Actuator and valve assembly
First Claim
1. A valve comprising:
- a valve body having a passageway through said body, said passageway forming a first port and a second port;
a valve stem located in said passageway and supported for reciprocal movement in said passageway between a first position and a second position, said passageway being open to permit fluid communication between said first port and said second port when said valve stem is moved to one of said first position and said second position thereby opening said valve, and said passageway being closed between said first and second ports when said valve stem is moved to the other said first position and said second position whereby said valve is closed; and
an actuator selectively moving said valve stem from said first position to said second position for opening or closing said valve, said actuator comprising;
a shape memory wire, said shape memory wire contracting when heated, one end of said shape memory wire being fixed relative to said valve body and another end of said shape memory wire being coupled relative to said valve stem wherein when heated said shape memory wire contracts and moves said valve stem in a direction of travel toward said second position; and
a magnetic field, said magnetic field generating a magnetic force, said magnetic force acting on said valve stem and unloading said shape memory wire, said magnetic force moving said valve stem in said direction of travel to said second position and seating said valve stem at said second position after said shape memory wire initially contracts to thereby open or close the valve.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator for selectively moving a part relative to another part includes a shape memory wire, which contracts upon heating, and a magnetic field. One end of the shape memory wire is fixed to a first body. The other end of the shape memory wire is coupled to a second body, which is movable relative to the first body. When heated, the shape memory wire contracts and moves the second body in a direction of travel from a first position relative to the first body toward a second position. A magnetic field generates a magnetic force on the second body, which acts on and moves the second body in the direction of travel to the second position after the shape memory wire initially contracts to thereby reduce the load on the shape memory wire when the second body is moved to the second position. The actuator may be used, for example, to move the valve stem in a valve.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A valve comprising:
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a valve body having a passageway through said body, said passageway forming a first port and a second port; a valve stem located in said passageway and supported for reciprocal movement in said passageway between a first position and a second position, said passageway being open to permit fluid communication between said first port and said second port when said valve stem is moved to one of said first position and said second position thereby opening said valve, and said passageway being closed between said first and second ports when said valve stem is moved to the other said first position and said second position whereby said valve is closed; and an actuator selectively moving said valve stem from said first position to said second position for opening or closing said valve, said actuator comprising; a shape memory wire, said shape memory wire contracting when heated, one end of said shape memory wire being fixed relative to said valve body and another end of said shape memory wire being coupled relative to said valve stem wherein when heated said shape memory wire contracts and moves said valve stem in a direction of travel toward said second position; and a magnetic field, said magnetic field generating a magnetic force, said magnetic force acting on said valve stem and unloading said shape memory wire, said magnetic force moving said valve stem in said direction of travel to said second position and seating said valve stem at said second position after said shape memory wire initially contracts to thereby open or close the valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A valve comprising:
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a valve body having a passageway through said body, said passageway forming a first port and a second port; a valve stem located in said passageway and supported for reciprocal movement in said passageway between a first position and a second position, said passageway being open to permit fluid communication between said first port and said second port when said valve stem is moved to said first position thereby opening said valve, and said passageway being closed between said first port and said second port when said valve stem is moved to said second position whereby said valve assembly is closed; and an actuator selectively moving said valve stem between said first and second positions, said actuator comprising; a first shape memory wire, said first shape memory wire contracting when heated, one end of said first shape memory wire fixed at a first location relative to said body and another end of said first shape memory wire coupled to said valve stem wherein when heated said first shape memory wire contracts and moves said valve stem toward said first location in a first direction of travel; a second shape memory wire, said second shape memory wire contracting when heated, one end of said second shape memory wire fixed at a second location of said body and another end of said second shape memory wire coupled to said valve stem wherein when heated said second shape memory wire contracts and moves said valve stem toward said second location of said body in a second direction of travel opposed from said first direction of travel; and a force generator, said force generator generating a force on said valve stem, said force decoupling said valve stem from said first shape memory wire after said first shape memory wire initially contracts and moves said valve stem toward said first location wherein said force moves said valve stem to said first position and seats said valve stem at said first position, and said force decoupling said valve stem from said second shape memory wire after said second shape memory wire initially contracts and moves said valve stem toward said second location wherein said force moves said valve stem to said second position and seats said valve stem at said second position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An actuator for selectively moving a part relative to another part, said actuator comprising:
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a shape memory wire, said wire contracting when heated, one end of said shape memory wire fixed to a first body, another end of said shape memory wire fixed to a second body, said second body movable relative to said first body, when heated said shape memory wire contracts and moves said second body in a direction of travel from a first position relative to said first body toward a second position; and a magnetic field, said magnetic field generating a magnetic force on said second body, said magnetic force acting on and moving said second body in said direction of travel to said second position after said shape memory wire initially contracts to thereby reduce the load on the shape memory wire when the second body is moved to said second position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of moving a first part relative to a second part, said method comprising:
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providing a shape memory wire, the shape memory wire contracting upon being heated; fixing one end of the shape memory wire to a first part; coupling the other end of the shape memory wire to a second part, the second part being movable relative to the first part; generating a latching force to latch the second part in a first position; heating the wire to contract the wire to thereby apply a first pulling force in a direction of travel to the second part opposing the latching force in the direction of travel to move the second part relative to the first part from the first position toward a second position in the direction of travel; reducing the latching force after the wire initially pulls on the second part; applying a driving force to the second part in the direction of travel after the latching force reduces to zero; and moving the second part with the driving force to the second position wherein the driving force unloads the force on the wire to thereby reduce the stress on the wire. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification