Examples include an actuator that includes a rotor that includes a permanent magnet; a stator that at least partially surrounds the rotor; a plurality of electromagnets coupled to the stator that are configured to apply magnetic force to the permanent magnet to rotate the rotor; a first lock that (i) has a first mechanical bias to engage the rotor and prevent rotation of the rotor when the rotor is in a home position and (ii) is configured to disengage the rotor against the first mechanical bias while receiving a first control signal; and a second lock that (i) has a second mechanical bias to disengage the rotor and (ii) is configured to engage the rotor against the second mechanical bias to prevent rotation of the rotor while receiving a second control signal.

An electrical machine comprising a two-part rotor formed of a first rotor part and a second rotor part. The first rotor part includes a conical section and is mounted to a shaft of the machine. The second rotor part has a bore including a complementary conical section. The second rotor part is configured to displace axially between a first state, in which it is engaged with the first rotor part to form the rotor of the electrical machine, and a second state, in which it is axially disengaged from the first rotor part. Also a clutch having an engaged state and a disengaged state. When the clutch is in one of its states the second rotor part is in its first state and switching the clutch to the other of its states axially displaces the second rotor part to its second state.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a magnetically geared DC brushless motor and method of using the same. The motor may use multiple separately terminable winding sections wrapped around motor armatures. At least one of the separately terminable winding sections may have windings around adjacent armatures. The motor may be configured to activate certain winding sections to control the velocity and torque outputs of the motor. The winding sections may include copper wire, and the separate winding sections may have wires of different gauge sizes. Various winding sections may be powered by separate voltage sources. Various winding sections may be powered by separate pulse-width modulation voltage sources. The motor may be configured to increase and/or decrease the voltage of a winding section or combination of sections to prepare for the activation or deactivation of another winding section or combination of winding sections.

Motor dampening provisions are described. Incorporation and use of the motor dampener(s) in a rotary type drain cleaning machine enables elimination of a clutch in the machine. Also described are clutch-free drive systems using the motor dampener(s). Also described are torque countering members that are used in conjunction with the motor dampener(s).

Motor dampening provisions are described. Incorporation and use of the motor dampener(s) in a rotary type drain cleaning machine enables elimination of a clutch in the machine. Also described are clutch-free drive systems using the motor dampener(s). Also described are torque countering members that are used in conjunction with the motor dampener(s).

A gear assembly includes an upper cover and a lower cover, a stator fixed to the lower cover, a rotor opposite to the stator and including a rotary shaft and magnet, a main gear fixed to the rotary shaft and rotating along with the rotary shaft, and a helical gear engaged with the main gear, the main gear and the helical gear being both received in the cover member, the upper cover including a boss portion with a recess receiving a tip of the rotary shaft. The rotor is axially movable and when the rotary shaft stops rotating, the tip of the rotary shaft is in the recess of the boss portion, and when the rotary shaft rotates, the helical gear applies a force on the main gear, and the tip of the rotary shaft is disengaged from the recess of the boss portion.

A gear assembly includes an upper cover and a lower cover, a stator fixed to the lower cover, a rotor opposite to the stator and including a rotary shaft and magnet, a main gear fixed to the rotary shaft and rotating along with the rotary shaft, and a helical gear engaged with the main gear, the main gear and the helical gear being both received in the cover member, the upper cover including a boss portion with a recess receiving a tip of the rotary shaft. The rotor is axially movable and when the rotary shaft stops rotating, the tip of the rotary shaft is in the recess of the boss portion, and when the rotary shaft rotates, the helical gear applies a force on the main gear, and the tip of the rotary shaft is disengaged from the recess of the boss portion.

An electric generator equipped in a multi-shaft gas turbine engine for aircraft, includes: a rotor attached to the rear end portion of a low-pressure shaft rotatably supported by a bearing in the gas turbine engine; a stator provided around the rotor; wherein the electric generator has no structure to support the low-pressure shaft and the rotor.

A cycloidal reluctance machine includes a stator surrounding a rotor. Stator windings and rotor windings form respective concentric rotor and stator electromagnets. The rotor is eccentrically positioned with respect to the stator to move with two degrees of freedom (2DOF), including rotating motion about a rotary axis of the rotor and orbiting motion about a center axis of the stator. A rotor constraint mechanism (RCM) constrains motion of the rotor, such that the rotor is able to generate and transmit output torque to a coupled load in at least one of the 2DOF. A magnetic field polarity of stator poles and/or rotor poles of the respective stator and rotor changes over one electrical cycle of the polyphase voltage. The coupled load may be a drive axle of a vehicle in some embodiments. In others, the stator and rotor windings are driven via different power inverters.

This disclosure describes embodiments of novel line dispensing devices and methods for dispensing and retracting a line of a line dispensing device.