elevation mechanism for a central input selector knob includes: a cylindrical cam having two cylindrical rails; a central input device mounted on a slider cylinder having two opposite ends of a pin that run in the two cylindrical rails to move the central input device between an operation position and a storage position; a cap that has two opposite guiding ribs configured to slide into rails of a main housing, the cap being attached to the main housing such that the slider cylinder is enclosed by the main housing and the cap; and a motor having an axis where a second gear is mounted, the second gear being configured and arranged to transmit movement to a first gear thereby causing the slider cylinder to move thereby moving the central input device between the operation position and the storage position.

Autonomous vehicle including foldable accelerator pedal device and foldable brake pedal device

An autonomous vehicle includes a foldable accelerator pedal device and a foldable brake pedal device. The foldable accelerator pedal device is an organ-type foldable accelerator pedal device, a pendant-type foldable accelerator pedal device, or a pressure-operation-type accelerator pedal device. The foldable brake pedal device is an organ-type foldable brake pedal device, a pendant-type foldable brake pedal device, and a pressure-operation-type brake pedal device. The foldable accelerator pedal device and the foldable brake pedal device are mounted in a space below the driver's seat. The foldable accelerator pedal device, the foldable brake pedal device, and the space below the driver's seat are configured to accommodate any one of the foldable accelerator pedal devices in combination with any one of the foldable brake pedal devices.

Belt tensioning method

Provided is an actuator, preferably a linear actuator, including a carriage having a lateral support surface for supporting a first longitudinal section of a belt against lateral deflection and a space adjacent to and longitudinally offset from the lateral support surface for partially surrounding a second longitudinal section of the belt that is deflected relative to the lateral support surface to take up slack and/or tension the belt. By containing the slack within the carriage using the space and the lateral support surface, slack may be removed from the belt or the belt may be tensioned in an easy and cost efficient manner.

Concentric shaft actuation mechanism

The present disclosure relates to a power transmission system for actuating a damper. The power transmission system includes an input shaft configured to rotate about a first axis and a first input dog rotatably coupled to the input shaft. The power transmission system also includes a second input dog coupled to the first input dog. The first input dog includes a first arrangement of teeth extending along a second axis and the second input dog includes a second arrangement of teeth extending along the second axis. The first input dog and the second input dog are configured to move axially along the second axis to enable engagement and disengagement of the first and second input dogs with first and second output dogs, respectively. The first and second output dogs are configured to engage with respective damper blades of the damper.