Konica-minolta Holdings, Inc.

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Kouji Hamaguchi

Manabu Inoue

Junichi Tanii

Katsuyuki Nanba

Shigeru Wada

Hiroyuki Matsumoto

Hirokazu Yagura

Akira Kosaka

A method of string an SMA, method of manufacturing the SMA actuator, SMA actuator and apparatus for manufacturing the SMA actuator, wherein a drive member made up of an SMA is extended between a moving member and wire supporting member via a drive member supporting member, and current is applied to the unnecessary portion of the drive member located between the wire supporting member and drive member supporting member, whereby the unnecessary portion of the drive member is cut off by melting, with the result that the size of the protrusion left behind after cutting of the SMA is reduced, and there is no need of giving consideration to the durability of a cutter otherwise used for cutting purposes.

Shape memory alloy actuator, apparatus for manufacturing shape memory alloy actuator, method for stringing shape memory alloy, and method for manufacturing shape memory alloy actuator

An assembling apparatus (manufacturing apparatus) can assemble an actuator (product) in which a shape memory alloy (SMA) is stretched. In the assembly, the SMA is locked by a first holder, a guide is moved along predetermined movement directions while sending the SMA and, after that, the SMA is locked by a second holder. A switch is turned on to pass current from a current source to the SMA via an electrode. The SMA is fixed to two electrodes by caulking members and, after that, an unnecessary portion of the SMA is cut. In such a manner, the actuator is manufactured. Since the SMA is tensioned while current is passed to the SMA as described above, the stretch can be stably performed while suppressing elongation of the SMA. As a result, a product can be manufactured with high quality.

Manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method

A system of manufacturing an actuator for driving a to-be-driven object by extension/contraction of a shape memory alloy, the system comprising: a mounting unit configured to mount the shape memory alloy between an actuator body and the to-be-driven object; and a heater configured to heat the shape memory alloy mounted by the mounting unit on a mounting path between the actuator body and the to-be-driven object to a predetermined temperature range.

System and method of manufacturing actuator

A photographed image reproducing apparatus is used to reproduce photographic images recorded on successive frames of a film having magnetic tracks on which information is writable for each frame. The apparatus includes a read/write device for reading or writing frame information on the magnetic track. The frame information is read or written in one transporting direction while the image is sensed in the other transporting direction. Also, an information reader is provided at an upstream portion while the information writer is provided at a downstream portion to enable the reading and writing to be executed at the same time. The apparatus considerably reduces the reproduction time.

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Osaka, Japan

Kouji Hamaguchi