Clamping assembly employing a shape memory alloy actuating apparatus

A braking assembly, comprising:

• a rotatable shaft connected to and powered by a motor;
• a first brake pad positioned about the shaft, said first brake pad having a plurality of pressure amplifiers located on an exterior surface thereof;
• a second brake pad positioned about the shaft, said second brake pad having a plurality of pressure amplifiers located on an exterior surface thereof;
• a shape memory alloy actuator wire interwoven between the plurality of pressure amplifiers of the first and the second brake pads, said actuator wire having an expanded state at a low temperature and a contracted state at a high temperature;
• and
• an electrical heating element connected to the actuator wire operative for heating the actuator wire and causing a phase transition from the expanded state to the contracted state, thereby compressing the first and second brake pads against the shaft.

A clamping assembly for providing a clamping sequence in either a brake or clutch system, comprising:

• a first clamping element;
• a second clamping element;
• and
• a shape memory alloy actuator having a first phase and a second phase, said actuator being connectively interwoven through a plurality of pressure amplifiers located on exterior surfaces of said first and second clamping elements, wherein the actuator is configured to transition from the first phase to the second phase thereby compressing the clamping elements together.