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US 9,487,890 B1Granted
Valve for controlling fabric permeability, controllable permeability fabric, and articles using same
OwnerStan Edward Farrell, Robert S Farrellinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Shape memory actuators are utilized to controllably modify the permeability of fabric and fabric based articles. The SMA actuator operates by changing the geometric permeability or by modifying the weave permeability of the fabric based article, or one or more portions thereof. The invention further provides for applications of the controllable permeability fabric, which include by way of example, various parachute, sail, and filter embodiments.
Claims21
A permeability valve for controlling the fluid permeability of a fabric, the valve comprising:
- A fabric;
- a gate guide coupled to the fabric and disposed about at least one void within the fabric;
- a fabric gate disposed to be movably guided by the gate guide;
- an actuator coupled to the gate, to controllably impart motion to the gate within the gate guide, for selectively covering the at least one fabric void, or a portion thereof.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.