Contracting member position control and/or state monitoring
AssigneesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsXintong Deng, Yufei Zhu, Michael Paul Rowe, Erin Rutledge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A state of a contracting member (e.g., a shape memory material member) in an actuator can be monitored. When activated, the actuator can be configured to morph into an activated configuration in which a dimension of the actuator increases. A sensor can be configured to acquire sensor data. The sensor can be a strain gauge. The contracting member can operatively engage the sensor. One or more processors can be operatively connected to monitor a state of the shape memory material member based on the sensor data.
Claims27
A system, comprising:
- an actuator configured to morph, when activated, into an activated configuration in which a dimension of the actuator increases, the actuator including a contracting member;
- a sensor configured to acquire sensor data, the contracting member operatively engaging the sensor, the sensor including a strain gauge, the contracting member and the strain gauge being separate structures;
- and
- one or more processors operatively connected to monitor a state of the contracting member based on the sensor data.
A method of monitoring a state of a contracting member used in an actuator, the contracting member operatively engaging a sensor, the sensor being a strain gauge, the contracting member and the strain gauge being separate structures, the method comprising:
- causing the actuator to morph into an activated configuration;
- monitoring a state of the contracting member using sensor data from the sensor;
- and
- controlling, based on the sensor data, at least one of:
- an activated state of the actuator;
- and
- a position of the actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.