A hollow first housing with a rigid wall and a center of mass located on a portion of the rigid wall to which a weight is attached. When force is applied to tilt the apparatus then the center of mass is raised. When force is discharged, then a rocking motion of the hollow sphere device or housing will seek an equilibrium at the minimum gravitational potential energy. The rocking motion of the first housing activates a circular motion of a pendulum object. Motion of the pendulum object is passed to an electrical generator, which in turn produces electricity. The first housing may be a round circular hollow sphere, a circular cylinder, a cone, a frustrum, or may be configured in other shapes. A sail may be attached to an external surface of the first housing, at a location on the first housing furthest away from and opposite the weight.

Described is a spring mechanism. The spring mechanism includes a leaf spring housing with leaf springs radially disposed within the leaf spring housing. The leaf springs being flexible between a rest state and tension state. A winding mechanism is engaged with the leaf springs for causing the leaf springs to flex from the rest state to the tension state. The winding mechanism includes a pushing pin wheel with a plurality of pushing pins protruding therefrom that rest against the leaf springs. The pushing pin wheel is rotatable such that rotation of the pushing pin wheel causes the leaf springs to flex from the rest state to a tension state Release of the tension (i.e., when the leaf springs return to the rest state from the tension state) causes rotation of the leaf spring housing which causes rotation of a corresponding release gear set and output drive.

Described is a spring mechanism. The spring mechanism includes a leaf spring housing with leaf springs radially disposed within the leaf spring housing. The leaf springs being flexible between a rest state and tension state. A winding mechanism is engaged with the leaf springs for causing the leaf springs to flex from the rest state to the tension state. The winding mechanism includes a pushing pin wheel with a plurality of pushing pins protruding therefrom that rest against the leaf springs. The pushing pin wheel is rotatable such that rotation of the pushing pin wheel causes the leaf springs to flex from the rest state to a tension state Release of the tension (i.e., when the leaf springs return to the rest state from the tension state) causes rotation of the leaf spring housing which causes rotation of a corresponding release gear set and output drive.

A system manages the reactions of fluids to their changes in their environment in order to convert these reactions into energy thereby harvesting the same while protecting the device against destruction or malfunction when the environmental conditions exceed predefined thresholds.

The present invention provides a spring return device comprising a rotatable drive coupling configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on a first side of the device and configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on an opposite second side of the device. A spring is engaged with the drive coupling, and a retainer retains the spring. The drive coupling is rotatable relative to the retainer, wherein rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a first direction causes mechanical energy to be stored in the spring. The spring return device further comprises a limiter element that is arranged to rotate with the drive coupling, and one or more stopping surfaces comprising a first stopping surface arranged to abut a first limiter surface on the limiter element when the drive coupling is in a first predetermined rotational position, to thereby limit rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The spring return device of the invention may facilitate reversing the direction of operation of the spring return device.

A rotary spring-return actuator operator is provided with a multi-slot shaft and a clock type spring retained by a retaining band which encircles the spring in such a manner as to insure that the potential energy within the spring is safely contained during all operations requiring disassembly of the actuator assembly, and wherein the retaining band facilitates the in-field reversal of the spring direction or the adjustment of the spring preload by securing the spring to one or more of the slots on the multi-slot shaft.

A rotary spring-return actuator operator is provided with a multi-slot shaft and a clock type spring retained by a retaining band which encircles the spring in such a manner as to insure that the potential energy within the spring is safely contained during all operations requiring disassembly of the actuator assembly, and wherein the retaining band facilitates the in-field reversal of the spring direction or the adjustment of the spring preload by securing the spring to one or more of the slots on the multi-slot shaft.

A foreign substance removing device includes: a cylinder including a support portion; a piston configured to send out a fluid flowing into the cylinder; a spring configured to urge the piston; and a mechanism configured to apply a moving force to the piston. A direction in which the fluid is sent out is a first direction. The piston is moved in the first direction by an urging force of the spring. An operation portion of the piston is formed with a convex or concave portion. The support portion is formed with an insertion concave portion into which the convex portion is capable of being inserted or an insertion convex portion capable of being inserted into the concave portion. A compression space is formed in the moving space when the piston is moved in the first direction and the convex portion or the insertion convex portion is inserted.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an actuating drive comprising: a drive element; an actuation element; and a restoring spring. The drive element drives the actuation element indirectly about an actuation axis. The actuation element includes a shaft portion concentric to the actuation axis and extends at least partially circumferentially. The restoring spring includes a wound flat spring providing a restoring torque on the actuation element, acting tangentially on the shaft portion, and a free spring end tangentially fastened to the shaft portion. The free spring end is radially externally disposed with respect to the spring axis and fastened tangentially to the shaft portion. The spring is mounted rotatably so the spring axis is radially spaced apart from the actuation axis and aligned parallel to the actuation axis.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include an actuating drive comprising: a drive element; an actuation element; and a restoring spring. The drive element drives the actuation element indirectly about an actuation axis. The actuation element includes a shaft portion concentric to the actuation axis and extends at least partially circumferentially. The restoring spring includes a wound flat spring providing a restoring torque on the actuation element, acting tangentially on the shaft portion, and a free spring end tangentially fastened to the shaft portion. The free spring end is radially externally disposed with respect to the spring axis and fastened tangentially to the shaft portion. The spring is mounted rotatably so the spring axis is radially spaced apart from the actuation axis and aligned parallel to the actuation axis.