Drivelines having double conical bearing joints incorporated therein are provided. The double conical bearing joints provide the drivelines with multiple degrees of freedom and allow the driveline to bear load in any direction. The conical bearing joints of the driveline include polycrystalline diamond bearing surfaces.

A ball-hinged transmission shaft with a straight shaft includes a socket, a ball, and a straight shaft. A rolling element is further coaxially provided on a straight shaft. The rolling element is a rotator with an axis of the straight shaft as a center of rotation. An upper portion of the rolling element is connected to a bearing. A mouth-shaped surface is further respectively provided at two ends of a transmission hole of a ball. The mouth-shaped surface is a curved surface matching the shape of the rolling element. The rolling element is fit and provided in the mouth-shaped surface at the two ends of the transmission hole of the ball. The ball is restricted by an inner positioning spherical surface of a socket, the straight shaft, and the rolling element at the same time.

Surgical tools that include a mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle are disclosed. A surgical tool includes an instrument shaft, a drive shaft, an end effector, a driven shaft, and a coupling member. The instrument shaft is elongated along an instrument shaft axis. The drive shaft is mounted to the instrument shaft for rotation about a drive shaft axis. The end effector is coupled with the instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft. The driven shaft is coupled with the end effector to articulate a feature of the end effector via rotation of the driven shaft relative to the end effector. The coupling member couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that a rate of rotation of the drive shaft and a rate of rotation of the driven shaft about a driven shaft axis are equal.

Surgical tools that include a mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle are disclosed. A surgical tool includes an instrument shaft, a drive shaft, an end effector, a driven shaft, and a coupling member. The instrument shaft is elongated along an instrument shaft axis. The drive shaft is mounted to the instrument shaft for rotation about a drive shaft axis. The end effector is coupled with the instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft. The driven shaft is coupled with the end effector to articulate a feature of the end effector via rotation of the driven shaft relative to the end effector. The coupling member couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that a rate of rotation of the drive shaft and a rate of rotation of the driven shaft about a driven shaft axis are equal.

Surgical tools that include a mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle are disclosed. A surgical tool includes an instrument shaft, a drive shaft, an end effector, a driven shaft, and a coupling member. The instrument shaft is elongated along an instrument shaft axis. The drive shaft is mounted to the instrument shaft for rotation about a drive shaft axis. The end effector is coupled with the instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft. The driven shaft is coupled with the end effector to articulate a feature of the end effector via rotation of the driven shaft relative to the end effector. The coupling member couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that a rate of rotation of the drive shaft and a rate of rotation of the driven shaft about a driven shaft axis are equal.

Surgical tools that include a mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle are disclosed. A surgical tool includes an instrument shaft, a drive shaft, an end effector, a driven shaft, and a coupling member. The instrument shaft is elongated along an instrument shaft axis. The drive shaft is mounted to the instrument shaft for rotation about a drive shaft axis. The end effector is coupled with the instrument shaft so that an orientation of the end effector can be varied relative to the instrument shaft. The driven shaft is coupled with the end effector to articulate a feature of the end effector via rotation of the driven shaft relative to the end effector. The coupling member couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft so that a rate of rotation of the drive shaft and a rate of rotation of the driven shaft about a driven shaft axis are equal.

Embodiments are directed to a rotor hub assembly comprising a yoke configured to attach rotor blades thereto, a single Hooke's joint configured to attach to, and transmit forces between, a mast and the yoke, and a spherical bearing coupled between the yoke and the mast. Two pillow blocks couple the single Hooke's joint to the yoke. An adapter sleeve is attached to the pillow blocks and is positioned to surround the spherical bearing. The adapter sleeve extends between the single Hooke's joint and the mast. A hub lock extension is attached to the yoke. The hub lock extension is configured to receive a hub lock that prevents gimballing of the yoke when engaged.

Embodiments are directed to a rotor hub assembly comprising a yoke configured to attach rotor blades thereto, a single Hooke's joint configured to attach to, and transmit forces between, a mast and the yoke, and a spherical bearing coupled between the yoke and the mast. Two pillow blocks couple the single Hooke's joint to the yoke. An adapter sleeve is attached to the pillow blocks and is positioned to surround the spherical bearing. The adapter sleeve extends between the single Hooke's joint and the mast. A hub lock extension is attached to the yoke. The hub lock extension is configured to receive a hub lock that prevents gimballing of the yoke when engaged.

A multistage pericyclic gear reducer includes an input shaft, an input external-teeth gear coaxially coupled to and rotatable with the input shaft, a first middle planet ring gear coupled between a first driver ring gear and a first driven wheel. The first driver ring gear meshed with the input external-teeth gear. The multistage pericyclic gear reducer further includes a second middle planet ring gear coupled between the first driven wheel and a second driven wheel, an output external-teeth gear extended through and meshed with both the first middle planet ring gear and the second middle planet ring gear, and a central output shaft coupled to the output external-teeth gear.

Articulable joints having diamond bearing surfaces engaged with metal bearing surfaces are provided herein. The articulable joints provide multiple degrees of freedom to components, such as drivelines, and bear loads in multiple directions. The articulable joints include diamond bearing surfaces slidingly engaged with opposing metal bearing surfaces that include more than trace amounts of diamond solvent-catalyst.