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:
May. 26, 2015
Filed:
Oct. 20, 2010
Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Alan L. Browne, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US);
Patrick B. Usoro, Troy, MI (US);
Nilesh D. Mankame, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Xiujie Gao, Troy, MI (US);
Geoffrey P. Mcknight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Christopher P. Henry, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Alan L. Browne, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US);
Patrick B. Usoro, Troy, MI (US);
Nilesh D. Mankame, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Xiujie Gao, Troy, MI (US);
Geoffrey P. McKnight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Christopher P. Henry, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of controlling an energy harvesting system that converts excess thermal energy into mechanical energy and includes a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) member, includes obtaining current operational parameters of the energy harvesting system, such as a maximum temperature, a minimum temperature and a cycle frequency of the SMA member. The current operational parameters are compared to a target operating condition of the energy harvesting system to determine if the current operational parameters are within a pre-defined range of the target operating condition. If the current operational parameters are not within the pre-defined range of the target operating condition, then a heat transfer rate to, a heat transfer rate from or a cycle frequency of the SMA member is adjusted to maintain operation of the energy harvesting system within the pre-defined range of the target operating condition to maximize efficiency of the energy harvesting system.