A vertical axis washing machine appliance having a transmission assembly with a planetary helical gear train is provided. The transmission assembly transmits mechanical power from a torque source to an agitation element so that oscillatory motion may be imparted to laundry articles within a wash basket of the washing machine appliance, e.g., during a wash cycle. The transmission assembly includes features that manage axial thrust loads created by helical gears of the gear train. The transmission assembly also includes features that prevent shuttling of the gears and other components of the transmission assembly.

An electric drive system including: a rotary motor system including a hub assembly, a first rotating assembly, a second rotating assembly, and a third rotating assembly, wherein the hub assembly defines a rotational axis about which the first rotating assembly, the second rotating assembly, and the third rotating assembly are coaxially aligned and are capable of independent rotational movement independent of each other; a multi-bar linkage mechanism connected to each of the first and third rotating assemblies and connected to the hub assembly and constraining movement of the hub assembly so that the rotational axis of the hub assembly moves along a defined path that is in a transverse direction relative to the rotational axis and wherein the multi-bar linkage mechanism causes the rotational axis of the hub assembly to translate along the defined path in response to relative rotation of the first rotating assembly and the third rotating assembly with respect to each other.

An electric motor including a rotor, a stator disposed adjacent to the rotor, and a brake mechanism. The stator is configured to cause a rotational movement of the rotor during operation of the electric motor and the brake mechanism is configured to selectively maintain a stationary rotational position of the rotor against a force exerted by an external source.

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).

An electric drive system including: a rotary motor system including a hub assembly, a first rotating assembly, a second rotating assembly, and a third rotating assembly, wherein the hub assembly defines a rotational axis about which the first rotating assembly, the second rotating assembly, and the third rotating assembly are coaxially aligned and are capable of independent rotational movement independent of each other; a multi-bar linkage mechanism connected to each of the first and third rotating assemblies and connected to the hub assembly and constraining movement of the hub assembly so that the rotational axis of the hub assembly moves along a defined path that is in a transverse direction relative to the rotational axis and wherein the multi-bar linkage mechanism causes the rotational axis of the hub assembly to translate along the defined path in response to relative rotation of the first rotating assembly and the third rotating assembly with respect to each other.

An electric motor and an elevator system. The electric motor includes: a casing; a stator supported by the casing, the stator including a stator yoke and stator teeth, and a winding being wound around the stator teeth and generating a magnetic field when energized; and a rotor which rotates under the action of the magnetic field; wherein at least a portion of the stator yoke is formed as a moving plate which is movable between a first position and a second position; and when the winding is energized, the moving plate is capable of moving from the first position to the second position under the action of the magnetic field, and in the second position, the moving plate is separated from the rotor; and after the winding is de-energized, the moving plate is moved from the second position to the first position under the action of a spring force.

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).