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US 4,283,006 AGranted
Thermally-activated closure device
OwnerJames A. Fedewitzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an embodiment thereof, the closure device comprises a leaf-type, planar, closure element pivotally coupled to a supporting shaft. The shaft is fixed in traverse of a fluid conduit, and the closure element is rotatable therewithin for opening and closing the conduit to fluid flow. Shape-memory alloy components are engaged with the element, and a bearing surface, to cause the element to move from an opened or closed position to the other thereof, or to some intermediate positioning for metered or damping fluid flow, in response to prescribed temperatures.
Claims18
A thermally-activated closure device, comprising:
- a leaf-type, planar, closure element;
- means supporting said element for rotary movement of said element about an axis;
- means engaged with said element for causing rotary movement of the latter from one of two dispositions to the other thereof;
- means biasing said element in said one disposition;
- and
- thermally-responsive, limit-stop means, fixed to said coupling means, cooperative with said biasing means for restraining said element in said one disposition;
- wherein
- said rotary-movement-causing means comprises a thermally-responsive component which, upon exposure thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said element from said one disposition to the other thereof.
5 more elements
A thermally-activated closure device, comprising:
- a leaf-type, planar, closure element;
- means supporting said element for rotary movement of said element about an axis;
- and
- means engaged with said element for causing rotary movement of the latter from one of two dispositions to the other thereof;
- wherein
- said rotary-movement-causing means comprises a thermally-responsive component which, upon exposure thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said element from one of said two dispositions to the other thereof;
- and
- said rotary-movement-causing means comprises a plurality of said thermally-responsive components which, upon exposure of one of said components of said plurality thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said element from one of said two dispositions to the other thereof, as aforesaid, and, upon exposure of another of said components to a temperature of other than said prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said element from one of said two dispositions to a third disposition.
5 more elements
A thermally-activated device, comprising:
- a leaf-type, planar element;
- means supporting said element for rotary movement of said element about an axis;
- and
- means engaged with said element for causing rotary movement of the latter from one of two dispositions to the other thereof;
- wherein
- said rotary-movement-causing means comprises a thermally-responsive component which, upon exposure thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said element from one of said two dispositions to the other thereof;
- said closure element comprises a plurality of leaf-type, planar sections;
- and further including
- means joining said sections together, for relative rotary movement therebetween;
- and
- means engaged with said sections for causing rotary movement, of at least one of said sections relative to another section of said plurality thereof, from a first of two dispositions to a second thereof;
- wherein
- said engaged means comprises a thermally-responsive component which, upon exposure thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said one section from one of said first and second dispositions to the alternative thereof;
- and
- said engaged means comprises a plurality of said thermally-responsive components which, upon exposure of one of said components of said plurality thereof to a prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said one section from one of said first and second dispositions to the alternative thereof, as aforesaid, and, upon exposure of a second of said components to a given temperature other than said prescribed temperature, effects rotary movement of said one section from one of said first and second dispositions to another disposition.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.