公开(公告)号：US20130139906A1

公开(公告)日：2013-06-06

申请号：US13309850

申请日：2011-12-02

申请人： Vijay A. Neelakantan ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Patrick B. Usoro ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Shushan Bai ,  Paul G. Otanez

发明人： Vijay A. Neelakantan ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Patrick B. Usoro ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Shushan Bai ,  Paul G. Otanez

IPC分类号： F16L53/00

CPC分类号： F16K11/07 ,  F16H57/0413 ,  F16K31/002 ,  Y10T137/6416

摘要： A transmission fluid circuit includes a transmission, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a spool and an actuator. The spool is movable inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material configured to be activated in response to the temperature of the fluid exhibiting at least a first temperature such that the actuator is in a first state. The smart material is configured to be deactivated in response to the fluid being a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature such that the actuator is in a second state. The fluid flows from the housing to the transmission and from the transmission the cavity when the spool is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and from the cooler to the transmission when the spool is in the second position.

摘要翻译： 传动液回路包括变速器，冷却器和阀。 阀包括壳体，阀芯和致动器。 线轴可在第一位置和第二位置之间在壳体内移动。 所述致动器包括智能材料，所述智能材料被配置为响应于所述流体的温度至少呈现第一温度而被激活，使得所述致动器处于第一状态。 所述智能材料被配置为响应于所述流体的足够数量小于所述第一温度被停用，使得所述致动器处于第二状态。 当阀芯处于第一位置时，流体从壳体流到变速器，并且从变速器流出空腔。 当阀芯处于第二位置时，流体从壳体流向冷却器，并从冷却器流向变速器。

公开(公告)号：US08438714B2

公开(公告)日：2013-05-14

申请号：US12703337

申请日：2010-02-10

申请人： Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Xiujie Gao

发明人： Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Xiujie Gao

IPC分类号： B23P11/02 ,  F16B4/00

CPC分类号： F16B17/00 ,  B29C65/66 ,  B29C65/76 ,  B29C66/54 ,  B29C66/73715 ,  F16B1/0014 ,  Y10T29/49865 ,  Y10T29/49908 ,  Y10T403/21

摘要： A releasable connection connects a first component to a second component. The second component includes and is manufactured from a Shape Memory Polymer (SMP), and defines a pocket. The first component includes a portion disposed within the pocket. The pocket is deformed from an initial shape permitting insertion of the portion into the pocket to assembly the releasable connection into a connected shape wherein the pocket is deformed to secure the first component relative to the second component. The pocket is transformed from the initial shape into the connected shape by heating the SMP material of the second component to a switching temperature. Re-heating the SMP second component to the switching temperature returns the pocket back to the initial shape from the connected shape to disassembly the releasable connection.

摘要翻译： 可释放的连接将第一部件连接到第二部件。 第二组件包括并由形状记忆聚合物（SMP）制成，并且定义了一个口袋。 第一部件包括设置在口袋内的部分。 口袋从初始形状变形，允许将该部分插入口袋中以将可释放连接件组装成连接形状，其中口袋变形以相对于第二部件固定第一部件。 通过将第二组分的SMP材料加热到开关温度，将口袋从初始形状转变为连接形状。 将SMP第二部件重新加热至开关温度，将口袋从连接形状返回到初始形状，以拆卸可拆卸连接。

公开(公告)号：US20120324671A1

公开(公告)日：2012-12-27

申请号：US13167070

申请日：2011-06-23

申请人： Nicholas W. Pinto, IV ,  Scott R. Webb ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Wendell G. Summerville ,  John A. Cafeo

发明人： Nicholas W. Pinto, IV ,  Scott R. Webb ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Wendell G. Summerville ,  John A. Cafeo

IPC分类号： B60S1/40 ,  B60S1/38

CPC分类号： B60S1/38 ,  B60S1/3801 ,  B60S1/3848 ,  B60S1/40 ,  B60S2001/3827 ,  B60S2001/3829 ,  B60S2001/3836

摘要： A vehicle wiper assembly includes a wiper blade having a length, and an active material disposed along the length of the wiper blade and coupled thereto. The active material includes a shape memory alloy material with a crystallographic phase that is changeable between austenite and martensite, and is elastically deformable and operatively applies a spring force against a portion of the wiper blade when the crystallographic phase is martensite.

摘要翻译： 车辆刮水器组件包括具有长度的刮水片和沿着刮水片的长度设置并与之连接的活性材料。 活性材料包括具有可在奥氏体和马氏体之间变化的结晶相的形状记忆合金材料，并且当结晶相是马氏体时，可弹性变形并且可操作地将弹簧力施加到刮片的一部分上。

公开(公告)号：US08262133B2

公开(公告)日：2012-09-11

申请号：US12427868

申请日：2009-04-22

申请人： Patrick B. Usoro ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Steven G. Corrion ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Lawrence C. Maugh ,  William B. Carter ,  Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight

发明人： Patrick B. Usoro ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Steven G. Corrion ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Lawrence C. Maugh ,  William B. Carter ,  Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight

IPC分类号： B60R22/46

CPC分类号： B60R22/4676 ,  B60R2022/4685

摘要： A seat belt retractor utilizing active material actuation for selectively modifying the tension in a seat belt.

摘要翻译： 一种安全带卷收器，利用活性材料致动来选择性地改变安全带中的张力。

公开(公告)号：US08188757B2

公开(公告)日：2012-05-29

申请号：US12437722

申请日：2009-05-08

申请人： Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nicholas William Pinto

发明人： Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nicholas William Pinto

IPC分类号： G01R27/08

CPC分类号： F03G7/065

摘要： A method of controlling a shape memory alloy actuator utilizing the change in resistance exhibited by the actuator over an actuation cycle, or a derivative thereof, to identify at least one event, such as, for example, a peak, valley, change in slope without reaching a valley, or a jump in resistance within the signal plot that corresponds to the start of actuation, end of actuation, an overload case, and the introduction of a resistive element respectively, and generating a response based upon the event.

摘要翻译： 一种利用执行机构在致动周期或其衍生物上呈现的电阻变化来控制形状记忆合金致动器的方法，以识别至少一个事件，例如峰谷，坡度变化，而没有 到达一个谷或信号图中的对应于启动开始，致动结束，过载情况和分别引入电阻元件的电阻中的电阻跳跃，并且基于事件产生响应。

公开(公告)号：US08179018B2

公开(公告)日：2012-05-15

申请号：US12546857

申请日：2009-08-25

申请人： Xiujie Gao ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Lei Hao ,  Ke Dong

发明人： Xiujie Gao ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Lei Hao ,  Ke Dong

IPC分类号： H02N10/00

CPC分类号： H01L41/1132 ,  H01L41/125

摘要： An active material actuator adapted for use in a circuit includes an active material member, and a piezoelectric or piezoresistive element or otherwise force sensing device, wherein the element or device is communicatively coupled to the member and operable to vary the current within the circuit when the member is caused to achieve a predetermined stress, such that, in one aspect, the element presents an overload protection mechanism.

摘要翻译： 适于在电路中使用的活性材料致动器包括活性材料构件和压电或压阻元件或其他力感测装置，其中元件或装置可通信地耦合到构件并且可操作以在电路内改变电流时 导致构件达到预定的应力，使得在一个方面，元件具有过载保护机构。

公开(公告)号：US20120109573A1

公开(公告)日：2012-05-03

申请号：US12938683

申请日：2010-11-03

申请人： Xiujie Gao ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight ,  Lei Hao ,  Andrew C. Keefe ,  Christopher P. Henry

发明人： Xiujie Gao ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Guillermo A. Herrera ,  Geoffrey P. McKnight ,  Lei Hao ,  Andrew C. Keefe ,  Christopher P. Henry

IPC分类号： G06F15/00 ,  F24J3/00 ,  G01N25/00

CPC分类号： G01N25/18

摘要： A method of sensing an ambient heat transfer condition surrounding a shape memory alloy element includes heating the shape memory alloy element, sensing the resistance of the shape memory alloy element, and measuring the period of time taken to heat the shape memory alloy element to a pre-determined level of a resistance characteristic. The ambient heat transfer condition surrounding the shape memory alloy element is calculated by referencing a relationship between the period of time taken to heat the shape memory alloy to the pre-determined level of the resistance characteristic and the ambient heat transfer condition.

摘要翻译： 检测形状记忆合金元件周围的环境传热条件的方法包括加热形状记忆合金元件，感测形状记忆合金元件的电阻，以及测量将形状记忆合金元件加热到预先形成的时间 确定电阻特性的水平。 通过参照将形状记忆合金加热所需的时间与预定的电阻特性水平和环境传热条件之间的关系来计算围绕形状记忆合金元件的环境传热条件。

公开(公告)号：US07967339B2

公开(公告)日：2011-06-28

申请号：US12353253

申请日：2009-01-13

申请人： Patrick B. Usoro ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Steven G Corrion ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Lawrence C. Maugh ,  Mark Kramarczyk

发明人： Patrick B. Usoro ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Steven G Corrion ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Lawrence C. Maugh ,  Mark Kramarczyk

IPC分类号： B60R22/20

CPC分类号： B60R22/03 ,  B60R22/48

摘要： A safety belt buckle presenter adapted for use with a translatable buckle includes an active material element operable to undergo a reversible change when exposed to an activation signal, wherein the element is drivenly coupled to the buckle, and configured to cause the buckle to translate between deployed and stowed positions as a result of the change.

摘要翻译： 适于与可平移的带扣一起使用的安全带带扣呈现器包括活动材料元件，其可操作以在暴露于激活信号时经历可逆变化，其中所述元件被驱动地联接到所述带扣，并且被配置为使所述带扣部署 并由于变更而收起职位。

公开(公告)号：US20110120116A1

公开(公告)日：2011-05-26

申请号：US12947917

申请日：2010-11-17

申请人： Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Patrick B. Usoro ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Xiujie Gao

发明人： Paul W. Alexander ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Patrick B. Usoro ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Xiujie Gao

IPC分类号： F02G1/04

CPC分类号： F03G7/065

摘要： A heat engine system configured for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy includes a source of thermal energy provided by a temperature difference between a heat source having a first temperature and a heat sink having a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature. The heat engine is configured for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy and includes an element formed from a first shape memory alloy having a crystallographic phase changeable between austenite and martensite at a first transformation temperature in response to the temperature difference between the heat source and the heat sink. The heat engine system also includes a start-up mechanism configured for inducing initial movement of the element in a desired operational direction to thereby start the heat engine.

摘要翻译： 构造成将热能转换为机械能的热引擎系统包括由具有第一温度的热源和具有低于第一温度的第二温度的散热器之间的温度差提供的热能源。 热机被配置为将热能转换为机械能，并且包括由第一形状记忆合金形成的元件，该第一形状记忆合金具有响应于热源和热源之间的温度差在第一相变温度下在奥氏体和马氏体之间变化的结晶相 水槽。 热机系统还包括启动机构，其被构造成用于引导元件在期望的操作方向上的初始移动，从而起动热机。

公开(公告)号：US20090223604A1

公开(公告)日：2009-09-10

申请号：US12400500

申请日：2009-03-09

申请人： Jonathan E. Luntz ,  John Andrew Shaw ,  Diann Brei ,  Christopher Burton Churchill ,  Anupam Pathak ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Pablo D. Zavattieri

发明人： Jonathan E. Luntz ,  John Andrew Shaw ,  Diann Brei ,  Christopher Burton Churchill ,  Anupam Pathak ,  Nilesh D. Mankame ,  Alan L. Browne ,  Nancy L. Johnson ,  Paul W. Alexander ,  Xiujie Gao ,  Pablo D. Zavattieri

IPC分类号： C21D11/00 ,  C21D9/52

CPC分类号： C21D11/00 ,  C21D8/06 ,  C21D9/525 ,  C21D9/54 ,  C21D2201/01 ,  C21D2211/001 ,  C21D2211/008 ,  C22C19/03

摘要： An apparatus for and method of conditioning a thermally activated shape memory alloy wire for use in an application, wherein the apparatus includes an adjustable hard-stop and the preferred method includes pre-determining a minimum activating current, allowable strain, and a loading magnitude and form based on the wire configuration and application, and further includes applying a double-exponential model to determine a final recoverable strain over fewer cycles.

摘要翻译： 一种用于在应用中使用的热活化形状记忆合金丝的调节装置和方法，其中所述装置包括可调节硬止动件，并且优选的方法包括预先确定最小激活电流，允许应变和负载量值， 形式，并且还包括应用双指数模型以在更少的周期上确定最终的可恢复应变。