Valves and methods of operating valves
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsShardul S. Panwar, Deborah Bumgardner, Ryohei Tsuruta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve includes a substrate, a shape-memory wire, a conductive polymer, and a current source. The substrate defines an opening therethrough and includes at least one flap selectively extendable across the opening. The shape-memory wire is coupled to the at least one flap. The conductive polymer is coupled to the at least one flap. The current source is coupled to the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer, such that electrical current from the current source selectively energizes the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer thereby moving the at least one flap between a closed position and an open position.
Claims19
A valve, comprising:
- a substrate defining an opening therethrough and comprising at least one flap selectively extendable across the opening;
- a shape-memory wire coupled to the at least one flap;
- a conductive polymer coupled to the at least one flap and transitionable between a flexible state and rigid state;
- and
- a current source coupled to the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer, such that electrical current from the current source selectively energizes the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer thereby transitioning the conductive polymer to the flexible state and moving the at least one flap between a closed position and an open position, wherein transitioning the conductive polymer to the flexible state allows the at least one flap to move between the closed position and the open position.
A valve, comprising:
- a substrate defining an opening therethrough and comprising at least one flap selectively extendable across the opening;
- a shape-memory wire coupled to the at least one flap;
- and
- a conductive polymer coupled to the at least one flap and transitionable between a rigid state and a flexible state, wherein
- the at least one flap moves between a closed position and an open position in response to a stimulus applied to the shape-memory wire and the conductive polymer being in the flexible state, wherein the conductive polymer being in the flexible state allows the at least one flap to move between the closed position and the open position.
A method for operating a valve comprising a substrate, a conductive polymer, and a shape-memory wire, the method comprising:
- transitioning the conductive polymer from a rigid state to a flexible state, wherein the substrate defines an opening therethrough and comprises at least one flap selectively extendable across the opening, and the conductive polymer and the shape-memory wire are coupled to at least one flap;
- and
- actuating the shape-memory wire between a first shape and a second shape while the conductive polymer is in the flexible state, thereby transitioning the valve between an open position and a closed position wherein transitioning the conductive polymer to the flexible state allows the at least one flap to move between the closed position and the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.