Device for Opening or Closing a Seal Set of a Valve
AssigneeAstrium GmbH
InventorsStephan KRAUS, Thomas MAIER, Markus WOLF
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for opening or closing a seal seat of a valve arranged in a pipe for liquid or gaseous media includes a one-time only activation of the valve using a shape memory actuator. The shape memory actuator changes its external shape abruptly when a transformation temperature is reached that is dependent upon its alloy composition. The transformation temperature can be generated by a controllable electrical heating device of the device.
Claims13
1 A device, comprising:
- a valve, which includes a seal seat and which is coupled to a pipe carrying liquid or gaseous media;
- a shape memory actuator, which is configured for one-time only activation of the valve, wherein the shape memory actuator is configured to abruptly change its external shape when a transformation temperature is reached, wherein the transformation temperature is dependent upon an alloy composition of the shape memory actuator;
- and
- a controllable electrical heating device, which is configured to generate the transformation temperature.
The device of claim 1, wherein
- the valve comprises a piston disposed in a distribution compartment,
- the piston, depending upon whether the valve is opened or closed without activation of the shape memory actuator, is or is not pressed by a spring against the seal seat, and
- the shape memory actuator is configured to generate a force directed counter to the spring on the piston.
The device of claim 1, wherein the shape memory actuator has a spiral shape and the heating device is disposed in an interior of he spiral shape memory actuator.
The device of claim 1, wherein the seal seat is a metal seal that is pressed a counterpart in a sealed state.
The device of claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises a safety device configured to deactivate the heating device after the transformation temperature of the shape memory actuator is exceeded.
The device of claim 1, herein the valve is rotationally symmetrical with respect to components necessary for sealing.
The device of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises three connections and two seal seats, wherein one of the three connections is closed by a dummy cap.
A drive system for a space vehicle, comprising:
- a device, which comprises
- a valve, which includes a seal seat and which is coupled to a pipe carrying liquid or gaseous media;
- a shape memory actuator, which is configured for one-time only activation of the valve, wherein the shape memory actuator configured to abruptly change its external shape hers a transformation temperature is reached, wherein the transformation temperature is dependent upon an alloy composition of the shape memory actuator;
- and
- a controllable electrical heating device, which is configured to generate the transformation temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.