Memory metal actuator
First Claim
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1. A mechanical actuator comprising:
- a fixed position support element;
an output element which is movable with respect to the support element;
a plurality of actuator elements formed of memory metal material, each actuator element having a first end coupled to the support element and a second end coupled to the output element, wherein when an actuator element is heated above a critical temperature it will rapidly attempt to move to a predetermined hot-formed shape; and
control means for selectively heating the actuator elements to control the amount of force exerted against the output element with the forces exerted by the actuator elements being related to each other in a binary fashion.
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Abstract
A mechanical actuator can be constructed by employing a plurality of memory metal actuator elements in parallel to control the amount of actuating force. In order to facilitate direct control by digital control signals provided by a computer or the like, the actuating elements may vary in stiffness according to a binary relationship. The cooling or reset time of the actuator elements can be reduced by employing Peltier junction cooling assemblies in the actuator.
588 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A mechanical actuator comprising:
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a fixed position support element; an output element which is movable with respect to the support element; a plurality of actuator elements formed of memory metal material, each actuator element having a first end coupled to the support element and a second end coupled to the output element, wherein when an actuator element is heated above a critical temperature it will rapidly attempt to move to a predetermined hot-formed shape; and control means for selectively heating the actuator elements to control the amount of force exerted against the output element with the forces exerted by the actuator elements being related to each other in a binary fashion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A memory metal mechanical actuator, comprising:
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a fixed support element; an output element which is movable with respect to the support element; a plurality of memory metal actuator elements connected between the support element and output element in a mechanically parallel configuration, wherein the actuator elements are malleable when they are below a critical temperature and rapidly attempt to move to a predetermined hot-formed shape when heated above the critical temperature thereby to exert a force on the output element, wherein the stiffnesses of the actuator elements and thus the force exerted by them when moving toward their hot-formed shape have a binary relationship; and control means for selectively heating the actuator elements above their critical temperature in response to binary control signals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mechanical actuator comprising:
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an actuator element formed of a memory metal material, said actuator element being malleable below a critical temperature and rapidly assuming a predetermined hot-formed shape when heated above the critical temperature; means for heating the actuator element to the critical temperature to cause it to assume its hot-formed shape; and cooling means for dissipating heat from the actuator element to cause its temperature to rapidly fall below the critical temperature, said cooling means operating by the Peltier effect. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification