Provided is an actuator, preferably a linear actuator, including a carriage having a lateral support surface for supporting a first longitudinal section of a belt against lateral deflection and a space adjacent to and longitudinally offset from the lateral support surface for partially surrounding a second longitudinal section of the belt that is deflected relative to the lateral support surface to take up slack and/or tension the belt. By containing the slack within the carriage using the space and the lateral support surface, slack may be removed from the belt or the belt may be tensioned in an easy and cost efficient manner.

A system (10, 14) includes one or more sensors configured for acquiring data related to operational conditions of a motor actuator (12), a processor (62) configured for analyzing the data to determine a status of the motor actuator (12), and memory (64) for storing data representative of the operational conditions. A status indicator is generated based on the analysis of the operational conditions, for example to represent system capabilities, normal operating modes, and failure modes of the motor actuator (12). The system (10, 14) can be configured to communicate the status indicator to a user interface (21, 66) or higher-level controller (20, 22).

A system for controlling a sun blocking structure in a vehicle is disclosed. The system can automatically move/position the sun blocking structure between ambient light from the sun and a person located in the vehicle. Also, the sun blocking structure can be located in the vehicle such that the system automatically drives the sun blocking structure in a manner that avoids contact between the person and the sun blocking structure. The system includes a GPS unit that provides location information of the vehicle as well as current time and date information to a controller. The controller uses this information to determine a location of the ambient light incident on the vehicle, and provides instructions that cause a motor to move the sun blocking structure to a location between the ambient light and the person's eyes, thereby blocking the person's eyes from direct ambient light.

An actuator (10) system includes an output rod (20) coupled to a piston member (30) disposed within an actuator housing (14) or cylinder (14). A belt drive (24) is configured to drive the piston (30) or similar coupling member (30) in reciprocal motion within the housing (14), along its longitudinal axis. The opposite end (22) of the output rod (20) is selectively positioned with respect to the exterior of the actuator housing (14) in response to the motion of the piston (30) within the housing (14); e.g., in order to manipulate a tool or workpiece at the opposite (exterior) end (22) of the output rod (20), or to perform another automated machine task.

An apparatus for outputting a solid material entrained in a fluid, the apparatus comprising a receptacle for receiving the solid material, an input for the fluid, an output for solid material, an auger for transporting the solid material from the receptacle to the output, a motor for driving the auger, wherein the motor comprises one or more cylinders each comprising a piston, a second input connected to the input so as to feed part of the fluid to the cylinders, where a cross section of a piston is at least 700 mm.sup.2 or wherein a drive transforming the reciprocating movement of each piston, relative to the cylinder, to rotation of the auger around the first axis, is configured to rotate the auger at least 20 degrees when a cylinder completes a cycle.

A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The method includes moving a drive shaft relative to at least one of a hub of the balloon catheter and an interlocking member. The drive shaft is configured to rotate the balloon catheter about an axis of the balloon. The method fixing the drive shaft to the proximal end of the hub or to the opening of the interlocking member by frictional force, and applying a coating solution containing the drug to the outer surface of the balloon from a dispensing tube while gradually moving the dispensing tube in the axial direction and simultaneously rotating the drive shaft to rotate the balloon catheter around the axis of the balloon catheter.

A belt-driven linear module includes a tensioning assembly and a drive belt. The tensioning assembly includes a support shaft and a bearing. The support shaft is configured to be installed at a driven end of the linear module. The bearing includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring is positioned on the support shaft, and the outer ring is configured to be wrapped by the drive belt of the linear module so as to tension the drive belt of the linear module.

A conveyance method of conveying a conveyance target object by loading the conveyance target object on a slider, wherein the slider is connected to a ball nut threadably engaged with a ball screw shaft, includes a step of rotating the ball screw shaft by an electric motor, a step of applying a braking force which is a rotation resistance to the ball screw shaft by a non-electric resistance changing unit, and a step of setting at least one of a driving force of the electric motor and the braking force of the resistance changing unit so that the slider will stop when a predetermined external force acts on the slider during conveyance and changes the slider to an overload state regardless of the presence/absence of the conveyance target object loaded on the slider and a weight of the conveyance target object.

A translational-rotary machine (1), in particular for the physical exercises of limbs, comprising motor means (4, 4) and translational-rotary members (3), wherein the translational-rotary members (3) comprising a movable carriage (13), a lower shaft (15) passing through the carriage (13), a first return pulley (16) integrally keyed onto the lower shaft (15) on the front side (7) of the machine (1), a first toothed wheel (17) integrally keyed onto the lower shaft (15) on the rear side (8) of the machine (1), an upper shaft (14) passing through the carriage (13), said upper shaft (14) being vertically aligned with the lower shaft (15), a second return pulley (18) idly mounted onto the upper shaft (14) on the rear side (8) of the machine (1), a first transmission member (20) arranged on a front side (7) of the machine (1), said first transmission member (20) being adapted to operatively connect the motor means (4, 4) to the first return pulley (16), a second transmission member (21) arranged on a rear side (8) of the machine (1), said second transmission member (21) being adapted to operatively connect the motor means (4, 4) to the second return pulley (18), wherein the second return pulley (18) is operatively connected to the first toothed wheel (17) so that the force transmitted by the second transmission member (21) acts on the upper section of the first toothed wheel (17), and wherein the force transmitted by the first transmission member (20) acts on the lower section of the first return pulley (16).

A cable cylinder (100) comprising a frame (1);a pin (2) mounted on the frame and extending along a first axis (Oy);a nut (4) engaging with the pin (2);a first cable (10) coupled to the nut or the pin (2) and intended to be functionally connected to an element to be moved;a motor (3) designed to rotate the pin (2) or the nut (4); characterised in that the first cable (6) comprises at least a first section (6.1) extending substantially parallel to the first axis (Ox), and the first cable (6) is designed to exert opposing forces on rotation of the nut (4) by the pin (2) or of the pin (2) by the nut (4) in order to constitute anti-rotation means so that a rotation of the pin (2) or of the bolt (4) under the action of the motor (3) causes a relative movement of the nut (4) and of the pin (2).