Bistable compressor driven with shape memory alloys for refrigerator
AssigneeUsonia Labs Limited
InventorsMihail Sinchets Kostov, Todor Stoilov Todorov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for actuating a compressor. The device includes a rocker movable between a first stable state and a second stable state, arranged such that on movement of the rocker a piston in a compressor chamber of variable volume is driven; one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) elements coupled to the rocker, actuatable to change between a first shape and a second shape; at least one temperature control region within which at least one of the shape memory alloy (SMA) elements is arranged, wherein the temperature within the temperature control region is controlled to vary the temperature of the SMA contained therein.
Claims22
A compressor, comprising:
- a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet through which a compressible fluid is configured to be provided to or removed from the housing;
- a compressor cylinder coupled to the housing and having a moveable member arranged to be driven in reciprocating movement during a compression cycle, wherein the cylinder is arranged to receive fluid from the housing;
- a rocker movable between a first stable state and a second stable state, arranged such that the moveable member is driven in the compressor cylinder in response to movement of the rocker;
- and
- one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) elements coupled to the rocker, actuatable to change between a first shape and a second shape and thereby to drive the rocker.
A method of compressing a fluid, comprising:
- providing a housing and a compressor cylinder coupled to the housing and having a moveable member arranged to be driven in reciprocating movement during a compression cycle, a rocker movable between a first stable state and a second stable state, arranged such that on movement of the rocker the moveable member is driven in the compressor cylinder, one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) elements coupled to the rocker, actuatable to change between a first shape and a second shape and thereby to drive the rocker;
- providing a cooled fluid to the housing;
- and
- providing fluid from the housing into the cylinder for compression.
A compressor, comprising:
- a housing having a fluid inlet through which compressible fluid is configured to be provided and a fluid outlet to enable passage of fluid from the housing;
- a compressor chamber having a moveable member arranged to be driven in reciprocating movement during a compression cycle, wherein the compressor chamber is arranged to receive fluid from the housing;
- a rocker movable between a first stable state and a second stable state, arranged such that the moveable member is driven in the compressor chamber in response to movement of the rocker;
- and
- one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) elements coupled to the rocker, actuatable to change between a first shape and a second shape and thereby to drive the rocker.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.