Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
148402000 | Mechanical memory | 10 |
20090020188 | Active material apparatus with activating thermoelectric device thereon and method of fabrication - An active material assembly is provided having a thermally-activated active material apparatus with an elongated, non-planar shape and a thermoelectric device in thermal contact therewith. The thermoelectric device is characterized by a thermal differential when current flows through the device to activate the thermally-activated active material apparatus, thereby altering at least one dimension thereof. Multiple discrete thermoelectric devices may be in thermal contact with the active material apparatus and electrically in parallel with one another. The active material apparatus, which may be multiple active material components, each with one of the thermoelectric devices thereon, may be encased within a flexible electronic-insulating material to form an articulated active material assembly that can achieve different geometric shapes by separately activating one or more of the different thermoelectric devices. A method of fabricating an articulated active material assembly is also provided. | 01-22-2009 |
20090025833 | DAMPING APPARATUS, USE OF A SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY AND METHOD FOR CHANGING DAMPING CHARACTERISTICS - A damping and shock absorbing method and apparatus for permanent or non-permanent use in the human body and having a shape memory alloy material cycled through stress-strain hysteresis to dissipate energy for effective damping. A sufficiently high pre-stress is applied to the damping element(s) to ensure that the damping working range is within the superelastic cycle. The damping apparatus can work in tension or compression or both in tension and compression. Moreover, damping elements from a shape memory alloy can also work in flexion and extension as well in rotation. The damping apparatus can have a stroke and force suitable for use in the human body by the design, the structure and the chemical composition of the shape memory alloy and their pre-set properties, such as plateau stresses of the superelastic cycle depend on the ambient temperature, the force of damping elements can also be changed in-situ by changing the temperature of the damping elements. The damping elements made out of a shape memory alloy can be combined with elastic elements made out of other materials to achieve stress-strain behavior more suitable for use in the individual human body. | 01-29-2009 |
20090165898 | FATIGUE-RESISTANT NICKEL-TITANIUM ALLOYS AND MEDICAL DEVICES USING SAME - Superelastic and/or shape memory nickel-titanium alloys having an increased fatigue life that is superior to known nickel-titanium alloys are disclosed. The nickel-titanium alloys have a minimum fatigue life that may be at least about 10 million strain cycles at a strain of at least about 0.75. The minimum fatigue life may be due, at least in part, to the nickel-titanium alloy having at least one of an oxygen concentration of less than about 200 ppm, a carbon concentration of less than about 200 ppm, the absence of oxide-based and/or carbide-based inclusions having a size greater than about 5 microns (μm), the presence of an R-phase, or combinations of the foregoing. Articles manufactured from such fatigue-resistant nickel-titanium alloys can be more durable because they are more resistant to repetitive strain and crack propagation. | 07-02-2009 |
20090218013 | HIGH TEMPERATURE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY, ACTUATOR AND MOTOR - A high temperature shape memory alloy is provided which possesses high machinability and is suitable for high temperature applications. The high temperature shape memory alloy consists of Ni from 34.7 mol % to 48.5 mol %, at least either Zirconium or Hafnium as transformation temperature increasing additives, with the sum of which 6.8 mol % to 22.5 mol %, and at least either Niobium or Tantalum as machinability improving additives, with the sum of which 1 mol % to 30 mol %; and Boron less than 2 mol %; and Titanium as the balance; and unavoidable impurity. | 09-03-2009 |
20090272465 | MEMORY METAL PLUG WITH EXTENDED SHAFT - A memory metal plug adapted to seal tubes includes a central shaft and a plurality of discs extending radially from said shaft. The shaft extends beyond the first and last disc. The juncture of the discs and the shaft is radiused, and, further, the thickness of the discs decreases near the perimeter of each disc. This allows the discs to be swaged significantly without breaking, which, in turn, facilitates their use in plugging tubes. | 11-05-2009 |
20100139813 | TWO-WAY SHAPE-RECOVERY ALLOY - The present invention provides a two-way shape-recovery alloy, which contains less than 0.20 mass % of C, 13.00 to 30.00 mass % of Mn, 0.10 to 6.00 mass % of Si, 0.05 to 12.00 mass % of Cr, 0.01 to 3.00 mass % of Ni, and less than 0.100 mass % of N, with the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, in which the contents of Mn, Si, Cr and Ni satisfy the following expression (1): | 06-10-2010 |
20120192999 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING MATERIALS, INCLUDING SHAPE MEMORY MATERIALS - A method for treating a material comprising: applying energy to a predetermined portion of the material in a controlled manner such that the local chemistry of the predetermined portion is altered to provide a predetermined result. When the material is a shape memory material, the predetermined result may be to provide an additional memory to the predetermined portion or to alter the pseudo-elastic properties of the shape memory material. In other examples, which are not necessarily restricted to shape memory materials, the process may be used to adjust the concentration of components at the surface to allow the formation of an oxide layer at the surface of the material to provide corrosion resistance; to remove contaminants from the material; to adjust surface texture; or to generate at least one additional phase particle in the material to provide a nucleation site for grain growth, which in turn, can strengthen the material. | 08-02-2012 |
20130019996 | BONDING OF METAL COMPONENTS - A method of bonding a first component ( | 01-24-2013 |
20130240092 | MEDICAL INSTRUMENT MADE OF MONOCRYSTALLINE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS AND MANUFACTURING METHODS - A medical instrument comprising a mono-crystalline shape memory alloy and a method for forming thereof. | 09-19-2013 |
20130340896 | Self-healing Metals Alloys Including Structural Alloys and Self-healing Solders - The invention discloses the internal structures and processes to synthesize the structure of self-healing materials, especially metallic materials, metal matrix micro and nanocomposites. Self-healing is imparted by incorporation of macro, micro or nanosize hollow reinforcements including nanotubes, filled with low melting healing material or incorporation of healing material in pockets within the metallic matrix; the healing material melts and fills the crack. In another concept, macro, micro and nanosize solid reinforcements including ceramic and metallic particles, and shape memory alloys are incorporated into alloy matrices, specially nanostructured alloy matrices, to impart self healing by applying compressive stresses on the crack or diffusing material into voids to fill them. The processes to synthesize these self-healing and nanocomposite structures, including pressure or pressureless infiltration, stir mixing and squeeze casting in addition to solid and vapour phase consolidation processes are part of this invention. | 12-26-2013 |