Shape changing structure
First Claim
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1. A structure comprising:
- a body including a first wall and a second wall;
at least one appending component extending from an end of the body, the appending component including a first skin and second skin; and
at least one actuator positioned within a cavity formed in the first wall and the second skin, the actuator comprising;
at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) wire adapted to constrict when activated to move the first skin of the appending component from a first position to a second position,a fixed pulling bracket connected to a first end of the at least one SMA wire and coupled to an interior side of the first wall, between the first and second walls and within the cavity,a freely movable pulling bracket connected to a second end of the at least one SMA wire and located between the first and second walls and within the cavity absent direct connection to the body and the appending component such that the freely movable pulling bracket is freely movable within the cavity.
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Abstract
In one preferred embodiment, a structure is provided that includes a body having a first wall and a second wall. At least one appending component extends from an end of the body and includes a first skin and second skin. The structure additionally includes at least one actuator positioned within a cavity formed in the body first wall and the appending component second skin. The actuator includes at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) wire adapted to constrict when activated to move the first skin of the appending component from a first position to a second position.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A structure comprising:
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a body including a first wall and a second wall; at least one appending component extending from an end of the body, the appending component including a first skin and second skin; and at least one actuator positioned within a cavity formed in the first wall and the second skin, the actuator comprising; at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) wire adapted to constrict when activated to move the first skin of the appending component from a first position to a second position, a fixed pulling bracket connected to a first end of the at least one SMA wire and coupled to an interior side of the first wall, between the first and second walls and within the cavity, a freely movable pulling bracket connected to a second end of the at least one SMA wire and located between the first and second walls and within the cavity absent direct connection to the body and the appending component such that the freely movable pulling bracket is freely movable within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A jet engine adapted to controllably alter a flow of exhaust emitted from a nacelle of the engine, said engine comprising:
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a nacelle nozzle having a body including an inner wall and an outer wall; a plurality of flow altering structures extending from an end of the nozzle body, each flow altering structure comprising; an inner skin fixedly coupled at a proximal end to an edge portion of the nozzle body inner wall; and an outer skin fixedly coupled at a proximal end to an edge portion of the nozzle body outer wall, a distal end of the inner skin being in firm contact with a distal end of the outer skin; and a plurality of actuators positioned within a plurality of cavities formed in the nozzle body outer wall and the outer skins of the flow altering structures, each flow altering structure outer skin forming a first portion of one of the cavities, each flow altering structure outer skin having at least one actuator connected thereto within the respective cavity, each actuator comprising; a fixed pulling bracket coupled to an interior side of the nozzle body inner wall between the nozzle body inner and outer walls and within the cavity; a free pulling bracket located between the nozzle body inner and outer walls and within the cavity, the free pulling bracket adapted to be movable within the cavity; a control arm connected at a control arm first end to the free pulling bracket and at a control arm second end to a deployment cam linkage connected to the outer skin of the respective flow altering structure; and a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) cables coupled at a SMA cable first end to the fixed pulling bracket and coupled at a SMA cable second end to the free pulling bracket, the SMA cables adapted to one-dimensionally constrict along a longitudinal center line of each respective SMA cable when activated, the constriction pulling the free pulling bracket and the control arm toward the fixed pulling bracket to thereby cause a lever plate of the deployment cam linkage to force the distal end of the appending structure inner skin to separate from the distal end of the appending structure outer skin and move appending structure inner skin from a first position to a second position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification