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:
Mar. 07, 2017
Filed:
May. 06, 2014
GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);
Alan L. Browne, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Xiujie Gao, Troy, MI (US);
Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US);
Christopher B. Churchill, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Guillermo A. Herrera, Winnetka, CA (US);
Geoffrey P. McKnight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of testing a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated device includes cyclically operating the device. The method further includes determining a number of cycles in a functional life of the device based on observations of the device during the cyclical operation. The functional life is a range of consecutive cycles of operation of the device beginning with a first cycle during which the device performs within a specified limit. The functional life is immediately followed by a cycle during which the device performs outside of the specified limit. The method still further includes applying a progressive substitution sub-process to identify an opportunity to increase the number of cycles in the functional life of the device.