The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 12, 2021
Filed:
Jun. 28, 2019
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
David W. Foutch, Seattle, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator includes an SMA lifting tube that extends between a first end and a second end and that is configured to be in thermal communication with a process fluid during operative use of the SMA actuator. The SMA actuator is configured to assume a conformation among a plurality of conformations defined between and including a first conformation and a second conformation based, at least in part, on the temperature of the process fluid that is in thermal communication with the SMA lifting tube. The SMA lifting tube is configured such that the second end translates relative to the first end at least partially along a lateral direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to at least a portion of the SMA lifting tube between the first end and the second end as the SMA actuator transitions between the first conformation and the second conformation.