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US 4,785,627 AGranted
Drive device
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorMohammed Y. Al-Jaroudi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drive device of the type utilizing the property of shape memory alloys comprising a first wheel (12) and a second wheel (16) drivingly coupled together by means of a wire loop (20) of a shape memory alloy and a generator and/or a fan (7) coupled as an integral part of the drive device in such a way that a forced cooling of the wire loop (20) is obtained.
Claims3
A generator/fan assembly for use in a thermobile engine comprising, in combination,
- first and second wheels of dissimilar diameters,
- a loop assembly comprising a shape memory alloy wire loop coupling said first and second wheels in a pulley configuration whereby motion of either said wheel will produce rotation of said loop assembly,
- said shape memory allow having a transition temperature above which it assumes a rigidity and predetermined configuration and below which it returns to a preset configuration,
- a heating medium for raising the temperature of a segment of said loop above said transition temperature, the deformation of said shape memory alloy and motion of said loop causing the rotation of said first and second wheels, and
- means for cooling said segment of said loop below its transition temperature as it moves beyond said heating medium to cause said segment to return to its preset configuration,
- said cooling means comprising a blade assembly coupled to the shaft of said second wheel which functions as a fan to cool the segments of said loop below said transition temperature.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.