An actuator assembly

Abstract

An actuator assembly comprising: a support structure comprising a first friction surface; a movable part comprising a second friction surface engaging the first friction surface; one or more SMA wires arranged, on contraction, to move the movable part relative to the support structure to any position within a range of movement; a biasing arrangement arranged to bias the first and second friction surfaces against each other with a normal force, thereby generating a static frictional force that constrains the movement of the movable part relative to the support structure at any position within the range of movement when the one or more SMA wires are not contracted; wherein the one or more SMA wires are arranged, on contraction, to reduce the normal force between first and second friction surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.