A torque transfer assembly comprising a drive shaft and a driven shaft and a dielectric insert arranged to be positioned between the drive shaft and the driven shaft, the insert assembly comprising a body of dielectric material shaped to form an insulating layer and configured to engage, respectively, with a first shaped engagement feature on the drive shaft and a second shaped engagement feature on the driven shaft, in torque transfer engagement, the insulating layer providing a dielectric barrier between the drive shaft and the driven shaft.

Described is a rotary coupling that includes a pair of coupling bodies having parallel (preferably coincident) rotation axes, two cylindrical elements and a preload mechanism. A gap is provided between surfaces on the first and second coupling bodies. The first cylindrical element is disposed on the first coupling body and has a first cylinder axis, and the second cylindrical element is disposed on the second coupling body adjacent to the first cylindrical element and has a second cylinder axis that is perpendicular to the first cylinder axis. The preload mechanism imparts a force to each of the first and second coupling bodies and thereby preloads the first and second cylindrical elements against each other at a point of contact. One example of the preload mechanism includes a pair of magnets disposed opposite each other across the gap and another example of the preload mechanism includes an air bearing.

A variable stiffness joint and method to alter the stiffness of the joint with multiple stiffness levels is described wherein a plurality of stiffness bits (m) are used for enabling 2 m stiffness level variations for the joint. Each stiffness bit comprises an elastic element in mechanical connection with a clutch (21, 22, 23). The joint revolves with zero stiffness level when all the clutches (21, 22, 23) are disengaged whereas a clutch (21, 22, 23) involves one of the elastic elements which alter the stiffness of the joint. Engaging other clutches (21, 22, 23) involve more elastic elements for altering the joint stiffness and the resultant joint stiffness is determined by adding the stiffness values of all the involved springs (6, 7, 8).

A variable stiffness joint and method to alter the stiffness of the joint with multiple stiffness levels is described wherein a plurality of stiffness bits (m) are used for enabling 2 m stiffness level variations for the joint. Each stiffness bit comprises an elastic element in mechanical connection with a clutch (21, 22, 23). The joint revolves with zero stiffness level when all the clutches (21, 22, 23) are disengaged whereas a clutch (21, 22, 23) involves one of the elastic elements which alter the stiffness of the joint. Engaging other clutches (21, 22, 23) involve more elastic elements for altering the joint stiffness and the resultant joint stiffness is determined by adding the stiffness values of all the involved springs (6, 7, 8).

A device includes a cylinder sleeve (3, 13), which is at least indirectly arranged at a housing (7) and at least three radially outward extending journals (5). Each journal (5) comes to rest, at least on one side, against a roller element (6a, 6b) accommodated at the housing (7) in order to support the cylinder sleeve (3, 13) on the housing (7) in at least one tangential direction. The device can be designed, in particular, as a planetary transmission or as an electric machine.

An electrically isolated coupler may include a driven body, a drive body and an insulating member. The drive body is made of first metallic material and has a driven end configured to interface with a fastening component. The driven body includes a first interface portion and the drive body includes a second interface portion. The drive body is made of a second metallic material and has a drive end configured to interface with a driving tool. The insulating member is disposed between the drive body and the driven body to electrically isolate the drive body and the driven body from each. The first interface portion includes at least one axially extending portion that extends toward the drive body, and the second interface portion includes at least one axially extending portion that extends toward the driven body. The insulating member is disposed between the respective at least one axially extending portions of the first and second interface portions.

Provided is a torque-transmission joint 15a that is able to reduce the thrust force that is transmitted between the output shaft 12a of an electric motor 8 and a worm shaft 6a without generating noise. A shock-absorbing member 18a that is made using an elastic material is assembled between a driving-side transmission member 16a that is supported by the output shaft 12a and a driven-side member 17a that is supported by the worm shaft 6a. Held sections 33a, 33b of the shock-absorbing member 18a are located between the side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driving-side arm sections 21a of the driving-side transmission member 16a and side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driven-side arm sections 23a of the driven-side transmission member 17a. A damper section 26 is integrally provided with the shock-absorbing member 18a, and that damper section 26 is elastically held between the tip-end surface of the output shaft 12a and the base-end surface of the worm shaft 16a.

A shock-absorbing member comprises held sections located at a plurality of locations in a circumferential direction and comprising paired held sections and non-paired held sections, and is constructed to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in cross-section. Portions where outer-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction. Drive-side arm sections are placed between the non-paired held sections, driven-side arm sections are placed between the paired held sections, and the outer circumferential surfaces of the drive-side arm sections are covered by the outer-diameter side cover sections.

A shock-absorbing member comprises held sections located at a plurality of locations in a circumferential direction and comprising paired held sections and non-paired held sections, and is constructed to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in cross-section. Portions where outer-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction. Drive-side arm sections are placed between the non-paired held sections, driven-side arm sections are placed between the paired held sections, and the outer circumferential surfaces of the drive-side arm sections are covered by the outer-diameter side cover sections.

A damper device includes a first member, a second member, an elastic member and a supporting member. The first member has two wall members separated from each other. The supporting member includes projections (preventing portion) that make contact with one of two wall portions (wall members) so as to prevent the supporting member and an elastic member from being inclined (falling, rotationally moving) in the axial direction.