Drive unit using shape memory alloy

• US 6,404,098 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kayama, Shun, Kataoka, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/546,169
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 310/307
• US Class Current: 310/307
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/06 using expansion or contraction of bodies due to heating, cooling, moistening, drying or the like using thermal expansion of non-vaporising liquids F01K
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2224/0258 Shape-memory metals, e.g. Ni-Ti alloys

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a drive unit using a shape memory alloy including: a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, the shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized; a drive body connected to the shape memory alloy member, the drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when the shape memory alloy member is energized; and a locking mechanism for retaining the drive body at the specific operational position. With this configuration, the drive unit using a shape memory alloy is capable of reducing the power consumption as well as miniaturizing the drive unit.

Claims

1. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized; and

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is provided with a locking portion, said drive body is integrally provided with a portion to be locked with said locking portion, and said locking mechanism is additionally provided with a locking-releasing mechanism responsive to an extensible/contractible member made from a shape memory alloy and that exhibits superelasticity when being electrified, whereby the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position is released by energizing said extensible/contractible member.

2. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

3. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is provided with a locking portion; and

said drive body is integrally provided with a portion to be locked with said locking portion, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

4. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is additionally provided with a locking-releasing mechanism for releasing the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

5. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is provided with a locking portion, said drive body is integrally provided with a portion to be locked with said locking portion, and said locking mechanism is additionally provided with a locking-releasing mechanism for releasing the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

6. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is additionally provided with a locking-releasing mechanism for releasing the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking-releasing mechanism is provided with an extensible/contractible member which is made from a shape memory alloy and exhibits superelasticity when being electrified, whereby the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position is released by energizing said extensible/contractible member, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

7. A drive unit using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position, wherein said locking mechanism is provided with a locking portion, said drive body is integrally provided with a portion to be locked with said locking portion, and said locking mechanism is additionally provided with a locking-releasing mechanism for releasing the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position, and

a bias spring, connected to said drive body, for retaining said drive body at the stopping position.

8. A drive unite using a shape memory alloy, comprising:

a shape memory alloy member made from a shape memory alloy, said shape memory alloy member exhibiting superelasticity when being energized;

a drive body connected to said shape memory alloy member, said drive body being moved from a stopping position to a specific operational position when said shape memory alloy member is energized;

a locking mechanism for retaining said drive body at said specific operational position; and

locking-releasing means for releasing the retention of said drive body at said specific operational position, said locking-releasing means including an extensible/contractible member made from a shape memory alloy that exhibits superelasticity when being electrified.