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US 2013/0167377 A1Published application
Systems, methods and apparatus of a nitinol valve
AssigneeUnited States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Spac
InventorRebecca A. Gillespie
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Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments a non-pyrotechnic valve includes an inlet piece, an actuator comprising a shape-memory metal, and an outlet attached to the inlet piece. In some examples, the shape-memory metal includes Nitinol.
Claims7
1-16. (canceled)
A method to fabricate a valve, the method comprising:
- sliding an actuator over a first portion of a metallic inlet piece, the first portion of the metallic inlet piece having an outer proportion that is about equal to an inner proportion of an inside of the actuator, the longitudinal length of the actuator being less than the longitudinal length of the first portion of the metallic inlet piece to the extent that an end of the first portion of the metallic inlet piece extends beyond the actuator, the actuator comprising a shape-memory metal;
- and
- attaching a flow passage piece to the end of the first portion of the metallic inlet piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.