Hydraulic shape memory material stress to hydraulic pressure transducer
First Claim
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1. A hydraulic shape memory material stress to hydraulic pressure transducer, comprising:
- a) a positive displacement hydraulic housing, a surface contained within said hydraulic housing capable of moving between a first and second position within said hydraulic housing, a fluid further contained within said hydraulic housing in contact with said surface, one or more lengths of shape memory material having first and second ends, and means for selectively heating said said shape memory material;
b) said first end of said shape memory material being connected to a first point within said hydraulic housing, said second position being physically nearer said first point than said first position, said second end of said shape memory material being connected to a second point on said surface, said shape memory material being capable of changing from an unactivated state to an activated state when said shape memory material is heated above a transition temperature so as to move said surface from said first position within said hydraulic housing to said second position within said hydraulic housing, said shape memory material further being capable of changing back from said activated state to said unactivated state when said shape memory material is cooled below said transition temperature thereby allowing said surface to move from said second position to said first position, and said shape memory material having a shorter longitudinal dimension in said activated state than in said unactivated state such that said shape memory material is in at least partial tension in said activated state; and
wherein said shape memory material changing from said unactivated state to said activated state causes said surface to move from said first position to said second position, thus transducing stress potential energy from said shape memory material into said fluid as high pressure potential energy.
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Abstract
A hydraulic shape memory material force converter is provided comprising a shape memory material. The force converter utilizes hydraulic units and a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic unit is changed from a first position to a second position when the shape memory material, connected at one end to one end of the hydraulic unit and its other to a fixed point or a second end of the hydraulic unit, changes from a martensitic to an austenitic state upon heating. The hydraulic fluid responds to the movement of the hydraulic unit by moving from the hydraulic unit to a receiving device, which receiving device performs work due to the motion of the hydraulic fluid. Upon cooling the shape memory material to change it from the austenitic state back to the martensitic state, the hydraulic unit returns to its original position, with a biasing means being provided to return the hydraulic unit to its rest position.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A hydraulic shape memory material stress to hydraulic pressure transducer, comprising:
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a) a positive displacement hydraulic housing, a surface contained within said hydraulic housing capable of moving between a first and second position within said hydraulic housing, a fluid further contained within said hydraulic housing in contact with said surface, one or more lengths of shape memory material having first and second ends, and means for selectively heating said said shape memory material; b) said first end of said shape memory material being connected to a first point within said hydraulic housing, said second position being physically nearer said first point than said first position, said second end of said shape memory material being connected to a second point on said surface, said shape memory material being capable of changing from an unactivated state to an activated state when said shape memory material is heated above a transition temperature so as to move said surface from said first position within said hydraulic housing to said second position within said hydraulic housing, said shape memory material further being capable of changing back from said activated state to said unactivated state when said shape memory material is cooled below said transition temperature thereby allowing said surface to move from said second position to said first position, and said shape memory material having a shorter longitudinal dimension in said activated state than in said unactivated state such that said shape memory material is in at least partial tension in said activated state; and wherein said shape memory material changing from said unactivated state to said activated state causes said surface to move from said first position to said second position, thus transducing stress potential energy from said shape memory material into said fluid as high pressure potential energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeCharles A. Whitehead, Kenneth N. Groom
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Original AssigneeCharles A. Whitehead, Kenneth N. Groom
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InventorsWhitehead, Charles A., Groom, Kenneth N.
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Primary Examiner(s)Ostrager, Allen M.
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Application NumberUS07/563,056Time in Patent Office526 DaysField of Search60/527, 60/528, 60/529, 60/530, 60/531US Class Current60/527CPC Class CodesF03G 7/065 using a shape memory elementF16D 2121/32 using shape memory or other...F16D 2125/10 Plural pistons interacting ...
