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:
Jul. 12, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 04, 2004
Robert Ryan Vallance, South Riding, VA (US);
Bruce L. Walcott, Lexington, KY (US);
James E. Lumpp, Lexington, KY (US);
Sumanth Chikkamaranahalli, Alexandria, VA (US);
Osamah A. Rawashdeh, Lexington, KY (US);
Eric Wolsing, Shoals, IN (US);
Robert Ryan Vallance, South Riding, VA (US);
Bruce L. Walcott, Lexington, KY (US);
James E. Lumpp, Lexington, KY (US);
Sumanth Chikkamaranahalli, Alexandria, VA (US);
Osamah A. Rawashdeh, Lexington, KY (US);
Eric Wolsing, Shoals, IN (US);
University of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
Instruments and methods for measuring a property of a shape memory alloy are provided. The instrument includes a base plate, a non-contact movable mass, a force gauge, an actuator, a biasing spring, a heater for heating the shape memory alloy, and a non-contact displacement detector. The biasing spring and the shape memory alloy are disposed whereby a force applied thereby is applied substantially through a center of stiffness of the movable mass. The displacement detector measures a displacement of the movable mass in a colinear direction with a direction of movement of the movable mass and with a direction of the force applied by the biasing spring and the shape memory alloy. The linear motion stage comprises a housing and at least one guide bar, and wherein a calculated axial expansion of the guide bar is substantially equal to a calculated axial expansion of the base plate.