Did You Know...
...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8123012 | Rotational coupling device with wear compensation structure A rotational coupling device for use as a clutch, a brake, or a combination clutch and brake is provided having structure to compensate for wear on braking surfaces. The device includes an armature coupled to an output member and movable between positions of engagem... | 02/28/2012 |
| 7975818 | Rotational coupling device A rotational coupling device for use as a clutch and/or brake is provided having improved magnetic efficiency and structural integrity. An electrical conduction assembly is disposed within a field shell between radially spaced inner and outer poles of the field shel... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7690486 | Drive mechanism for a vehicle closure A drive mechanism includes an electric motor, a rotor driven by the electric motor, and a worm screw driven by the rotor. The drive mechanism further includes a wheel driven by the worm screw, the wheel transmitting movement of the electric motor to a vehicle closur... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7686146 | Combination viscous fan drive and viscous heat device A combined viscous heater and viscous coupling fan drive operates on principles of viscous coupling to provide both, supplemental vehicle interior cabin heating, and rotation to a cooling fan mounted to a fan shaft. A viscous drive chamber and case surround a drive ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7493996 | Rotational coupling device A rotational coupling device for use as a clutch and/or brake is provided having improved magnetic efficiency and structural integrity. A field shell and a rotor of the device each define radially spaced, axially extending inner and outer poles. The inner pole of th... | 02/24/2009 |
| 7418800 | Automatic door opener with magnetic clutch An automatic door opener (10) for opening or closing a door (28) includes a motor (14) driving a drive shaft (50) and an opener arm (18) connected to the door (28) and being responsive to rotation of the drive shaft (50 | 09/02/2008 |
| 7318515 | Electromagnetic brake for a multiple-ratio power transmission in a vehicle powertrain An electromagnetic brake, including an electromagnetic brake actuator coil surrounding a power input shaft for a multiple-ratio transmission in a vehicle powertrain, is disclosed. An electromagnetic flux flow path for the actuator coil is electromagnetically isolate... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7310911 | Automatic door opener with magnetic clutch An automatic door opener (10) for opening or closing a door (28) includes a motor (14) driving a drive shaft (50) and an opener arm (18) connected to the door (28) and being responsive to rotation of the drive shaft (50 | 12/25/2007 |
| 7243769 | Dual motion actuator An actuator is disclosed which can be used in multiple applications, and which provides both linear and rotary outputs. The device comprises a motor driven rotor having clutch plates on both sides thereof. One clutch plate includes a gear driven output, and the othe... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7241117 | Motor shaft assembly and method A method for assembling a motor shaft with a bearing, a motor housing, and an impeller is disclosed. A motor shaft extension is used to retain the impeller axially on the motor shaft and allows the motor shaft to drive an additional component, such as an impeller, l... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7230357 | External rotor motor and method for assembling such a motor A method of rapidly assembling the rotor (22) of an external-rotor motor (20) onto a bearing support tube (70) and in a predetermined axial position relative to the latter, includes the steps of: beginning at a rotor cup portion (24) of t... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7211019 | Torque vectoring drive mechanism having a power sharing control system A torque transfer mechanism is provided for controlling the magnitude of a clutch engagement force exerted on a multi-plate clutch assembly that is operably disposed between a first rotary and a second rotary member. The torque transfer mechanism includes a clutch a... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7204494 | Split stabilizer and process for establishing a toothed connection of the outer rotary part to one of the two stabilizer parts A connection of the stabilizer parts of a two-part stabilizer to an actuator is usually performed in a positive-locking manner, as a result of which an additional axial securing and hydraulic sealing toward the outside become necessary. To simplify the design and th... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7197958 | Energy storage flywheel retention system and method An energy storage flywheel system includes a flywheel assembly that is rotationally mounted in a housing assembly, and one or more actuator assemblies. The actuator assemblies are configured to selectively engage and disengage the flywheel assembly. When the actuato... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7143884 | Bi-directional clutch unit A clutch unit has an oil pump which is powered by the input shaft and an oil pump which is powered by the output shaft. The oil pump powered by the input shaft pumps oil in both a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the input shaft. The oil flow is controlled... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7091635 | Motor/flywheel assembly with shrouded radial cooling fan A flywheel/motor assembly is disclosed that comprises a motor housing having a sidewall and an end wall extending substantially perpendicularly from the sidewall. The end wall enclose a motor assembly having a rotatable shaft extending therefrom. The motor housing h... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7014587 | Power shift automatic gearbox for motor vehicles An automatic powershift gearbox with at least one gearbox assembly for selecting the respective gear ratios and with at least one multiple-disk clutch capable of being actuated in a controlled manner for holding or releasing individual elements of the planet gear, w... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7000748 | Clutch brake A clutch brake is provided that includes a brake housing adapted to be non-movably secured relative to a driveline master clutch. The brake housing includes a through-hole sized to allow passage of a shaft and at least one source of magnetic flux. The clutch brake a... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6983835 | Electromagnetically actuated dual clutch-brake combination In an electromagnetically actuated dual clutch-brake combination (8), a drive input shaft (2) can be optionally engaged in drive connection with a first drive output shaft (4) or with a second drive output shaft (6). The second drive outp... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6951269 | Device for guiding a driving torque A device for guiding torque of one drive shaft (3) connected with a driving appliance (2) onto a first or a second output shaft (4, 5). A torque fed via the drive shaft (3) can be applied, respectively, to one of the two output shafts ( | 10/04/2005 |
| 6935612 | Solenoid valve The solenoid valve of the present invention includes an armature with a protrusion and a plug nut with a recess for receiving the protrusion. The protrusion includes a polymer o-ring. The protrusion is configured such that it slides freely within the recess. The o-r... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6907966 | Linear actuator, in particular an aircraft brake actuator A linear actuator comprises a piston and a rotary electric motor together with means which are interposed between the electric motor and the piston to define a mechanical system for transforming rotary movement of the motor into linear displacement of said piston, t... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6827189 | Electromagnetically actuated, single-surface friction coupling, without a rotor slip ring The invention proposes an electromagnetically actuated, single-surface friction coupling without a rotor slip-ring, having a rotor element (2), a fixed magnet body (6) and a pot-shaped armature element (28) mounted so that it can be displaced ax... | 12/07/2004 |
| 6337527 | Self unloading magnetic coupler A permanent magnet coupler has a conductor rotor assembly mounted on one shaft and a magnet rotor assembly mounted on a coaxial shaft. The magnet rotor assembly provides two magnet rotors spaced by the adjustable air gaps from two conductor elements provi... | 01/08/2002 |
| 6043578 | Adjustable magnetic coupler An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors with permanent magnets separated by air gaps from non-ferrous conductor elements presented by a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the ... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6005317 | Adjustable magnetic coupler An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors with permanent magnets separated by air gaps from non-ferrous conductor elements presented by a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the ... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5971121 | Mag stop clutch with center pole An improved brake/clutch unit for use in a riding lawnmower or another vehicle is provided. The unit includes a rotor assembly disposed radially outwardly of a longitudinally extending input shaft, an armature assembly, and a field shell assembly. The rot... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5547431 | Electrically energized oil shear drive system A two speed drive has an input shaft and an output shaft. Between the input shaft and the output shaft is a first brake/clutch pack assembly, a planetary gear train and a second brake/clutch assembly. The two speed drive offers a low speed operation, a hi... | 08/20/1996 |
| 5540120 | Index table with a two speed drive system An index table utilizes oil shear brake and clutch technology in combination with a unique final positioning system in order to provide an accurate and reliable index table, the index table incorporates a two speed oil shear drive system for high speed in... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5533425 | Electrically actuated disc stack having low response time due to reduced residual magnetism for use in drives, brakes and combinations thereof The present invention is an electrically actuated disc stack for drives, brakes and combinations thereof having minimized residual magnetism. Residual magnetism is minimized by the following features being provided, singly or in combination, in a drive, b... | 07/09/1996 |
| 5487458 | Electrically energized oil shear drive system A drive system has an input shaft and an output shaft. An oil shear clutch assembly is operable to lock the input shaft to the output shaft and an oil shear brake assembly is operable to lock the output shaft to the housing of the drive system. The clutch... | 01/30/1996 |
| 5389049 | Pre-assembled disc stack having preset tolerance for use in drives, brakes and combinations thereof A pre-assembled disc stack having a predetermined cross-section within a preset tolerance which is installable and removable as a unit with respect to a drive, brake or a combination thereof, composed of a plurality of annular discs stacked in a prearrang... | 02/14/1995 |
| 5360091 | Electrically actuated clutch brake apparatus There is provided a clutch/brake unit having aligned input and output shafts, clutch disks partially immersed in oil carried by the input shaft, brake disks partially immersed in oil fixed to the housing, and two series of friction disks also partially im... | 11/01/1994 |
| 5327795 | Ball screw apparatus A ball screw apparatus having a revolving position detector for detecting revolutions of a ball screw nut and a ball spline nut and a number-of-revolutions altering means for issuing a command to decrement or increment the number of revolutions of the bal... | 07/12/1994 |
| 5323888 | Electrical actuated multi-speed drive apparatus There is provided a two-speed drive unit for a motor drive, the motor drive having a housing and a main rotatable member. The two-speed drive unit comprises a two-speed drive housing secured to the motor drive housing and a secondary motor secured to the ... | 06/28/1994 |
| 5291977 | Electrically actuated clutch brake apparatus There is provided a clutch/brake unit having aligned input and output shafts, clutch disks partially immersed in oil carried by the input shaft, brake disks partially immersed in oil fixed to the housing, and two series of friction disks also partially im... | 03/08/1994 |
| 5285879 | Electrical actuated multi-speed drive apparatus There is provided a two-speed drive unit for a motor drive, the motor drive having a housing and a main rotatable member. The two-speed drive unit comprises a two-speed drive housing secured to the motor drive housing and a secondary motor secured to the ... | 02/15/1994 |
| 5242039 | Electrically actuated two-speed drive A two-speed drive utilizing an electromagnetically operated control system wired with respective drive motors, automatically braked in the event of a loss of power, provided with pre-assembled clutch and brake disc stacks, and provided with a manual over-... | 09/07/1993 |
| 5209085 | Clutch/brake drive unit A washing machine including a clutch/brake drive unit, said drive unit comprising a frame, a driving member and a driven member mounted coaxially for independent relative rotation with respect to the frame, a clutch including a clutch disc and mutually op... | 05/11/1993 |
| 5195623 | Two speed drive with oil shear electro clutch/brake A two speed drive for an apparatus which uses DC electrically actuated oil shear brake/clutch units is disclosed. The two speed drive directly connects the output to a first input for high speed movement using a DC voltage coil to actuate the clutch/brake... | 03/23/1993 |
