Clutch system with phase changing materials
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsAlexander COHEN, Farshid ALAMBEIGI, Mehran ARMAND
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clutch system is provided. The clutch system includes an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit; an inner unit disposed in the aperture, wherein a shape of the inner unit matches a shape of the aperture; a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit; a heating element; a temperature sensor; and a processor in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor. The processor is configured to control the heating element thereby changing the low melting point material between a soft state and a rigid state.
Claims20
A clutch system comprising:
- an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit;
- an inner unit disposed in the aperture, wherein a shape of the inner unit matches a shape of the aperture;
- a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit;
- a heating element;
- a temperature sensor;
- and
- a processor in electronic communication with the heating element and the temperature sensor, wherein the processor is configured to control the heating element thereby changing the low melting point material between a soft state and a rigid state.
A method comprising:
- providing a clutch system that includes an outer unit having a surface defining an aperture in the outer unit, an inner unit disposed in the aperture, a low melting point material disposed in the aperture between the inner unit and the surface of the outer unit, and a heating element;
- activating the heating element by applying voltage to the heating element, wherein the low melting point material is in a soft state during the activating;
- and
- moving the outer unit relative to the inner unit during the activating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.