Title:
SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY (SMA) HINGE APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS EMPLOYING SAME
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/059975
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A controllable shape memory alloy (SMA) hinge apparatus comprises multiple SMA elements to effect a first angle of rotation and a second angle of rotation between a first object and a second object. In one example, respective SMA elements are independently activated by Joule heating to rotate the first object and/or the second object. SMA elements undergo a three-dimensional transformation, and a pair of elements may undergo antagonistic transformations so as to provide for a multiple-use bidirectional non- continuous rotary actuator. SMA elements may be trained to achieve different angles of rotations between the objects. In some examples, the first object may be a spacecraft and the second object may be a deployable structure (e.g., a robotic appendage, a solar panel, a aperture, a mirror, a radiator, and at least one actuator to steer an antenna dish).
Inventors:
CAHOY KERRI (US)
HAUGHWOUT CHRISTIAN (US)
BARNES DEREK (US)
KAHSENKO MAXIM (US)
CLARK JAMES (US)
HAUGHWOUT CHRISTIAN (US)
BARNES DEREK (US)
KAHSENKO MAXIM (US)
CLARK JAMES (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2018/036953
Publication Date:
May 16, 2019
Filing Date:
June 11, 2018
Export Citation:
Assignee:
MASSACHUSETTS INST TECHNOLOGY (US)
International Classes:
B64G1/22; B64G1/24; B64G1/64; E05D1/00; E05D1/02; E05F15/60; F03G7/06
Domestic Patent References:
| WO2016051141A1 | 2016-04-07 |
Foreign References:
| US6175989B1 | 2001-01-23 | |||
| US5127228A | 1992-07-07 | |||
| US20140042275A1 | 2014-02-13 |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
TEJA, Joseph, Jr. et al. (US)
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