Wearable, Self-Locking Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Actuator Cartridge

A compression garment comprising:

• at least one passive member for surrounding a body part of interest;
• and
• at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) cartridge coupled to ends of the passive member for use in providing controllable compression to the body part of interest, the at least one SMA cartridge comprising:
• first and second end caps, each of the first and second end caps coupled to a passive material;
• and
• one or more SMA coils extending between the first and second end caps, the SMA coils having a trained state and a deformed state, wherein the SMA coils are in the deformed state when a stimulus is provided thereto and wherein the SMA coils are in the trained state when the stimulus is removed therefrom;
• wherein the first end cap and the second end cap comprise a locking mechanism to automatically lock the first and second end caps in a fixed position relative to one another when the SMA coils are contracted.

A method of making a shape memory alloy (SMA) cartridge for use in providing controllable compression, the SMA cartridge comprising first and second end caps configured to be coupled to a passive material and one or more SMA coils extending between the first and second end caps, the first and second end caps comprising a locking mechanism to automatically lock the first and second end caps in a fixed position relative to one another when the SMA coils are contracted, the method comprising:

• generating the first and second end caps using at least one material, the first and second end caps having at least one cavity configured to receive the one or more SMA coils;
• pausing, at a predetermined point of the generating step, the generating of the first and second end caps and while paused, interlacing the one or more SMA coils into the at least one cavity of each of the first and second end caps;
• and
• resuming and completing the generating step.