Provided is a wire driving device including: wires one ends of which are attached to a movable member; pulleys to which the other ends of the individual wires are secured; driven gears that are coaxially secured to the individual pulleys; a drive gear that is connected to a driving source; and movable gears that are disposed between the drive gear and the individual driven gears and that can transmit the motive power of the driving source to the driven gears from the drive gear. The movable gears are provided in a movable manner so that the movable gears engage with the drive gear and the driven gears when the drive gear is rotated in a direction, and so that the engagements of the movable gears with at least one of the drive gear and the driven gears are released when the drive gear is rotated in the other direction.

Provided is a wire driving device including: wires one ends of which are attached to a movable member; pulleys to which the other ends of the individual wires are secured; driven gears that are coaxially secured to the individual pulleys; a drive gear that is connected to a driving source; and movable gears that are disposed between the drive gear and the individual driven gears and that can transmit the motive power of the driving source to the driven gears from the drive gear. The movable gears are provided in a movable manner so that the movable gears engage with the drive gear and the driven gears when the drive gear is rotated in a direction, and so that the engagements of the movable gears with at least one of the drive gear and the driven gears are released when the drive gear is rotated in the other direction.

A pulley for a transmission system, including a central rotatable hub having a circumference; and a plurality of adjoining identical pulley segments rotatably mounted about the central hub circumference, wherein the adjoining pulley segments form an approximately circular stepped pulley shape and each of the pulley segments includes two sections providing two curved shelf surfaces for engaging a flexible drive member, each shelf having a different radius, forming higher and lower steps, and further wherein each of the pulley segments are independently rotatable about a radial axis with respect to the central hub.

A pulley for a transmission system, including a central rotatable hub having a circumference; and a plurality of adjoining identical pulley segments rotatably mounted about the central hub circumference, wherein the adjoining pulley segments form an approximately circular stepped pulley shape and each of the pulley segments includes two sections providing two curved shelf surfaces for engaging a flexible drive member, each shelf having a different radius, forming higher and lower steps, and further wherein each of the pulley segments are independently rotatable about a radial axis with respect to the central hub.

A locomotion subassembly for a biped robot is disclosed. The locomotion subassembly includes several unique energy transfer mechanisms and arrangements for efficiently powering the motion of the robot.

A locomotion subassembly for a biped robot is disclosed. The locomotion subassembly includes several unique energy transfer mechanisms and arrangements for efficiently powering the motion of the robot.

A variable speed drive mechanism includes a fixed disk concentric with, attached to, and rotatable with a shaft about a central axis. A plurality of pulley segments are supported by the fixed disk, and are moveable relative to the fixed disk in a radial direction relative to the central axis. A moveable disk is concentric with the shaft, and is rotatably moveable about the shaft relative to the fixed disk. The moveable disk defines a spiral groove having a center concentric with the shaft. The pulley segments include a guided groove portion engaged with and moveable along the spiral groove. Rotation of the moveable disk relative to the fixed disk rotates the spiral groove about the central axis relative to the pulley segments, thereby moving the guided groove portions along the spiral groove to move the pulley segments radially relative to the central axis.

This new mechanism can effect a smooth change in speed ratio of a variety of machines, namely, in those of automobile gear boxes, motorcycles, bicycles or generally any system that is designed for transferring power which is subject to change in ratio. This idea, however, consists of a pulley that is capable of changing ratio without needing to halt or going through a step-off phase. This pulley, which I call Fragmentary pulley for argument's sake, is made up of, 10, 20, 24, 36 fragments. These fragments can move on path toward the center of the pulley and vice versa, thus varying the diameter of the pulley. In other words, the change in ratio will occur as result of this movement. The aforementioned process is the very foundation of my fragmentary pulley, though. the addition of another pulley with the same structure, spinning the opposite direction, augments the whole process. In short, when the input pulley is working with the smallest diameter, the secondary pulley will be working with its biggest diameter. In other words, the greater speed causes the input pulley to expand and the output pulley to contract.

This new mechanism can effect a smooth change in speed ratio of a variety of machines, namely, in those of automobile gear boxes, motorcycles, bicycles or generally any system that is designed for transferring power which is subject to change in ratio. This idea, however, consists of a pulley that is capable of changing ratio without needing to halt or going through a step-off phase. This pulley, which I call Fragmentary pulley for argument's sake, is made up of, 10, 20, 24, 36 fragments. These fragments can move on path toward the center of the pulley and vice versa, thus varying the diameter of the pulley. In other words, the change in ratio will occur as result of this movement. The aforementioned process is the very foundation of my fragmentary pulley, though. the addition of another pulley with the same structure, spinning the opposite direction, augments the whole process. In short, when the input pulley is working with the smallest diameter, the secondary pulley will be working with its biggest diameter. In other words, the greater speed causes the input pulley to expand and the output pulley to contract.

A washing machine is provided. The washing machine adopts an induction motor to achieve efficient operation as that achieved by using a frequency converter. The washing machine includes: an input shaft configured to supply rotation power to a rotation part that rotates washings; an induction motor, configured to rotate in a forward direction and a backward direction and served as a power source of the rotation part; a transmission-arranged between an output shaft of the induction motor and the input shaft of the rotation part. The transmission is configured to change speed of the induction motor by decreasing a reduction ratio along with startup of the induction motor.