Clad shape memory alloy composite structure and method
First Claim
1. A composite structure comprising a body of a superelastic shape memory material and having a surface and having certain physical characteristics including transformation temperature, ductility and tensile strength and recoverable strain and cladding formed of a material covering substantially all of said surface of the body and being in intimate mechanical contact with said surface, said body and said cladding being formed of different materials, said superelastic shape memory material having a recoverable strain in excess of 1.0% and in cross-section of the composite structure forming a major portion thereof, said cladding being formed of a material excluding a shape memory material, said mechanical intimate contact having been formed without substantial diffusion from the material of the cladding into the material of the body so that there is no significant diffusion zone between the material of the cladding and the material of the body so that said certain physical characteristics of the body remain substantially unchanged from their values prior to said intimate mechanical contact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A composite structure comprising a body having a surface. Cladding covers at least a part of the surface. The body and the cladding are formed of different materials, at least one of which is a shape memory alloy having a recoverable strain in excess of 1.0%.
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Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A composite structure comprising a body of a superelastic shape memory material and having a surface and having certain physical characteristics including transformation temperature, ductility and tensile strength and recoverable strain and cladding formed of a material covering substantially all of said surface of the body and being in intimate mechanical contact with said surface, said body and said cladding being formed of different materials, said superelastic shape memory material having a recoverable strain in excess of 1.0% and in cross-section of the composite structure forming a major portion thereof, said cladding being formed of a material excluding a shape memory material, said mechanical intimate contact having been formed without substantial diffusion from the material of the cladding into the material of the body so that there is no significant diffusion zone between the material of the cladding and the material of the body so that said certain physical characteristics of the body remain substantially unchanged from their values prior to said intimate mechanical contact.
- 15. A composite structure comprising a body having a surface and formed of a shape memory alloy and having certain physical characteristics including transformation temperature, ductility, tensile strength and recoverable strain and cladding formed of a good conductive material covering substantially all of said surface and being in intimate strong adhesive mechanical contact with said surface, said shape memory alloy in cross-section of the composite structure forming a major portion thereof whereby the cladding does not overcome the shape memory characteristics of the shape memory alloy, said body and said cladding being formed of different materials and said intimate strong adhesive mechanical contact having been formed without substantial diffusion from the material of the cladding into the body so that there is no significant diffusion zone between the material of the cladding and the material of the body so that said certain physical characteristics of the body remain substantially unchanged from their values prior to said intimate strong adhesive mechanical contact.
- 19. A radio frequency antennae comprising a core formed of a superelastic shape memory alloy and having a surface and cladding formed of a good conductive material covering substantially all of said surface and being in intimate contact with substantially all of said surface to provide a composite structure.
Specification