Apparatus for and method of conditioning shape memory alloy wire

US8388773B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC · US

Inventors

• Jonathan E. Luntz · Ann Arbor, US
• John Andrew Shaw · Toronto, CA
• Diann Brei · Milford, US
• Christopher B. Churchill · Ventura, US
• Anupam Pathak · Mountain View, US
• Nilesh D. Mankame · Ann Arbor, US
• Alan L. Browne · Grosse Pointe, US
• Nancy L. Johnson · Northville, US
• Paul W. Alexander · Ypsilanti, US
• Xiujie Gao · Troy, US
• Pablo D. Zavattieri · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 9, 2009
• Grant date: Mar 5, 2013
• Expiry date: Oct 13, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C21D2211/008
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

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.