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US 11,441,548 B2Granted
Shape memory based actuator
AssigneeAlmatech SA
InventorsLuc Blecha, Gabriel Paciotti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator includes a strand of shape memory material having a length that is variable between a first length corresponding to an undeformed state and a second length corresponding to a state of lengthwise deformation. The strand is arranged to return to the undeformed state when it is heated to a predetermined temperature. The strand includes a fixed end and a mobile end arranged to move between a first and a second position when the variable length of the SMM strand changes. The actuator further includes a heating wire coiled around the strand for heating the strand, the coiled heating wire forming a circular helix, the uniform slope of which is selected so as to avoid any substantial change of the arc length of the circular helix caused by the strand changing its length.
Claims20
An actuator (100) comprising:
- a SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) made of shape memory material (SMM) and having a length that is variable between a first length corresponding to a contracted state of the SMM strand and a second length corresponding to an extended state of the SMM strand,
- one of the contracted and extended states being an undeformed state and the other one thereof involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation of the SMM strand from the undeformed state,
- wherein the SMM strand is arranged to return to the undeformed state from the state involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation when the SMM strand is heated to a predetermined temperature,
- the SMM strand comprising a fixed end attached to a fixed mechanical interface (12) of a support structure, and a moving end attached to a mobile mechanical interface (14) movable between first and second positions in such a way that the mobile interface may move from one of the first and second positions to the other thereof when the variable length of the SMM strand changes from one of the first and second lengths to the other thereof, and
- a resistive electrical heating means (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 24a, 24b, 26) comprising at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) coiled around the SMM strand and in thermal and mechanical contact with the SMM strand, wherein heat is generated within the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) by electric current passing through the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d);
- wherein the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) forms a circular helix, the pitch of which is arranged to increase along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the first length to the second length, and arranged to decrease along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the second length to the first length, and wherein the uniform slope of the circular helix is selected so as to avoid any substantial change of the arc length of the circular helix caused by the SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) extending from the first length to the second length or contracting from the second length to the first length, and
- wherein the heat generated within the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) flows into the SMM strand to heat the SMM strand above the predetermined temperature.
4 more elements
An actuator (100) comprising:
- a SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) made of shape memory material (SMM) and having a length that is variable between a first length corresponding to a contracted state of the SMM strand and a second length corresponding to an extended state of the SMM strand,
- one of the contracted and extended states being an undeformed state and the other one thereof involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation of the SMM strand from the undeformed state,
- wherein the SMM strand is arranged to return to the undeformed state from the state involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation when the SMM strand is heated to a predetermined temperature,
- the SMM strand comprising a fixed end attached to a fixed mechanical interface (12) of a support structure, and a moving end attached to a mobile mechanical interface (14) movable between first and second positions in such a way that the mobile interface may move from one of the first and second positions to the other thereof when the variable length of the SMM strand changes from one of the first and second lengths to the other thereof, and
- an electrical means (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 24a, 24b, 26) comprising at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) coiled around the SMM strand, wherein heat is generated within the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) by electric current passing through the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d),
- wherein the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) forms a circular helix, the pitch of which is arranged to increase along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the first length to the second length, and arranged to decrease along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the second length to the first length, and wherein the uniform slope of the circular helix is selected so as to avoid any substantial change of the arc length of the circular helix caused by the SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) extending from the first length to the second length or contracting from the second length to the first length, and
- wherein the SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) is made from an electricity-conducting shape memory metal alloy (SMA), wherein a first end (24b) of the heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) is electrically connected to the SMM strand near the moving end, the fixed end of the SMM strand being connected to one of the poles of a power supply, and wherein the second end (24a) of the heating wire is connected to the other pole of the power supply.
4 more elements
An actuator (100) comprising:
- a SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) made of shape memory material (SMM) and having a length that is variable between a first length corresponding to a contracted state of the SMM strand and a second length corresponding to an extended state of the SMM strand,
- one of the contracted and extended states being an undeformed state and the other one thereof involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation of the SMM strand from the undeformed state,
- wherein the SMM strand is arranged to return to the undeformed state from the state involving a predetermined lengthwise deformation when the SMM strand is heated to a predetermined temperature,
- the SMM strand comprising a fixed end attached to a fixed mechanical interface (12) of a support structure, and a moving end attached to a mobile mechanical interface (14) movable between first and second positions in such a way that the mobile interface may move from one of the first and second positions to the other thereof when the variable length of the SMM strand changes from one of the first and second lengths to the other thereof, and
- an electrical means (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 24a, 24b, 26) comprising at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) coiled around the SMM strand, wherein heat is generated within the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) by electric current passing through the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d),
- wherein the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) forms a circular helix, the pitch of which is arranged to increase along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the first length to the second length, and arranged to decrease along with the length of the SMM strand when the length of the SMM strand changes from the second length to the first length, and wherein the uniform slope of the circular helix is selected so as to avoid any substantial change of the arc length of the circular helix caused by the SMM strand (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) extending from the first length to the second length or contracting from the second length to the first length, and
- wherein the electrical heating means (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 24a, 24b, 26) comprise a plurality of the at least one coiled heating wire (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) connected in parallel and forming a set of congruent circular helices having the same axis.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.