Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Memry Corporation

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

L McDonald Schetky

Craig David Johnson

Peter Besselink

Barrie Hart

Ming H Wu

Matthew R Hackworth

Patrick W Bixenman

Charles J Burstone

Anja Serneels

Wilfried Van Moorleghem

Chi-Yuan Loi

Chi-Yuan Lei

An expandable device comprising a plurality of expandable cells. The cells may be bistable cells or other types of cells that are expanded from a contracted position towards an expanded position. Additionally, the cells may be combined with locking mechanisms to hold the structure in an expanded position.

Expandable device for use in a well bore

An apparatus suitable for use in a wellbore comprises an expandable bistable device. An exemplary device has a plurality of bistable cells formed into a tubular shape. Each bistable cell comprises at least two elongated members that are connected to each other at their ends. The device is stable in a first configuration and a second configuration.

Expandable tubing and method

A new eyeglass frame, eyeglass frame component and method for making eyeglass frames or parts thereof of a nickel-free titanium based SMA. A pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium alloy is used which has superior fabricating characteristics combined with weldability with pseudoelastic properties over the temperature range of &minus;25&deg; C. to 50&deg; C. making this alloy ideally suited for the manufacture of various eyeglass components. The disclosed eyeglass component alloy is a &bgr; titanium alloy contains alloying elements of molybdenum between 10.0 and 12.0 weight percent, aluminum between 2.8 and 4.0 weight percent, chromium and vanadium between 0.0 and 2.0 weight percent, and niobium between 0.0 and 4.0 weight percent. The eyeglass components fabricated from this alloy exhibit a strain recovery of up to 3.5% deformation, a lower stiffness than conventional binary nickel titanium alloys yielding superior wearer comfort.

Pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium eyeglass components

Fabrication of metal medical instruments and devices from a shape memory alloy which provides greater flexibility in design and avoids the need for substantial cold working of the alloy which is required in other methods. The new process provides a ductile alloy for ease of forming and a unique heat treatment which renders the fabricated orthodontic and medical components highly elastic, with a high resistance to kinking and with good corrosion resistance. In addition, this new process produces orthodontic and medical components useful over the temperature range of from &minus;20 to &plus;40 degrees C.

Medical instruments and devices and parts thereof using shape memory alloys

The disclosed &bgr; titanium alloys contain alloying elements of molybdenum between 10.0 and 12.0 weight percent, aluminum between 2.8 and 4.0 weight percent, chromium and vanadium between 0.0 and 2.0 weight percent, and niobium between 0.0 and 4.0 weight percent. Orthodontic arch wires and appliances of nickel-free &bgr; titanium alloys having pseudo-elastic properties associated with stress-induced martensitic transformation. These arch wires and appliances were found to possess a high strain recovery up to 3.5% strain of deformation, a lower stiffness yielding relatively constant force for tooth movement and improved formability over that of pseudo-elastic nitinol. Eyeglasses having parts made of such materials can be welded. Stents made of this material avoid problems which a certain percentage of the population have when nickel is included within alloys used in the human body. Other medical devices which are used in the body also have this benefit. One of the main benefits of this alloy, is that a certain percentage of the population is sensitive to the presence of Ni and for this reason there has been interest in obtaining a non-NI alloy exhibiting the above super elastic and chemical properties.

Pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium alloy and uses therefor

Growing community of inventors

Camden, ME, United States of America

L McDonald Schetky