Enhanced recovery memory metal device

• US 4,390,599 A
• Filed: 07/31/1980
• Issued: 06/28/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raychem Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Raychem Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Broyles, Harry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutledge, L. Dewayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zimmerman, J. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/173,948
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 428/597, 428/596, 428/913, 52/672, 52/675, 52/670, 52/671, 29/6.1, 29/6.2, 29/447, 228/127, 285/114, 411/909
• US Class Current: 428/597
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/025 by using heat or cold
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/006 Resulting in heat recoverable alloys with a memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/77 Use of a shape-memory material
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 13/00 Non-disconnectible pipe-joints, e.g. soldered, adhesive or caulked joints joints for rigid pipes of plastics F16L47/00; non-disconnectible pipe-joints to walls or other pipes, the joined pipe axis being perpendicular to the plane of the wall or to the axis of the other pipe F16L41/082
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12361 having aperture or cut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12368 Struck-out portion type

Abstract

The invention is a device utilizing a sheet of memory metal being recoverable in substantially a single direction within the plane of said sheet of memory metal wherein said sheet has a plurality of perforations of a particular pattern and shape which enhance the recovery of said sheet in said direction beyond the inherent recovery of the memory metal comprising said sheet.

Claims

1. A device comprising a sheet of memory metal, said metal possessing a thermoelastic transition between a martensitic state and an austenitic state, said sheet being deformed dimensionally while in its martensitic state and capable of recovering to its non-deformed dimension in its austenitic state in substantially a single direction within the plane of said sheet, said sheet having a plurality of perforations, said perforations being in a particular shape and being arranged in a particular pattern, said shape and pattern enhancing the recovery of said sheet to deliver motion and force in said direction beyond the inherent recovery of the memory metal comprising said sheet if said perforations were not present.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the pattern of said perforations is a rhombic lattice and the direction of recovery of said sheet is one of the diagonals of said lattice.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said perforations create a two-dimensional array of co-acting lever arms within the plane of said sheet, the enhanced recovery of said sheet being provided by the bending of said lever arms within the plane of said sheet.

4. A device as in claim 1 wherein said sheet is substantially flat.

5. A device as in claim 1 wherein said sheet defines a cylindrical surface.

6. A device as in claim 1 wherein said sheet defines a generally conical surface.

7. A device as in claim 5 or 6 wherein the recovery of said device is generally radial.

8. A device as in claim 5 or 6 wherein the recovery of said device is generally axial.

9. A device as in claim 1 wherein the shape of said perforations comprise an elongated rectangle.

10. A device as in claim 1, wherein the inherent recovery of the metal comprising said sheet is at least 4%.

11. A device as in claim 1 wherein the metal comprising said sheet is an alloy comprising nickel and titanium.

12. A device as in claim 1 wherein the metal comprising said sheet is an alloy of copper and zinc.

15. A device as in claim 11 wherein the shape of said perforations comprise a square.

13. A device comprising a sheet of memory metal, said metal possessing possessing a thermoelastic transition between a martensitic state and an austenitic state, said sheet being deformed dimensionally while in its martensitic state and capable of recovering to its non-deformed dimension in its austenitic state to a varying extent substantially in one direction within the plane of said sheet, said sheet having a plurality of perforations, said perforations being varied in shape and being arranged in a particular pattern, said varied shapes and said pattern enhancing the recovery of said sheet to deliver motion and force in said direction beyond the inherent recovery of the memory metal comprising said sheet if said perforations were not present.

14. A device comprising a sheet of memory metal, said metal possessing a thermoelastic transition between a martensitic state and an austenitic state, said sheet being deformed dimensionally while in its martensitic state and capable of recovering to its non-deformed dimension in its austenitic state such that substantial motion is realized in two directions within the plane of said sheet, said sheet having a plurality of perforations, said perforations being of a particular shape and being arranged in a particular pattern, said shapes and said pattern enhancing recovery of said sheet to deliver motion and force in said directions beyond the inherent recovery of the memory metal comprising said sheet if said perforations were not present.