Cambridge Mechatronics Limited

Hutchinson Technology Corporation

Stephen Matthew Bunting

James Robert Howarth

Andrew Benjamin Simpson Brown

Robin Eddington

Marc-Sebastian Scholz

Oliver Hart

Peter Van Wyk

Joshua Carr

Peter Francis Ladwig

Andrew Benjamin David Brown

Richard Rodger Jenneke

Dominic George Webber

Robert Langhorne

Daniel John Burbridge

Andreas Flouris

Thomas James Powell

Martin McBrien

Konstantinos Pantelidis

Chee Keong Lai

David Kuan Wei Ooi

Adam South

Valerio Polenta

David Ooi

Stephen Kindness

Alexander Doust

René Kist

A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator () for a camera assembly, comprising:—a support structure supporting an electronic component, wherein the electronic component is susceptible to interference caused by magnetic flux; —a moveable part moveable relative to the support structure; one or more SMA components () connected between the moveable part and the support structure, wherein the one or more SMA components are configured to, on contraction, drive movement of the movable part; —a first electrical path and a second electrical path defined between, and/or including, each of the one or more SMA components () and respective electrical terminals (a); and wherein the first and second electrical paths of each of the one or more SMA components are configured to, at least in part, extend adjacently to and in parallel with each other, and enabling the electrical current in the respective paths to flow in opposite directions, so as to minimise combined magnetic flux from the first and second electrical paths into the electronic component.

Shape memory alloy actuator

An actuator assembly () comprising: a support structure () comprising a first friction surface (); a movable part () comprising a second friction surface () engaging the first friction surface; one or more SMA wires () arranged, on contraction, to move the movable part relative to the support structure to any position within a range of movement; a biasing arrangement () arranged to bias the first and second friction surfaces against each other with a normal force, thereby generating a static frictional force that constrains the movement of the movable part relative to the support structure at any position within the range of movement when the one or more SMA wires are not contracted, wherein the one or more SMA wires are arranged such that the normal force between the first and second friction surfaces remains substantially constant on contraction of the one or more SMA wires.

Actuator assembly

An actuator assembly comprising: a support structure comprising a first friction surface; a movable part comprising a second friction surface engaging the first friction surface; one or more SMA wires arranged, on contraction, to move the movable part relative to the support structure to any position within a range of movement; a biasing arrangement arranged to bias the first and second friction surfaces against each other with a normal force, thereby generating a static frictional force that constrains the movement of the movable part relative to the support structure at any position within the range of movement when the one or more SMA wires are not contracted; wherein the one or more SMA wires are arranged, on contraction, to reduce the normal force between first and second friction surfaces.

An actuation assembly comprising: a support structure; a movable element movable relative to the support structure, the movable element having a principal axis; and an actuator arrangement for driving movement of the movable element with respect to the support structure, wherein said movement includes rotational movement of the movable element about an axis which is perpendicular to said principal axis and does not pass through the centre of the movable element, and wherein said movement also includes translational movement of the movable element in a direction perpendicular to the principal axis. The actuation assembly may be used to perform optical image stabilisation or to improve the performance of a 3D sensing system.

Actuator assemblies and methods of controlling the same

An actuator assembly () comprising: first () and second () parts that are movable relative to each other; and one or more actuating units, each actuating unit comprising: a force-modifying mechanism () connected to the first part (); a coupling link () connected between the force-modifying mechanism () and the second part (); and an SMA wire () connected between the first part () and the force-modifying mechanism () for applying an input force on the force-modifying mechanism () thereby causing the force-modifying mechanism () to apply an output force on the coupling link () and causing the coupling link () to apply an actuating force on the second part (); wherein the coupling link () is compliant in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the actuating force.

An actuation apparatus comprising: a support structure; a movable element; a helical bearing arrangement supporting the movable element on the support structure and arranged to guide helical movement of the movable element with respect to the support structure along a helical path around a helical axis; an actuating mechanism configured to drive rotation of the movable element around the helical axis which the helical bearing arrangement converts into said helical movement; and a loading arrangement configured to exert a biasing force on the movable element in a direction that is at least substantially normal to the helical path over an operating range of the helical movement.

Actuation apparatus

Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide haptic button assemblies in which the haptic button has a low profile while still providing a satisfying tactile response or sensation to a user. Advantageously, the haptic button assemblies may have a profile that, for example, enables the assembly to be incorporated into the free space along an edge of a portable computing device. The haptic assemblies may, for example, be arranged to move the button perpendicularly with respect to the edge of the device.

Haptic button with SMA

An SMA actuator assembly () for driving or rotating a movable part () in a predetermined direction or sense by a plurality of repeated incremental steps is provided. The SMA actuator assembly comprises the movable part; a first engagement portion () for engaging the movable part; two SMA wires () arranged to move the first engagement portion such that the first engagement portion repeatedly, for each of said incremental steps, is configured to do the following: engage with the movable part from a starting position, exert a force or torque on the movable part in the predetermined direction and disengage from the movable part and return to the starting position. The exertion of the force or torque on the movable part and the engaging or disengaging with the movable part are caused by contraction or relaxation of the two SMA wires.

SMA actuator assembly

Broadly speaking, the present techniques provide specific arrangements of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator wires in SMA actuation apparatuses. In one arrangement, a single straight shape memory alloy actuator wire may be used, which may be inclined at an acute angle greater than 0 degrees with respect to a plane normal to the movement direction. In another arrangement, two straight lengths of shape memory alloy actuator wire may be used, where the SMA wires may be inclined at an acute angle greater than 0 degrees with respect to a plane normal to the movement direction.

Shape memory alloy actuation apparatus

Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide mechanisms for electrically connecting shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator wires of an actuation device to a power or current source via at least one connection element.

Electrical connections for SMA actuators

A camera assembly comprises a lens assembly supported on a support structure, wherein the lens assembly includes an autofocus actuator arrangement and the camera assembly includes an optical image stabilization assembly arranged to move the lens assembly in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. A flexible printed circuit tape connected between the support structure and the lens assembly and providing an electrical connection to the auto-focus actuator arrangement is bent around a corner, thereby allowing the flexible printed circuit tape to accommodate the motion of the lens assembly perpendicular to the optical axis. A crimp plate connected to the lens assembly which crimps shape memory alloy wires has features extending out of the plane of the crimp plate for reducing flexibility. At least part of the optical image stabilization assembly overlaps the lens assembly in the direction along the optical axis, thereby reducing the height of the camera assembly.

Camera assembly

An SMA actuator arrangement is assembled using a strut element shaped to comprise a sacrificial strut body and crimp tabs held apart by the sacrificial strut body. A SMA wire is laid across the crimp tabs which are folded and pressed to form crimps holding the SMA wire. The crimps are then attached to static and moving parts, after which the sacrificial strut body is removed. The method allows the crimping to be performed without hindrance from the static and moving parts, the sacrificial strut body holding the relative locations of the crimps prior to attachment.

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Cambridge, United Kingdom

Stephen Matthew Bunting