A method for controlling movement of an elevator car includes driving the car vertically to a landing; activating a park brake; and holding the car immovable with the park brake. The holding includes compressing a guide rail by compression members with a first compression force; opening a door for allowing loading and/or unloading the car; maintaining the door open for allowing loading and/or unloading the car while the car is held immovable; and starting closing movement of the door. After the starting closing movement of the door, relieving the brake for allowing the elevator car to start to move vertically. The relieving includes reducing the compression force of the brake, to be smaller than the first compression force, such that the compression members start sliding vertically against the guide rail; maintaining compression with a smaller compression force than the first compression force, allowing the compression members to continue to slide vertically against the guide rail; and thereafter removing the compression.

A method for controlling movement of an elevator car includes driving the car vertically to a landing; activating a park brake; and holding the car immovable with the park brake. The holding includes compressing a guide rail by compression members with a first compression force; opening a door for allowing loading and/or unloading the car; maintaining the door open for allowing loading and/or unloading the car while the car is held immovable; and starting closing movement of the door. After the starting closing movement of the door, relieving the brake for allowing the elevator car to start to move vertically. The relieving includes reducing the compression force of the brake, to be smaller than the first compression force, such that the compression members start sliding vertically against the guide rail; maintaining compression with a smaller compression force than the first compression force, allowing the compression members to continue to slide vertically against the guide rail; and thereafter removing the compression.

A friction-ring gear unit for a vehicle that is operable by motor power and/or pedaling power, in particular for an electrical bicycle having an electric motor, comprising a crankshaft for pedal cranks, and an inner friction ring (26) and an outer friction ring, as well as at least one rotatable dualcone roller which is situated on a roller carrier and is in frictional engagement with the inner friction ring and the outer friction ring, the friction-ring gear unit being situated coaxially around the crankshaft.

A friction-ring gear unit for a vehicle that is operable by motor power and/or pedaling power, in particular for an electrical bicycle having an electric motor, comprising a crankshaft for pedal cranks, and an inner friction ring (26) and an outer friction ring, as well as at least one rotatable dualcone roller which is situated on a roller carrier and is in frictional engagement with the inner friction ring and the outer friction ring, the friction-ring gear unit being situated coaxially around the crankshaft.

A transmission or actuator offering one or more rotational outputs proportionate in speed and direction to that of a common rotational input, each with its own ratio coupled with a controllable dynamic slip/compliance element and optionally either of a one-way bearing or brake preventing back driving. Ratios are continuously variable between positive and negative values, including infinity, varied by mechanical or electromechanical actuators under external or computer control. The transmission may intrinsically integrate multiple partial transmissions for increasing torque capability, rapidly changing between alternate settings, and/or to drive multiple outputs with customizable design. A communicating system of such distributed transmissions forming a hierarchy or network, each transmission driven directly by a motor, indirectly by the output of another transmission, or both, including indirect cumulative forward and back driving throughout the hierarchy or network. Such a network of actuators for complex robotic, manufacturing, movement, or transport applications.

A method for controlling movement of an elevator car includes driving the car vertically to a landing; activating a park brake; and holding the car immovable with the park brake. The holding includes compressing a guide rail by compression members with a first compression force; opening a door for allowing loading and/or unloading the car; maintaining the door open for allowing loading and/or unloading the car while the car is held immovable; and starting closing movement of the door. After the starting closing movement of the door, relieving the brake for allowing the elevator car to start to move vertically. The relieving includes reducing the compression force of the brake, to be smaller than the first compression force, such that the compression members start sliding vertically against the guide rail; maintaining compression with a smaller compression force than the first compression force, allowing the compression members to continue to slide vertically against the guide rail; and thereafter removing the compression.

A method for controlling movement of an elevator car includes driving the car vertically to a landing; activating a park brake; and holding the car immovable with the park brake. The holding includes compressing a guide rail by compression members with a first compression force; opening a door for allowing loading and/or unloading the car; maintaining the door open for allowing loading and/or unloading the car while the car is held immovable; and starting closing movement of the door. After the starting closing movement of the door, relieving the brake for allowing the elevator car to start to move vertically. The relieving includes reducing the compression force of the brake, to be smaller than the first compression force, such that the compression members start sliding vertically against the guide rail; maintaining compression with a smaller compression force than the first compression force, allowing the compression members to continue to slide vertically against the guide rail; and thereafter removing the compression.

A transmission or actuator offering one or more rotational outputs proportionate in speed and direction to that of a common rotational input, each with its own ratio coupled with a controllable dynamic slip/compliance element and optionally either of a one-way bearing or brake preventing back driving. Ratios are continuously variable between positive and negative values, including infinity, varied by mechanical or electromechanical actuators under external or computer control. The transmission may intrinsically integrate multiple partial transmissions for increasing torque capability, rapidly changing between alternate settings, and/or to drive multiple outputs with customizable design. A communicating system of such distributed transmissions forming a hierarchy or network, each transmission driven directly by a motor, indirectly by the output of another transmission, or both, including indirect cumulative forward and back driving throughout the hierarchy or network. Such a network of actuators for complex robotic, manufacturing, movement, or transport applications.

An infinitely variable transmission includes an input differential and an output differential. The input differential and the output differential both include differentially associated forward path and reverse path gear members. The forward path gear members are meshed indirectly through an idler gear and the reverse path gear members mesh directly to cause counter-rotation of the output differential gear members. The input differential gear members are controlled by a variator so that the forward path gear members may be regulated to rotate faster than the reverse path gear members to cause forward rotation of the output shaft, or so that the forward path gear members may be regulated to rotate slower than the reverse path gear members to cause reverse rotation of the output shaft or so that the forward and reverse path gear members rotate at the same speed to make the output shaft stationary.

A torsional pulse dampener including a pulley rotationally coupled to a piston that is axially displaceable and adapted to give torsional compliance from an engine for at least one-half revolution of an angular differential displacement between the pulley and the piston.