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:
Aug. 17, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2007
Applicants:
Shih-chi Chen, Boston, MA (US);
Martin L. Culpepper, Danvers, MA (US);
Inventors:
Shih-Chi Chen, Boston, MA (US);
Martin L. Culpepper, Danvers, MA (US);
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02N 10/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A thermomechanical actuation system and method includes an elongated thermomechanical actuator (TMA), which is contoured so that electrical resistance at a mid-portion of the TMA is less than at end portions thereof. A pulse generator is electrically coupled to the TMA, and is configured to supply excitation pulses to the TMA. The excitation pulses are transient, so that each pulse is terminated prior to reaching a steady state amplitude, while having sufficient energy to heat the TMA to its predetermined operational temperature range.