An actuator for vehicles has a motor having an output gear, a gear member, a slide member, and an accommodation member. The gear member has a first gear part meshed with the output gear and a second gear part provided coaxial with the first gear part on a rotational plane identical to that of the first gear part and has a shape different from a shape of the first gear part. The slide member has an input gear meshed with the second gear part. The accommodation member accommodates the motor and the gear member and accommodates a part of the slide member where the input gear is provided so that the slide member is driven by the motor to be linearly moved.

A transmission device for controlling the translational movement of an element includes: an exterior planetary gear equipped interiorly with teeth; an interior planetary gear connected to the controlled element and bearing a rack in the direction of translation; a satellite carrier having satellites with helical teeth engaged with the interior teeth; and a stationary housing accommodating the exterior planetary gear, the interior planetary gear, the satellite carrier. The rack is used to control the translational movement of the interior planetary gear. The transmission device is driven by a motor with a transmission acting either on the exterior planetary gear or the satellite carrier.

Embodiments of the invention include a band clamp assembly. The band clamp assembly includes a drive rack and a housing including a receiving hole, a rotatable drive gear, and a locking pawl. The rotatable drive gear is designed to engage the first side of the drive rack and the locking pawl is designed to engage a second side of the drive rack.

Disclosed is a system for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device including a docking station, a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a first port on the electronic device, a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a second port on the electronic device, a first audio device in the docking station, a second audio device in the docking station, and a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device and second audio device.

Disclosed is a system for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device including a docking station, a first plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a first port on the electronic device, a second plug on the docking station positioned to interface with a second port on the electronic device, a first audio device in the docking station, a second audio device in the docking station, and a selector to selectively enable one of the first audio device and second audio device.

Embodiments of the invention include a band clamp assembly. The band clamp assembly includes a drive rack and a housing including a receiving hole, a rotatable drive gear, and a locking pawl. The rotatable drive gear is designed to engage the first side of the drive rack and the locking pawl is designed to engage a second side of the drive rack.

Embodiments of the invention include a band clamp assembly. The band clamp assembly includes a drive rack and a housing including a receiving hole, a rotatable drive gear, and a locking pawl. The band clamp is movable to a locking position by advancing the drive rack through the receiving hole in the housing. A first side of the drive rack is designed to engage the rotatable drive gear and the locking pawl is designed to engage a second side of the drive rack.

Disclosed is a method for detecting misalignment between a plurality of plugs in a motorized docking station and a corresponding plurality of ports on an electronic device, the method including applying an electrical charge to a motor, the motor connected to a drive train and the drive train connected to the plurality of plugs, monitoring an electrical property of the electrical charge, and removing the electrical charge from the motor if the electrical property exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Embodiments of the invention include a band clamp assembly. The band clamp assembly includes a drive rack and a housing including a receiving hole, a rotatable drive gear, and a locking pawl. The band clamp is movable to a locking position by advancing the drive rack through the receiving hole in the housing. A first side of the drive rack is designed to engage the rotatable drive gear and the locking pawl is designed to engage a second side of the drive rack.

Embodiments of the invention provide a clamp lock to secure a clamp around a pressure vessel, such as a split tank pool filter. The clamp lock includes a drive rack with at least one notch, and a housing with a rotatable drive gear, a locking pawl, and a receiving hole. The rotatable drive gear is capable of laterally moving the drive rack through the receiving hole, and the locking pawl is capable of engaging the at least one notch when the drive rack has been inserted a distance into the receiving hole. The distance correlates to a diameter of the clamp sufficient to secure the clamp around the pressure vessel.