Active material based actuators for large displacements and rotations
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAlan L. Browne, Gary L. Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuator adapted to incrementally translate and/or rotate an object, the actuator comprising a body comprising a first portion, a second portion, and an opening coaxially extending from the first portion and the second portion, wherein the opening is dimensioned to accommodate a diameter or cross section of an object; a first element disposed in the first portion, and a second element disposed in the second portion, wherein the first and second elements are adapted to selectively clamp the object; a spring in operative communication with the first and second portions; and a third element fixedly attached to the first and second portions, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third elements or spring is formed of an active material.
Claims7
An actuator adapted to incrementally translate and/or rotate an object, the actuator comprising:
- a body comprising a first portion, a second portion, and an opening coaxially extending from the first portion and the second portion, wherein the opening is dimensioned to accommodate a cross section of an object;
- a first element disposed in the second portion, and a second element disposed in the first portion, wherein the first and second elements are adapted to selectively clamp the object;
- a spring formed of a shape memory alloy and in operative communication with the first and second portions;
- and
- a third element fixedly attached to the first and second portions, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third elements or spring is formed of an active material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.