Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Yuji Tadano

Hiroyuki Miyake

Noriyuki Komori

Hideki Kunishio

Kaoru Kawata

Ichihiro Abe

Satoshi Kizawa

Naofumi Harada

The driving device includes a bendable shape memory alloy member, a resilient member for applying a tension to the shape memory alloy member in a longitudinal direction thereof, a bending member for bending the shape memory alloy member, and a movable body moved by a displacement of the shape memory alloy member. The bending member contacts the shape memory alloy member, so that the tension is applied to the shape memory alloy member in the longitudinal direction thereof. Compared with the driving device in which the shape memory alloy member is linearly disposed, the decrease in the amount of displacement can be suppressed, so that a space efficiency can be enhanced and the downsizing of the driving device can be accomplished.

Drive device

In order to reduce power consumption of the electronic device while it is inactive, the main switch 32 is shifted to the non-conductive state when the electronic device driven by the battery is stopped and the actuating signal decreases below a predetermined voltage, the actuating signal representing the state where the device is in operation. Thus, the power supplied to the control circuit or the like of the electronic device from the battery becomes zero, should a leak current or the like is ignored, and the power consumption can be reduced. In order to start the electronic device, the switch 34 is turned on and the main switch 32 is forced to the conductive state. That is, when the electronic device is started and the actuating signal exceeds the predetermined voltage, the main switch 32 becomes conductive and the electronic device receives power from the battery. In this state, even if the switch 34 is opened, the main switch 32 still remains conductive unless the actuating signal is stopped. Repeated, the main switch 32 is non-conductive while the electronic device is inactive, so that the waste of power of the battery can be prevented.

Low power consumption switching device for power source

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yuji Tadano