A telescopic transmission assembly includes first and second stage rods, and first and second stage casings. The second stage rod is of a hollow structure having inner and outer surfaces and a through hole, the outer surface being provided with external threads, and the inner surface being devoid of threads. The first stage rod is disposed in the through hole to drive the second stage rod to rotate synchronously. The first and second stage rods are telescopically expandable or contractible relative to each other along an axial direction. The second stage casing sleeves over the first stage casing. The first and second stage casings have respectively first and second transmission nuts. The second and first stage rods are in a screw-thread fit with the first and second transmission nuts, respectively. The second stage rod is positioned with the first transmission nut in the axial direction in a rotatable manner.

Motorized bicycle lift apparatus and assemblies and methods of use. The lift apparatus includes a telescopic column that can raise or lower the height of the bicycle supported thereon via a motorized linear actuator. The actuator is situated within telescoping sections that nest within one another as the lifting column extends and retracts. The bottom of the lifting column has a base mount that allows various base structures to attach to the lift, such as a support plate for a freestanding lift or another stand for a retrofit lift. On the top end of the column opposite the base mount, a universal clamp mount is provided to allow the stand to be used in combination with various bicycle clamps.

Motorized bicycle lift apparatus and assemblies and methods of use. The lift apparatus includes a telescopic column that can raise or lower the height of the bicycle supported thereon via a motorized linear actuator. The actuator is situated within telescoping sections that nest within one another as the lifting column extends and retracts. The bottom of the lifting column has a base mount that allows various base structures to attach to the lift, such as a support plate for a freestanding lift or another stand for a retrofit lift. On the top end of the column opposite the base mount, a universal clamp mount is provided to allow the stand to be used in combination with various bicycle clamps.

Apparatus for lifting and supporting an item above a floor includes a frame and a pair of upright telescoping post assemblies having two opposite ends and which are positionable on opposite sides of the item to be lifted. A pair of guide posts are arranged as to extend substantially vertically of the frame and adjacent the post assemblies. A carriage assembly having an elongated member is mounted upon each post assembly for cooperating between the item and an adjacent guide post, and jacks are utilized for moving the ends of the post assemblies apart so that by positioning the elongated members of the carriage assemblies in cooperating relationship with an end of the item and moving the ends of the post assemblies apart, the end of the item is lifted by a corresponding amount and the carriage assemblies are guided along the guide posts.

Apparatus for lifting and supporting an item above a floor includes a frame and a pair of upright telescoping post assemblies having two opposite ends and which are positionable on opposite sides of the item to be lifted. A pair of guide posts are arranged as to extend substantially vertically of the frame and adjacent the post assemblies. A carriage assembly having an elongated member is mounted upon each post assembly for cooperating between the item and an adjacent guide post, and jacks are utilized for moving the ends of the post assemblies apart so that by positioning the elongated members of the carriage assemblies in cooperating relationship with an end of the item and moving the ends of the post assemblies apart, the end of the item is lifted by a corresponding amount and the carriage assemblies are guided along the guide posts.

An embodiment is developed for a cylindrically shaped, elliptical rolling robot that has the ability to morph its outer surface as it rolls. The morphing actuation alters lengths of the major and minor axes, resulting in a torque imbalance that rolls the robot along faster or brakes its motion. A control scheme is implemented, whereby angular position and horizontal velocity are used as feedback to trigger and define morphing actuation. A goal of the control scheme is to cause the robot to follow a given velocity profile comprised of steps and ramps. Equations of motion for the rolling robot are formulated, which include rolling resistance torque caused by deformation of the outer surface tread. A computer program solves the equations of motion, and resulting plots show that by automatically morphing its shape in a periodic fashion, the rolling robot is able to commence from an initial position, achieve constant average velocity and slow itself.

A lifting column includes a first column element and at least one second column element, the at least one second column element being movable relative to the first column element, and at least one damping unit. The damping unit is deformable by a force that acts on an upper side of the lifting column in at least one operating configuration of the lifting column such that the force is at least partly transmitted through the damping unit to a drive of the lifting column.

A lifting column includes a first column element and at least one second column element, the at least one second column element being movable relative to the first column element, and at least one damping unit. The damping unit is deformable by a force that acts on an upper side of the lifting column in at least one operating configuration of the lifting column such that the force is at least partly transmitted through the damping unit to a drive of the lifting column.

A transmission assembly and a lifting column are provided. The transmission assembly includes a first screw rod, a second screw rod, a first transmission sleeve sleeved over the first screw rod, and an actuating device for driving the first transmission sleeve to rotate. An end of the first screw rod proximal to the actuating device is fixed, and an end of the second screw rod distant from the actuating device is fixed. A second transmission sleeve is disposed between the first screw rod and the second screw rod, the second transmission sleeve and the first transmission sleeve are synchronously rotatable and are axially extensible and retractable relative to each other, and both ends of the second transmission sleeve are in threaded transmission connection with the first screw rod and the second screw rod, respectively.

A transmission assembly and a lifting column are provided. The transmission assembly includes a first screw rod, a second screw rod, a first transmission sleeve sleeved over the first screw rod, and an actuating device for driving the first transmission sleeve to rotate. An end of the first screw rod proximal to the actuating device is fixed, and an end of the second screw rod distant from the actuating device is fixed. A second transmission sleeve is disposed between the first screw rod and the second screw rod, the second transmission sleeve and the first transmission sleeve are synchronously rotatable and are axially extensible and retractable relative to each other, and both ends of the second transmission sleeve are in threaded transmission connection with the first screw rod and the second screw rod, respectively.