A medical instrument with a hollow shaft, at the proximal end of which a handle is arranged, and at the distal end of which a tool is arranged with a stationary jaw part and with a jaw part that is pivotable relative to the stationary jaw part, a distal end region of the shaft that carries the tool being designed as a tool tip that can be positioned at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the tool being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft respectively about the longitudinal axis of the tool tip. The axially displaceable actuation element for actuating the pivotable jaw part of the tool are coupled to each other in such a way that, on the one hand, when the axially displaceable actuation element for positioning the tool tip at an angle is actuated, the axially displaceable actuation element for actuating the pivotable jaw part of the tool is necessarily movable at the same time in the axial direction, and, on the other hand, the axially displaceable actuation element for actuating the pivotable jaw part of the tool can be actuated independently of the axially displaceable actuation element for positioning the tool tip at an angle.

A universal joint assembled in a drill string transfers torque between two components where the shafts of the components are not completely aligned. The universal joint includes two members each with pin connections on one end and axially extending arms on the other end. The axially extending arms intermesh when the members are assembled defining a closed cavity between the arms. The cavity retains a ball bearing held between two seats. The universal joint when assembled to portions of the drill string at the pins on each end transfer torque by intermeshing of the teeth. Axial force is transferred through the seats holding the ball bearing.

A universal joint assembled in a drill string transfers torque between two components where the shafts of the components are not completely aligned. The universal joint includes two members each with pin connections on one end and axially extending arms on the other end. The axially extending arms intermesh when the members are assembled defining a closed cavity between the arms. The cavity retains a ball bearing held between two seats. The universal joint when assembled to portions of the drill string at the pins on each end transfer torque by intermeshing of the teeth. Axial force is transferred through the seats holding the ball bearing.

Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.

A coupling means having a first member provided with a first diaphragm and a second member provided with a second diaphragm. The coupling means include an additional device having a plurality of protrusions circumferentially distributed on a first cylinder of the first member and a plurality of abutments distributed circumferentially on a second cylinder of the second member, each protrusion presenting at least one sliding face facing a first bearing face of an abutment, each protrusion presenting a blocking face facing a face of the second member referred to as a second bearing face.

A joint for a BHA includes an inner driven rod, an outer drive coupling, and a thrust plate. The inner driven rod includes at least one lobe extending radially therefrom. The outer drive coupling includes a keyway formed therein corresponding to and adapted to receive each lobe. A thrust plate is positioned between at least one side of each lobe and the corresponding keyway. The thrust plate may allow for the reduction of point or line stress loading on the lobe and keyway.

The invention relates mainly to a motor vehicle combustion engine starter motor comprising:a pinion body comprising splines on its external periphery,a pinion (31) having an axis (Y), the said pinion (31) being mounted with the ability to move on the pinion body comprising an internal periphery comprising splines (44) engaged with the splines of the said pinion body, the said pinion (31) comprising, on its external periphery,teeth (42) each having two tooth flanks (47) each comprising:a working flank (48), anda tooth root (49) extending from the said working flank (48) of the corresponding tooth (42), characterized in that the said tooth flank (47) comprises at least one tooth root (49) delimited by a curved portion (PC) having a variable radius of curvature.

A positioning system is provided for orienting a payload. The system may continuously orient the payload relative to another object without twisting connections of the payload. The positioning system may be provided with a base, a rotating member, a pivoting member, an anti-twist member, and a coupling apparatus. The rotating member may be rotatably mounted to the base such that the rotating member rotates about a first axis. The pivoting member may be pivotably mounted to the rotating member such that the pivoting member pivots about a second axis. The anti-twist member may be rotatably mounted to the pivoting member. The coupling apparatus may rotationally couple the anti-twist member to the base such that the rotational orientation of the anti-twist member relative to the base remains constant regardless of a rotational orientation or a pivoting orientation of the pivoting member relative to the base.

A positioning system is provided for orienting a payload. The system may continuously orient the payload relative to another object without twisting connections of the payload. The positioning system may be provided with a base, a rotating member, a pivoting member, an anti-twist member, and a coupling apparatus. The rotating member may be rotatably mounted to the base such that the rotating member rotates about a first axis. The pivoting member may be pivotably mounted to the rotating member such that the pivoting member pivots about a second axis. The anti-twist member may be rotatably mounted to the pivoting member. The coupling apparatus may rotationally couple the anti-twist member to the base such that the rotational orientation of the anti-twist member relative to the base remains constant regardless of a rotational orientation or a pivoting orientation of the pivoting member relative to the base.

A flexible and rotatable coupling assembly for a feeder conveyor of a combine harvester, for example. The coupling assembly connects a first rotatable shaft to a second rotatable shaft. The coupling assembly includes a spherical bearing that is connectable to the first rotatable shaft for accommodating a radial or angular misalignment between the first and second rotatable shafts; and a flexible and rotatable coupler that is non-rotatably connectable to the first and second rotatable shafts for transferring rotation between the first and second rotatable shafts. The flexible and rotatable coupler is either directly or indirectly connected to the spherical bearing. The flexible and rotatable coupler has a flexible component for accommodating the radial or angular misalignment.