Fluid flow control device
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsStephen D. Oehler, Frederick T. Calkins, Jeffrey L. Duce
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a flow control device. The flow control device comprises a sheet made from a shape memory alloy. The flow control device also comprises at least one slit through the sheet. At least the one slit defines at least one flap in the sheet. The flow control device further comprises at least one electrically-resistive trace printed on the sheet at least one of on or adjacent at least the one flap. Upon receipt of an electrical current, at least the one electrically-resistive trace configured to generate heat for deforming at least the one flap relative to the sheet and opening an aperture formed in the sheet.
Claims24
A flow control device, comprising:
- a sheet made from a shape memory alloy;
- at least one slit through the sheet, wherein at least the one slit defines at least one flap in the sheet;
- and
- at least one electrically-resistive trace printed on the sheet at least one of on or adjacent each hinge of at least the one flap, wherein, upon receipt of an electrical current, at least the one electrically-resistive trace configured to generate heat for deforming each hinge of at least the one flap relative to the sheet and opening an aperture formed in the sheet, the at least one electrically-resistive trace comprising a continuous trace around the aperture and divided into contiguous sections that each correspond to each hinge of at least the one flap.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a structure through which a material is flowable;
- a flow control device coupled to the structure to control flow of the material through the structure, wherein the flow control device comprises:
- a sheet made from a shape memory alloy;
- and
- at least one flow control element, comprising:
- at least one slit through the sheet, wherein at least the one slit defines at least one flap in the sheet;
- and
- at least one electrically-resistive trace printed on the sheet at least one of on or adjacent each hinge of at least the one flap, wherein, upon receipt of an electrical current, at least the one electrically-resistive trace is configured to generate heat for deforming each hinge of at least the one flap relative to the sheet and opening an aperture formed in the sheet, the at least one electrically-resistive trace comprising a continuous trace around the aperture and divided into contiguous sections that each correspond to each hinge of at least the one flap.
A method of making a flow control device, comprising:
- forming at least one slit through a sheet made from a shape memory alloy to define at least one flap in the sheet;
- printing at least one electrically-resistive trace on the sheet at least one of on or adjacent each hinge of the at least one flap;
- and
- training the at least one flap to deform in a predetermined manner when heated to open an aperture in the sheet,
- wherein the at least one electrically-resistive trace comprises a continuous trace around the aperture and is divided into contiguous sections that each correspond to each hinge of the at least one flap.
A method of controlling flow, comprising:
- passing an electrical current through at least one electrically-resistive trace printed on a sheet made from a shape memory alloy at a first location at least one of on or adjacent each hinge of at least one flap of the sheet defined by at least one slit through the sheet;
- transferring heat generated by at least the one electrically-resistive trace to the sheet at the first location;
- and
- deforming the at least one flap at each hinge of the at least one flap via heat transferred from at least the one electrically-resistive trace to open an aperture in the sheet,
- wherein the at least one electrically-resistive trace comprises a continuous trace around the aperture and is divided into contiguous sections that each correspond to each hinge of the at least one flap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.