A medical device support system including a central shaft, an extension arm, and a brake assembly. The extension arm has a support for a medical device and a hub at its proximal end mounted to the central shaft for pivotable movement about the central shaft. The brake assembly is secured in the hub for rotation therewith and includes first and second backing portions and first and second liners supported by the backing portions. At least the first liner is supported by the first backing portion by the first liner being snap-fitted to the first backing portion. The brake assembly includes an actuator configured to flex the first and second backing portions to urge the first and second liners toward and away from each other to respectively increase and decrease a frictional braking force to the central shaft.

Disclosed is a first creel bobbin brake, a creel bobbin assembly, a creel and a creel method. The first creel bobbin brake is arranged for applying a braking torque to a first shaft of a first creel bobbin. The first creel bobbin brake includes a strap that is provided with a first end, a second end and a strap body extending in a longitudinal direction between the first end and the second end, wherein the strap further includes an opening in the strap body, wherein the strap body and the opening are arranged to taper from the first end towards the second end, wherein the strap is arranged to be wound around the first shaft of the first creel bobbin over at least two revolutions, and wherein the second end is insertable through the opening with each revolution.

Disclosed is a first creel bobbin brake, a creel bobbin assembly, a creel and a creel method. The first creel bobbin brake is arranged for applying a braking torque to a first shaft of a first creel bobbin. The first creel bobbin brake includes a strap that is provided with a first end, a second end and a strap body extending in a longitudinal direction between the first end and the second end, wherein the strap further includes an opening in the strap body, wherein the strap body and the opening are arranged to taper from the first end towards the second end, wherein the strap is arranged to be wound around the first shaft of the first creel bobbin over at least two revolutions, and wherein the second end is insertable through the opening with each revolution.

A medical device support system including a central shaft; an extension arm; and a brake assembly. The extension arm has a support for a medical device and a hub at its proximal end mounted to the central shaft for pivotable movement about the central shaft. The brake assembly is secured in the hub for rotation therewith and includes first and second discrete arc shape clamp pieces that are detachably coupled to one another at one end for flexural movement relative to a coupling joint and that are free at an opposite end. The brake assembly includes an actuator configured to flex the first and second clamp pieces relative to the coupling joint toward and away from each other to respectively increase and decrease a frictional braking force to the central shaft.

Methods and systems are provided for maintaining a compression ratio of an engine via a brake and while disabling an electric current applied to an actuator of the associated variable compression ratio mechanism. A braking force applied via the brake on a compression ratio control shaft is varied before and during a compression ratio transition to move the control shaft at a desired velocity. Brake torque application is coordinated with motor torque from a VCR actuator and engine torque applied on the control shaft to enable a smooth CR transition.

A vehicle drive system including: a rotating electric machine; an output drivingly coupled to a wheel; a differential gear device provided in a power transmission path between the rotating electric machine and the output, the differential gear device including at least a first rotating element drivingly coupled to the rotating electric machine, a second rotating element drivingly coupled to the output, and a third rotating element that is selectively fixed by a one-way clutch to a non-rotating member and that is selectively fixed by a friction brake to the non-rotating member; and a clutch that selectively couples together two of the first rotating element, the second rotating element, and the third rotating element.

A vehicle drive system including: a rotating electric machine; an output drivingly coupled to a wheel; a differential gear device provided in a power transmission path between the rotating electric machine and the output, the differential gear device including at least a first rotating element drivingly coupled to the rotating electric machine, a second rotating element drivingly coupled to the output, and a third rotating element that is selectively fixed by a one-way clutch to a non-rotating member and that is selectively fixed by a friction brake to the non-rotating member; and a clutch that selectively couples together two of the first rotating element, the second rotating element, and the third rotating element.

The invention relates to a suspension system, or pendant unit, intended for attachment to an upper structure at a selectable height for suspending a load wherein the load may comprise a carrier for the one or more medical devices or one or more devices, such as for instance a (target) lighting, monitor, camera or a medical device.

The problem of the known suspension system is that during the entire repositioning the user has to react on the behavior of the system due to a variety of internal and external forces.

It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative suspension system for the known suspension system wherein this problem is addressed.

The invention relates to a suspension system, or pendant unit, intended for attachment to an upper structure at a selectable height for suspending a load wherein the load may comprise a carrier for the one or more medical devices or one or more devices, such as for instance a (target) lighting, monitor, camera or a medical device.

The problem of the known suspension system is that during the entire repositioning the user has to react on the behavior of the system due to a variety of internal and external forces.

It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative suspension system for the known suspension system wherein this problem is addressed.

A braking device including: a piezoelectric element; and a braking portion. The braking portion is configured to be fixed to a member when the piezoelectric element is in a first state, and to be slidable along the member when the piezoelectric element is in a second state. The piezoelectric element changes from one state to another state when a voltage is applied.