A winding drum for a line and/or for a line guide device which is adapted to receive and guide at least one line, wherein the drum is rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof, wherein a first end region of the line and/or line guide device is or can be fixed to the drum and the line and/or line guide device can be wound on to and unwound from the drum by rotation of the winding drum in a winding-on and an unwinding direction about the drum longitudinal axis, wherein there is provided a drive device engaging the winding drum in order upon rotation of the drum in the unwinding direction thereof to exert a return force on the drum for rotation thereof in the winding-on direction. The drive device is in the form of a torsion spring which upon rotation of the drum in the unwinding direction is subjected to torsional stress and by virtue of the torsional stress exerts a torque on the drum for rotation thereof in the winding-on direction and the torsional stress exerts the return force on the drum.

A system for exerting torque on a shaft includes: a spring assembly having; a spring; a companion member to the spring, wherein at least one of the spring and the companion member is in compression and the other of the spring and companion member is in tension; connecting structure for transmitting a force associated with the spring outside of the gear assembly; and a gear train for connecting the connecting structure to the shaft to apply torque to the shaft. A method of exerting torque on a shaft includes: arranging a plurality of spring assemblies arranged in an array around the shaft, each spring assembly having; a spring; connecting structure for transmitting a force associated with the spring; attaching a gear train to the connecting structure; and configuring the gear train to apply the force associated with the spring to the shaft in the form of torque on the shaft.

The present invention provides a spring return device comprising a rotatable drive coupling configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on a first side of the device and configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on an opposite second side of the device. A spring is engaged with the drive coupling, and a retainer retains the spring. The drive coupling is rotatable relative to the retainer, wherein rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a first direction causes mechanical energy to be stored in the spring. The spring return device further comprises a limiter element that is arranged to rotate with the drive coupling, and one or more stopping surfaces comprising a first stopping surface arranged to abut a first limiter surface on the limiter element when the drive coupling is in a first predetermined rotational position, to thereby limit rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The spring return device of the invention may facilitate reversing the direction of operation of the spring return device.

The present invention provides a spring return device comprising a rotatable drive coupling configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on a first side of the device and configured for releasably engaging a rotatable drive part on an opposite second side of the device. A spring is engaged with the drive coupling, and a retainer retains the spring. The drive coupling is rotatable relative to the retainer, wherein rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a first direction causes mechanical energy to be stored in the spring. The spring return device further comprises a limiter element that is arranged to rotate with the drive coupling, and one or more stopping surfaces comprising a first stopping surface arranged to abut a first limiter surface on the limiter element when the drive coupling is in a first predetermined rotational position, to thereby limit rotation of the drive coupling relative to the retainer in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction. The spring return device of the invention may facilitate reversing the direction of operation of the spring return device.

A system for efficiently capturing the kinetic and/or potential energy of a moving vehicle includes an arc roller configured to move along an arcuate path upon impact by the moving vehicle, and a torsional spring configured to wind in response to the movement of the speed bump and, thereby, to store energy associated with the impact. The torsional spring may be configured to wind continually in response to the movement of another speed bump and, thereby, to store additional energy associated with the impact of the vehicle with the other speed bump. The system may include alternators or generators producing electricity from energy released from unwinding of the torsional spring. Electricity is further stored and utilized for onboard computing, traffic analytics, safety feature operating functions and communications.

A dynamic mass torque generator for producing renewable energy, the dynamic mass torque generator comprising a dynamic mass assembly, wherein the dynamic mass assembly comprises a ballast tank disposed on ballast tank support arms with distal ends of the ballast tank support arms hingeably attached to a glide car via ballast tank support arm hinges and a counter-weight ballast tank disposed on counter-weight ballast tank support arms with distal ends of the counter-weight ballast tank support arms hingeably attached to the glide car via counter-weight ballast tank support arm hinges, wherein the dynamic mass assembly transfers fluid between the ballast tank and the counter-weight ballast tank using a ballast pump to generate torque; and a torsion spring assembly coupled to the dynamic mass assembly, wherein the torsion spring assembly comprises an angle bevel gear-drive coupled to a torsion-spring axel and a crankshaft gear-drive intercept, using a torsion-spring shaft coupling, wherein the angle bevel gear-drive receives the generated torque by transferring lateral rotation to the crankshaft gear-drive intercept using a torsion-spring axel, which further diverts the torque to a clutch crankshaft gear for rotating a clutch crankshaft coupled to the clutch crankshaft gear and a torsion spring configured to store the torque, maintained by the crankshaft gear-drive intercept, as potential energy using a flywheel clutch, wherein the clutch crankshaft gear rotates, a crankshaft-connector-to-clutch-release directs a torsion spring rotational clutch away from the torsion spring, and thereby releasing the stored potential energy through a flywheel which rotates a turbine generator to produce electricity.

A system for efficiently capturing the kinetic and/or potential energy of a moving vehicle includes an arc roller configured to move along an arcuate path upon impact by the moving vehicle, and a torsional spring configured to wind in response to the movement of the speed bump and, thereby, to store energy associated with the impact. The torsional spring may be configured to wind continually in response to the movement of another speed bump and, thereby, to store additional energy associated with the impact of the vehicle with the other speed bump. The system may include alternators or generators producing electricity from energy released from unwinding of the torsional spring. Electricity is further stored and utilized for onboard computing, traffic analytics, safety feature operating functions and communications.

Provided herein are a flexible organic light-emitting display (OLED) and a spring component. The film layers are pulled one on one by spring components to make the film layers flat when being unfolded and free of irreversible deformation when being folded. A lubricating layer is disposed between adjacent film layers so that the action force between the adjacent film layers is reduced, thereby making the flexible organic light-emitting display (OLED) flat and free of creases when being unfolded.

Yarn energy harvesters containing conducing nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn harvesters) that electrochemically convert tensile or torsional mechanical energy into electrical energy. Stretched coiled yarns can generate 250 W/kg of peak electrical power when cycled up to 24 Hz, and can generate up to 41.2 J/kg of electrical energy per mechanical cycle. Unlike for other harvesters, torsional rotation produces both tensile and torsional energy harvesting and no bias voltage is required, even when electrochemically operating in salt water. Since homochiral and heterochiral coiled harvester yarns provide oppositely directed potential changes when stretched, both contribute to output power in a dual-electrode yarn. These energy harvesters were used in the ocean to harvest wave energy, combined with thermally-driven artificial muscles to convert temperature fluctuations to electrical energy, sewn into textiles for use as self-powered respiration sensors, and used to power a light emitting diode and to charge a storage capacitor.

A toothbrush includes a removable, replaceable brush head that includes a clip that also serves as a removal tool for a spent brush head. The toothbrush may be a manually-wound or charged, powered toothbrush that includes a winding mechanism, an energy storage element, and an output gear train to cause a rotating, oscillating or sweeping brush head to move, thus improving the efficacy of the user's oral-care regimen.