Line actuators
AssigneeClaverham Limited
InventorsPAUL BREWER, REG RAVAL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A linear actuator is provided. The linear actuator comprises: a body; a shaft adapted to move linearly relative to the body; a driver adapted to drive the linear movement of the shaft; and a shape memory alloy component configured to compensate for thermal expansion or contraction of the linear actuator due to a change in temperature thereof.
Claims18
A linear actuator comprising:
- a body;
- a shaft adapted to move linearly relative to the body;
- a driver adapted to drive the linear movement of the shaft;
- and
- a shape memory alloy component configured to compensate for thermal expansion or contraction of the linear actuator due to a change in temperature thereof.
A helicopter rotor blade as claimed in claim 15, wherein the shape memory alloy component is configured to compensate for a change in a linear position of the shaft due to thermal expansion or contraction of the linear actuator.
A method of compensating for thermal expansion or contraction of a linear actuator due to a change in temperature thereof, the method comprising:
- compressing a shape memory alloy component while heating or cooling the component to a desired temperature;
- positioning the shape memory alloy component in the linear actuator such that the shape memory alloy component will compensate for thermal expansion or contraction of the actuator due to a change in temperature thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.