Spatially distributed SMA actuator film providing unrestricted movement in three dimensional space

A spatially distributed shape memory actuator film comprising:

• a flexible sheet
• a plurality of shape memory actuators provided at regularly spaced intervals over said sheet;
• a plurality of activation means, each connected to a corresponding one of said shape memory actuators, and responsive to control signals, for applying an electric current to resistively heat a selected shape memory actuator to its activation threshold for inducing deflection of said actuator;
• control means for producing said control signals to selected activation means such that when said sheet is configured to form a three-dimensional surface, such as a cylinder, said control signals produce coordinated movement of said sheet along a desired path of travel.

A method for moving a probe with coordinated movement in three dimensions comprising:

• providing a plurality of shape memory actuators on a flexible sheet;
• fabricating in VLSI on said sheet a corresponding plurality of driver means for applying an electric current for resistively heating a corresponding shape memory actuator to an activation threshold;
• configuring said sheet in a three-dimensional configuration such as a cylinder, such that said shape memory actuators are positioned at intervals over the surface;
• providing a microprocessor having an electrical connection with said driver means for selectively enabling said driver means to activate selected shape memory actuators to produce desired movement along a path of travel.

A method of making a spatially distributed shape memory alloy actuator film for providing unrestricted movement in three-dimensional space comprising the steps of:

• providing a semiconductor substrate;
• forming a plurality of corrugations across said substrate;
• depositing an insulating layer over said substrate;
• sputtering a shape memory material such as TiNi or the like over said insulating layer;
• annealing said shape memory material;
• etching said annealed shape memory material to form discrete shape memory actuators;
• masking said shape memory actuator elements to form windows around each of said memory shape actuators;
• depositing a layer of a flexible, insulating material such as polyimide or the like over said plurality of shape memory alloy actuators;
• fabricating on said polyimide layer a plurality of VLSI switch means and associated address decode circuitry for connection to a corresponding one of each of said plurality of shape memory alloy actuators;
• releasing said polyimide layer from said substrate such that said shape memory alloy actuators, associated switch means and address decode and circuitry are integrated in VLSI on a single, flexible sheet;
• providing a microprocessor operatively connected with said address decode circuitry and switch means for selectively activating said shape memory alloy actuators to impart desired movement.

A spatially distributed shape memory alloy actuator film for providing unrestricted movement in three-dimensional space comprising:

• a flexible thin film base;
• a plurality of shape memory actuator means provided on said base, each for producing deflection upon being resistively heated to a phase activation threshold by application of an electric current;
• a plurality of switch means provided on said base, each switch means having a connection with a corresponding one of said actuator means for resistively heating a corresponding actuator means upon receipt of a control signal;
• control means comprising address decode circuitry provided on said base for producing control signals to selected switch means, said control signals being representative of a desired deflection of a selected actuator means such that coordinated activation of selected actuator means imparts desired three-dimensional movement.

A shape memory actuator film comprising:

• a flexible base;
• a plurality of shape memory actuator means, deposited on said base, adapted to impart movement to an adjacent portion of said base by deflection when resistively heated by an electric current of a predetermined value;
• switch means connected with a corresponding one of said shape memory actuator means, for applying said electric current to selectively activate one or more shape memory actuator means in response to control signals;
• control circuit means for producing said control signals for selectively activating said switch means to produce desired three-dimensional movement of said base;
• and
• wherein said base comprises a flexible, thin film sheet comprising control and address decode circuitry integrated in VLSI over a portion of said sheet and a plurality of shape memory actuator means, operatively connected with said control and address decode circuitry, spatially distributed over a remaining portion of said flexible sheet for providing substantially continuous multinode manipulation in three dimensions.

A method for moving a probe with coordinated movement in three dimensions comprising:

• providing a plurality of shape memory actuators on a flexible sheet;
• fabricating in VLSI on said sheet a corresponding plurality of driver means for applying an electric current for resistively heating a corresponding shape memory actuator to an activation threshold;
• configuring said sheet in a three-dimensional configuration such as a cylinder, such that said shape memory actuators are positioned at intervals over the surface;
• providing a microprocessor having an electrical connection with said driver means for selectively enabling said driver means to activate selected shape memory actuators to produce desired movement along a path of travel;
• and
• providing a series of corrugations in said sheet, said corrugations extending substantially transversely to a desired direction of motion of said shape memory actuators to accommodate movement of said shape memory actuators.

A method for moving a probe with coordinated movement in three dimensions comprising:

• providing a plurality of shape memory actuators on a flexible sheet;
• fabricating in VLSI on said sheet a corresponding plurality of driver means for applying an electric current for resistively heating a corresponding shape memory actuator to an activation threshold;
• configuring said sheet in a three-dimensional configuration such as a cylinder, such that said shape memory actuators are positioned at intervals over the surface;
• providing a microprocessor having an electrical connection with said driver means for selectively enabling said driver means to activate selected shape memory actuators to produce desired movement along a path of travel;
• providing a series of corrugations in said sheet, said corrugations extending substantially transversely to a desired direction of motion of said shape memory actuators to accommodate movement of said shape memory actuators;
• and
• wherein said step of providing a plurality of shape memory actuators further includes the step of providing said shape memory actuators in an interleaved array on a flexible polyamide sheet and wrapping said sheet about a centrally disposed axis such that said shape memory actuators are spatially distributed around the circumference of said sheet to provide coordinated motion without restriction in three-dimensional space.

A method for using a shape memory material for providing controlled movement in three dimensions comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of shape memory elements over a portion of a flexible sheet suitable for VLSI formation;
• providing a plurality of switch means, each connecting to a corresponding one of said shape memory elements for applying an electric current to resistively heat one or more said shape memory elements to an activation threshold to thereby impart movement to said one or more selected shape memory elements;
• providing a control circuit means on a remaining portion of said sheet for connection to said switch means for selectively enabling said switch means to produce coordinated three-dimensional movement of said sheet in response to control signals;
• providing a series of corrugations in said sheet disposed substantially transversely to a direction of motion produced by shape memory elements;
• configuring said flexible sheet to form a three-dimensional surface with said corrugations disposed about the surface thereof and adapted to allow unrestricted motion in three-dimensional space upon coordinated activation of said shape memory alloy elements while limiting strain to a predetermined amount;
• and
• wherein said step of providing a plurality of shape memory elements includes the step of providing a plurality of shape memory elements in an interleaved array such that when said sheet is configured as a three-dimensional surface such as a flexible tube, said shape memory elements are spatially distributed over the surface of said sheet for providing substantially continuous, coordinated movement of said sheet in three dimensions.

A spatially distributed shape memory alloy actuator film for providing unrestricted movement in three-dimensional space comprising:

• a flexible thin film base;
• a plurality of shape memory actuator means provided on said base, each for producing deflection upon being resistively heated to a phase activation threshold by application of an electric current;
• a plurality of switch means provided on said base, each switch means having a connection with a corresponding one of said actuator means for resistively heating a corresponding actuator means upon receipt of a control signal;
• control means comprising address decode circuitry provided on said base for producing said control signals to selected switch means, said control signals being representative of a desired deflection of a selected actuator means such that coordinated activation of selected actuator means imparts desired three-dimensional movement;
• and
• wherein said control means further comprises adaptive feedback means comprising a plurality of sensor means, each sensor means disposed for measuring angular position of a actuator means and connected in a feedback loop with said control means.