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:
Sep. 22, 2026
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2021
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Shardul Singh Panwar, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Umesh N. Gandhi, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Brian J. Pinkelman, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Ryohei Tsuruta, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Mark A. Gummin, Silverton, OR (US);
Eric D. Smith, Northville, MI (US);
Mark E. Smith, Fenton, MI (US);
MIGA Technologies LLC, Silverton, OR (US);
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
An actuator includes a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly. The actuator has a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension extending through the hinge assemblies. An outer skin is connected to the hinge assemblies. The outer skin defines a first actuator side, a second actuator side residing opposite the first actuator side, and a cavity. Shape-memory material (SMM) members are connected to the opposed hinge assemblies. At least one spring member is positioned within the cavity and structured to exert forces on the opposed first and second actuator sides tending to urge the sides away from each other along the second dimension. When an input is provided to the SMM members, the SMM members change their configurations and cause the actuator to morph into an activated configuration in which the first dimension decreases and the second dimension changes inversely to the first dimension.