THERMAL BYPASS VALVE USING SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS

• Main Authors: JOHNSON NANCY L, BROWN JAMES HOLBROOK, GAO XIUJIE, SEMEL RONALD R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.08.2015
• Subjects: BLASTING; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; CRANKCASE VENTILATING; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GEARING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; STEAM ENGINES; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A transmission fluid circuit for regulating the flow of a fluid includes a transmission, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a spool, and an actuator including a smart material. The spool is movable inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The smart material is configured to be in an activated state in response to the fluid exhibiting at least a first temperature and to be in a deactivated state in response to the fluid being a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature. The fluid flows from the housing to the transmission and from the transmission to the housing when the spool is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler, from the cooler to the transmission, and from the transmission to the housing when the spool is in the second position.