Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
318117000 | Thermoelectric motor | 9 |
20090108779 | CONTROL UNIT OF SHAPE MEMORY ELEMENT ACTUATOR AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SHAPE MEMORY ELEMENT ACTUATOR - At the time of start of usage, a voltage to be applied to a shape memory alloy wire | 04-30-2009 |
20090128064 | Actuation device having shape memory alloy component - The present invention provides an actuation device having a shape memory alloy component. The present invention utilizes a length contraction occurred to the shape memory alloy component during its phase transformation from martensite to austenite. The length contraction causes a slider, a carrier and a base to move relatively. Also, the present invention utilizes thermal conductivity of the base to speed up heat dissipation of the shape memory alloy component, so that response time for actuating the carrier can be reduced. | 05-21-2009 |
20090315489 | Shape memory alloy motor - The invention discloses a novel and efficient drive mechanism for use in a variety of applications. This novel mechanism replaces traditional stepper motors or another analogous art with shape memory alloys. The drive mechanism so disclosed provides substantial operational benefits over conventional motors and other such traditional drive mechanisms that would be used in similar applications. The drive mechanism includes a high gear-ratio worm gear and worm drive which further provides precise, controlled movement of an output shaft. In the illustrative use elaborated upon herein, the motor is used to drive a photovoltaic panel so that the panel may remain in appropriate alignment with the sun throughout the day. | 12-24-2009 |
20100045214 | SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATOR SYSTEM - A resistance feedback circuit has a detecting section which detects a resistance of a shape memory alloy wire at the time of contraction and elongation, a calculating section which compares an output signal acquired from the detecting section and a signal input by a command section, and calculates an applied electric current corresponding to the resistance value detected, an output section which outputs the applied electric current which is output from the calculating section, to the shape memory alloy actuator, a control section which controls the detecting section, the calculating section and the output section, a storage section which stores a maximum value and a minimum value of the resistance which is measured in advance, and a command correcting section which corrects a signal output from the command section, based on the resistance value stored in the storage section, and a command signal which is output from the command correcting section is set to a resistance value which is higher than the minimum resistance value by a correction value. | 02-25-2010 |
20100320943 | SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY DRIVER - A shape memory alloy driver comprises a displacement detection portion, a drive control portion, and a compensation calculation portion. The displacement detection portion detects displacement of a shape memory alloy based on a resistance value etc. detected from the shape memory alloy. The drive control portion applies a voltage or current to the shape memory alloy by servo control to thereby displace the shape memory alloy to a target displacement value fed from a microcomputer etc. The compensation calculation portion calculates a compensated displacement value from the detected displacement value and a variation—attributable to the environment temperature—of the drive control value which the drive control portion uses for controlling the voltage or current. Having been fed with the compensated displacement value, the drive control portion varies the drive control value such that the compensated displacement value is equal to the target displacement value. | 12-23-2010 |
20110187296 | SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATOR SYSTEM - A shape memory alloy actuator system includes a shape memory alloy actuator which has a shape memory alloy wire, a mobile object which is movable, an elastic member, a first regulating member, and a second regulating member, a detecting section which detects a resistance value of the shape memory alloy wire, a calculating section (a computing section) which calculates an electric current applied, an output section, a control section which controls the detecting section, a calculating section, an output section, and a reference resistance value calculating section. The shape memory alloy actuator, the detecting section, the calculating section, the output section, the control section, and the reference resistance value calculating section collectively form a resistance control circuit which carries out a position control of the shape memory alloy actuator. The resistance control circuit calculates a first resistance value at which, a proportion of a resistance change with respect to a change in a unit temperature changes from a first proportion to a second proportion which differs from the first proportion, and carries out the position control by the first resistance value, when the shape memory alloy wire is to be loosened. | 08-04-2011 |
20130175952 | MEMS ACTUATOR DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED TEMPERATURE SENSORS - An electro-thermal actuator which includes a unit cell comprising at least one thermal bimorph, the thermal bimorph comprising at least two materials of different thermal expansion coefficient bonded together, the unit cell having a first end and a second end; and at least one temperature sensor located on the at least one thermal bimorph for measuring a temperature of the at least one thermal bimorph and determining a position of the unit cell. The basic structure can be expanded to 1-D, 2-D and 3-D positioners. The bimorphs can also be coupled to an active yoke which is in turn anchored to a plate, in order to reduce the parasitic heat effects on displacement of the tip of the bimorph. | 07-11-2013 |
20140028222 | SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY DRIVING SYSTEM AND DRIVNG DEVICE - A shape memory alloy (SMA) driving system includes an SMA wire, a power source, a switch element, a temperature sensor, a pulse generator, and a control unit. The power source is electrically connected to one end of the SMA. The switch element includes an input terminal electrically connected to the other end of the SMA, a grounded output terminal, and a control terminal configured for controlling connection and disconnection between the input terminal and the output terminal. The control unit stores a martensite convert temperature and an austenite convert temperature. The control unit compares a temperature detected by the temperature sensor with the martensite convert temperature and the austenite convert temperature. when the detected temperature is lower than the martensite convert temperature and is higher than the austenite convert temperature, the control unit controls the pulse generator to output a higher duty-cycle signal. | 01-30-2014 |
20160201655 | APPARATUS FOR COST EFFECTIVE WIRELESS ACTUATOR USING SMA AND MRC | 07-14-2016 |