Patent · US Expired

Shape memory material and method of treating same

US4484955A · kind A · utility

58Cited by
4References
10Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 12, 1983
Grant dateNov 27, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 12, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC22F1/006
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of treating an integral piece of thermosensitive material which undergoes thermoelastic, martensitic phase transformation in response to heat to pass from a martensitic phase when at a temperature below a phase transformation temperature range and capable of a first high level of recoverable strain to a parent austenitic phase and memory shape when at a temperature above the phase transformation temperature range and capable of a second lower level of recoverable strain. The method is characterized by first cold working the material to a cold worked state comprising a disordered combination of martensitic and austenitic structures and then memory annealing a first portion of the integral piece of material to establish the martensitic and austenitic phases and the memory shape in the austenitic phase while retaining a second portion of the integral piece of material in the cold worked state and incapable of shape memory response. The piece of material is then mounted in a working environment by being supported and restrained in the second cold worked portion while the first annealed portion is free to pass back and forth between the martensitic and austenitic phases to prod…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.