Actuator and actuator drive method
AssigneeSony Group Corporation
InventorsTAKAHIRO OGAWA, OHMI FUCHIWAKI, KANTA IIZUKA, SHUJI FUJITA, YUKITO INOUE, TOMOYA TAKEI, YOHEI KURODA, AYAKA HIYAMA
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Abstract
The present technology relates to an actuator and an actuator drive method that are capable of cooling an actuator (SMA actuator) using an shape memory alloy (SMA) by means of an stand-alone cooling mechanism. A wire is formed of a shape memory alloy, the wire is arranged to pass through a hollow portion of a tubular member, and a refrigerant, which is a fluid, is stored in the hollow portion.
Claims17
An actuator, comprising:
- a wire formed of a shape memory alloy;
- a tubular member in which the wire is arranged to pass through a hollow portion;
- and
- a refrigerant that is a fluid stored in the hollow portion.
An actuator drive method for driving an actuator including a wire formed of a shape memory alloy, a tubular member in which the wire is arranged to pass through a hollow portion, and a refrigerant that is a fluid stored in the hollow portion, comprising:
- a first step of energizing the wire;
- a second step of energizing off the wire when the wire undergoes a reverse transformation;
- a third step of increasing a load of the wire;
- and
- a fourth step of removing the increase in load in the third step when the wire undergoes a transformation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.