Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Yufei Zhu

Taewoo Nam

Rikin Gupta

Michael Paul Rowe

Brian J Pinkelman

Shardul S Panwar

Paul A Gilmore

Xintong Deng

Ryohei Tsuruta

Frederick W Mau, Ii

Deborah Bumgardner

An actuator can include one or more shape memory material members. When an activation input is provided to the one or more shape memory material members, the one or more shape memory material members contract, which causes the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. A height of the actuator increases in the activated configuration. The actuator can include a first outer body member and a second outer body member. The first outer body member can include a first portion and a second portion pivotably connected to each other. One or more processors can be operatively connected to selectively activate the one or more shape memory material members.

Shape memory material member-based actuator

An actuator can include an outer body. At least a portion of the outer body can be configured to pivot. The actuator can include a contracting member, such as a shape memory material member. When an activation input is provided to the contracting member, the contracting member can contract. As a result, the actuator can be caused to morph into an activated configuration in which a dimension, such as the height, of the actuator increases.

Actuator with contracting member

A state of a shape memory material member in an actuator can be monitored and controlled to protect the shape memory material member. When activated, the actuator can be configured to morph into an activated configuration in which a dimension (e.g., the height) of the actuator increases. A sensor configured to acquire sensor data. A portion of the shape memory material member can operatively engaging the sensor. One or more processors can be operatively connected to monitor a state of the shape memory material member based on the sensor data.

Monitoring a state of a shape memory material member

An actuator can include one or more contracting members and a clutch. When an activation input is provided to the one or more contracting members, the one or more contracting members contract, which causes the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. A height of the actuator increases in the activated configuration. The clutch can be configured to maintain the actuator in the activated configuration when the activation input to the one or more contracting members is discontinued. One or more processors can be operatively connected to selectively and/or independently activate the one or more contracting members and the clutch.

Contracting member-based actuator with clutch

An actuator can include one or more shape memory material members and an electrostatic clutch. When an activation input is provided to the one or more shape memory material members, the one or more shape memory material members contract, which causes the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. A height of the actuator increases in the activated configuration. The electrostatic clutch can be configured to maintain the actuator in the activated configuration when the activation input to the one or more shape memory material members is discontinued. One or more processors can be operatively connected to selectively and independently activate the one or more shape memory material members and the electrostatic clutch.

Shape memory material member-based actuator with electrostatic clutch preliminary class

An aircraft can include a wing. The wing can include a tip. A winglet can be pivotably connected to the wing proximate the tip. A connecting member can be operatively connected to the wing and the winglet. The connecting member can include a flexible material with a super elastic material member operatively connected to the flexible material. Thus, the connecting member can allow passive movement of the winglet responsive to real-time operational forces acting upon the aircraft. In some arrangements, the flexible material can be a fabric, and the super elastic material member can be a wire. In some arrangements, the super elastic material member can be configured to exhibit a non-linear stiffness profile. The non-linear stiffness profile can include a region of quasi-zero stiffness. The stiffness profile of the super elastic material member can be selectively varied, such as by controlling a temperature of the super elastic material member.

Winglets with passive aeroelastic tailoring

An aircraft can include a wing. A morphing member can be operatively connected to the wing. The morphing member can include a base and a shape memory material member operatively connected to the base. The base can be made of a flexible material. When the shape memory material member is activated, a shape of the morphing member can change. As a result, one or more aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft can be changed. In some arrangements, the flexible material can be a fabric, and the shape memory material member can be a shape memory alloy wire.

Wing shape control

An aircraft can include a first wing and a second wing. The first wing can extend laterally from an aircraft body to a first tip, and the second wing can extend laterally from the aircraft body to a second tip. The aircraft can include a first end effector and a second end effector, each including a fore winglet and an aft winglet. The fore and aft winglets of the first end effector can be pivotably connected to the first tip. The fore and aft winglets of the second end effector can be pivotably connected to the second tip. The fore and aft winglets of the first and second end effectors can be independently operable. The first and second end effectors can be independently operable. A processor can be operatively connected to control movement of the fore and aft winglets of the first and second end effectors.

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Yufei Zhu