A cable release mechanism for a seat of the type having a seat bottom and a seat back adapted to be moved by a lockable gas spring between upright and reclined positions relative to the seat bottom. An electric motor is operatively attached to the gas spring by a cable movable by the motor to move the seat back between the upright and reclined positions, and a switch is electrically connected to the motor for initiating operation of the motor to move the cable. A related method is also disclosed.

With the traction mechanism tensioner, a traction mechanism having at least two ends is tensionable. The traction mechanism tensioner comprises a first fastener, a second fastener and a coupler. The first fastener has a first fastening portion at which the first end of the traction mechanism as fastenable. The second fastener has a second fastening portion at which the second end of the traction mechanism is fastenable. The coupling means couples the first and the second fasteners to each other so that the first and the second fasteners are movable with respect to each other and their movability is at least restricted on one side. Further, the first and the second fasteners are pre-tensionable with respect to each other via at least one spring element.

In a preferred embodiment, a mechanical cable release mechanism for actuating an adjustable feature of an aircraft passenger seat includes a driving control mechanism disposed within a seat bottom region of the passenger seat, a moveable control mechanism disposed between the seat bottom region and the adjustable feature, a mechanical cable connected at one end to the moveable control mechanism and at the other end to the driving control mechanism, and an electronic actuation mechanism configured, upon triggering, to activate the driving control mechanism to pull or push the mechanical cable, thereby actuating the moveable control mechanism.

Provided is a differential member that is used in a surgical instrument, which may be manually operated to perform laparoscopic operations or various surgical operations, to receive an input of two or more rotation motions or translation motions and output a single rotation motion or translation motion.

A force transmission transmits a force to a primary output gimbal plate and a secondary output gimbal plate. The secondary output gimbal plate supports the primary output gimbal plate. Each of three primary levers is supported by a primary pivot. Each primary lever is coupled to the primary output gimbal plate such that the three couplings are not collinear. Each of three secondary levers is supported by a secondary pivot. Each secondary lever is coupled to one of the primary levers by a force applying connector. Each secondary lever is coupled to the secondary output gimbal plate such that the three couplings are not collinear. The output gimbal plates may be coupled to the levers by flexible cables. The cables may be substantially contained within a tube. The output gimbal plates may be substantially smaller than the input gimbal plate.

A force transmission includes a gimbal plate having two degrees of freedom. Each of three lever arms is supported by a pivot between two ends of the lever arm. One end of each lever arm is coupled to the gimbal plate such that the three couplings are not collinear. An equalizer cable has two opposing ends, each end fixedly coupled to one of the lever arms. The equalizer cable is routed over a lever arm pulley pivotally coupled to another of the lever arms between the pivot and one end of the lever arm. The gimbal plate may be coupled to the three lever arms by flexible cables or by links that transmit compression forces but not tension forces. The cables may be substantially contained within a tube. The links may be electrically non-conductive. The force transmission may control a surgical end effector in a teleoperated surgical instrument.

A linear movement device comprising at least two linear movement units which are guided in a movable manner along a shared linear movement axis, wherein the linear movement device comprises a first linear drive and a second linear drive, in such a way that each linear movement unit can be driven in movement along the linear movement axis merely by the first linear drive, merely by the second linear drive, and also by both linear drives together. The first and the second linear drive are coupled to the linear movement units so as to transmit drive force, in such a way that when only one of the first linear drive and the second linear drive is activated, the linear movement units can be driven in movement in a shared direction along the linear movement axis at different speeds.

In a preferred embodiment, a mechanical cable release mechanism for actuating an adjustable feature of an aircraft passenger seat includes a driving control mechanism disposed within a seat bottom region of the passenger seat, a moveable control mechanism disposed between the seat bottom region and the adjustable feature, a mechanical cable connected at one end to the moveable control mechanism and at the other end to the driving control mechanism, and an electronic actuation mechanism configured, upon triggering, to activate the driving control mechanism to pull or push the mechanical cable, thereby actuating the moveable control mechanism.