BI-DIRECTIONAL ROTARY SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ELEMENT ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES, AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING THE SAME

• Main Authors: Mabe James Henry, Nicholson Douglas E, Bass Micheal
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.11.2017
• Subjects: BLASTING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MEASURING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOTOTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PHYSICS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

Rotary actuator assemblies, wind tunnels including the same, and associated methods are disclosed. A rotary actuator assembly includes a rotary element and a rotary actuator with a shape memory alloy element. The rotary actuator is configured to generate a first torque and a second torque in opposing rotary directions to rotate the rotary element. A rotary actuator assembly further includes an assist magnetic element and a receiver magnetic element configured to generate a magnetic force therebetween. Wind tunnels include an aerodynamic model with a rotary actuator assembly to rotate a portion of the aerodynamic model with respect to an airstream in a chamber. A method of rotating a rotary element includes modulating a temperature of a shape memory alloy element and applying a supplemental torque to the rotary element with an assist magnetic element and a receiver magnetic element.