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, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 28, 2013
Applicant:
Cambridge Mechatronics Limited, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Inventors:
Mark George Easton, Cambridge, GB;
David Charles William Richards, Cambridge, GB;
Assignee:
CAMBRIDGE MECHATRONICS LIMITED, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03B 5/00 (2006.01); F03G 7/06 (2006.01); G03B 3/10 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
F03G 7/065 (2013.01); G03B 3/10 (2013.01); G03B 5/00 (2013.01); G03B 2205/0046 (2013.01); G03B 2205/0076 (2013.01);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for actuating a shape-memory alloy actuator. An example method comprises a measurement phase, in which a voltage is applied across a bridge comprising a sense resistor to measure the resistance of the shape-memory alloy actuator, and a drive phase, in which a bypass unit is used to bypass the sense resistor while still driving current through the shape-memory alloy actuator in order to drive the shape-memory alloy actuator.