Bi-directional rotary shape memory alloy element actuator assemblies, and systems and methods including the same
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G01M-009/00
F03G-007/06
G01M-009/02
G01M-009/08
출원번호
US-0163011
(2016-05-24)
등록번호
US-9897078
(2018-02-20)
발명자
/ 주소
Nicholson, Douglas E.
Bass, Micheal
Mabe, James Henry
출원인 / 주소
The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소
DASCENZO Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
15
초록▼
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 opposin
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.
대표청구항▼
1. A wind tunnel for testing an aerodynamic model, the wind tunnel comprising: a chamber extending in a longitudinal direction;an airstream source configured to generate an airstream in the chamber with an airstream flow direction generally parallel to the longitudinal direction; andan aerodynamic m
1. A wind tunnel for testing an aerodynamic model, the wind tunnel comprising: a chamber extending in a longitudinal direction;an airstream source configured to generate an airstream in the chamber with an airstream flow direction generally parallel to the longitudinal direction; andan aerodynamic model positioned in the chamber to receive an aerodynamic load force from the airstream;wherein the aerodynamic model includes an actuator assembly configured to rotate a portion of the aerodynamic model with respect to the airstream flow direction to test an aerodynamic property of the aerodynamic model, wherein the actuator assembly includes:an actuator mount;a rotary actuator coupled to the actuator mount and configured to generate a first torque in a first rotary direction and a second torque in a second rotary direction that is opposite the first rotary direction;a rotary element coupled to the rotary actuator, wherein the rotary element has an angular position in an angular range of motion, and further wherein the rotary element is configured to:(i) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the first rotary direction responsive to receipt of the first torque from the rotary actuator; and(ii) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the second rotary direction responsive to receipt of the second torque from the rotary actuator;an assist magnetic element mounted on the actuator mount;a receiver magnetic element mounted on the rotary element; anda thermal control unit configured to regulate a temperature of at least a portion of the rotary actuator;wherein the rotary actuator includes a shape memory alloy element configured to generate the first torque and the second torque responsive to the thermal control unit regulating a temperature of the shape memory alloy element; and wherein the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element are configured to generate a magnetic force therebetween when the angular position of the rotary element is in a magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion, wherein the magnetic assist portion is a subset of the angular range of motion. 2. The wind tunnel of claim 1, wherein the angular range of motion includes a neutral position in which the rotary element is generally parallel to the airstream flow direction, wherein the aerodynamic load force applies a load torque in the second rotary direction when the rotary element is rotated in the first rotary direction relative to the neutral position, wherein the aerodynamic load force applies the load torque in the first rotary direction when the rotary element is rotated in the second rotary direction relative to the neutral position, and wherein the shape memory alloy element is configured to generate at least one of the first torque and the second torque to at least one of balance the load torque and oppose the load torque. 3. The wind tunnel of claim 1, wherein the rotary element is a control surface of a model aircraft, wherein the control surface rotates in the first rotary direction when the thermal control unit increases the temperature of the shape memory alloy element, wherein the control surface rotates in the second rotary direction when the thermal control unit decreases the temperature of the shape memory alloy element, and wherein the magnetic force between the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element opposes the load torque in the first rotary direction when the angular position of the rotary element is in the magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion. 4. A bi-directional rotary shape memory alloy element actuator assembly, the actuator assembly comprising: an actuator mount;a rotary actuator coupled to the actuator mount and configured to generate a first torque in a first rotary direction and a second torque in a second rotary direction that is opposite the first rotary direction;a rotary element coupled to the rotary actuator, wherein the rotary element has an angular position in an angular range of motion, and further wherein the rotary element is configured to:(i) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the first rotary direction responsive to receipt of the first torque from the rotary actuator; and(ii) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the second rotary direction responsive to receipt of the second torque from the rotary actuator;an assist magnetic element mounted to the actuator mount;a receiver magnetic element mounted on the rotary element; anda thermal control unit configured to regulate a temperature of at least a portion of the rotary actuator;wherein the rotary actuator includes a shape memory alloy element configured to generate the first torque and the second torque responsive to the thermal control unit regulating a temperature of the shape memory alloy element; and wherein the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element are configured to generate a magnetic force therebetween when the angular position of the rotary element is in a magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion, wherein the magnetic assist portion is a subset of the angular range of motion. 5. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the shape memory alloy element is configured to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. 6. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the rotary actuator includes a single shape memory alloy element configured to generate both the first torque and the second torque. 7. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the shape memory alloy element is configured to transform from a martensite state to an austenite state responsive to the thermal control unit increasing the temperature of the shape memory alloy element, wherein the shape memory alloy element is configured to transform from the austenite state to the martensite state responsive to the thermal control unit decreasing the temperature of the shape memory alloy element, wherein the rotary actuator is configured to apply the first torque to the rotary element in the first rotary direction when the shape memory alloy element transforms from the martensite state to the austenite state, wherein the rotary actuator is configured to apply the second torque to the rotary element in the second rotary direction when the shape memory alloy element transforms from the austenite state to the martensite state, wherein a first magnitude of the first torque is greater than a second magnitude of the second torque, wherein the magnetic force is configured to apply a supplemental torque to the rotary element in the second rotary direction, wherein the supplemental torque and the second torque are applied simultaneously to rotate the rotary element in the second rotary direction, and wherein the supplemental torque is applied to the rotary element only when the angular position of the rotary element is in the magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion. 8. The actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the actuator assembly utilizes only the shape memory alloy element, the assist magnetic element, and the receiver magnetic element to generate the first torque, the second torque, and the supplemental torque. 9. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the rotary element is configured to rotate in the first rotary direction when the only torsional force applied to the rotary element is the first torque applied by the rotary actuator, and wherein the rotary element is configured to rotate in the second rotary direction when the only torsional force applied to the rotary element is the second torque applied by the rotary actuator. 10. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the rotary actuator includes a shape memory alloy torque tube. 11. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the magnetic assist portion includes at least 5% and at most 35% of the angular range of motion. 12. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the magnetic force between the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element is less than a threshold magnetic force when the angular position of the rotary element is outside the magnetic assist portion, wherein the magnetic force between the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element is a maximum magnetic force when the angular position of the rotary element minimizes a separation distance between the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element, and further wherein a magnitude of the threshold magnetic force is at most 5% of a magnitude of the maximum magnetic force. 13. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the assist magnetic element includes at least one of an assist permanent magnet, an assist rare earth magnet, an assist electromagnet, and an assist ferromagnetic material, and wherein the receiver magnetic element includes at least one of a receiver permanent magnet, a receiver rare earth magnet, a receiver electromagnet, and a receiver ferromagnetic material. 14. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the assist magnetic element has an assist magnetic moment, wherein the receiver magnetic element has a receiver magnetic moment, and wherein the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element are configured such that the assist magnetic moment and the receiver magnetic moment are generally parallel when the angular position of the rotary element is within the magnetic assist portion, and such that the assist magnetic moment and the receiver magnetic moment are generally misaligned when the angular position of the rotary element is outside the magnetic assist portion. 15. The actuator assembly of claim 14, wherein the assist magnetic element has an assist element surface with an assist element normal direction, wherein the receiver magnetic element has a receiver element surface with a receiver element normal direction, wherein the assist element normal direction and the receiver element normal direction are separated by a magnet offset angle, wherein the magnet offset angle is less than a threshold magnet offset angle when the angular position of the rotary element is in the magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion, and wherein the magnet offset angle is greater than the threshold magnet offset angle when the angular position of the rotary element is not in the magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion. 16. The actuator assembly of claim 15, wherein the threshold magnet offset angle is at least one of at least 5 degrees, at least 10 degrees, at least 20 degrees, at least 30 degrees, at least 40 degrees, at least 50 degrees, at least 60 degrees, at least 70 degrees, at least 80 degrees, less than 90 degrees, less than 85 degrees, less than 75 degrees, less than 65 degrees, less than 55 degrees, less than 45 degrees, less than 35 degrees, less than 25 degrees, less than 15 degrees, and less than 7 degrees. 17. The actuator assembly of claim 4, wherein the actuator assembly further includes a status signal generator configured to generate and transmit a status signal, wherein the status signal includes information regarding at least one of the temperature of the shape memory alloy element, a load force applied to the rotary element, the angular position of the rotary element, a load direction applied to the rotary element, a load magnitude applied to the rotary element, and a magnitude of the magnetic force generated between the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element. 18. The actuator assembly of claim 17, wherein the actuator assembly further includes a feedback control unit configured to receive the status signal and, responsive to the receiving the status signal, to generate and transmit a feedback control signal to the thermal control unit to regulate the angular position of the rotary element, wherein the feedback control signal includes at least one command configured to at least one of: regulate a torque applied to the rotary element by the rotary actuator; andregulate the angular position of the rotary element via the rotary actuator. 19. The actuator assembly of claim 17, wherein at least one of the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element includes an electromagnet, wherein the actuator assembly further includes an electromagnet control unit configured to modulate a variable magnetic field generated by the electromagnet, and wherein the feedback control signal includes a command to vary a magnitude of the variable magnetic field. 20. A method of rotating a rotary element in two rotary directions through an angular range of motion, the method comprising: providing an actuator assembly that includes: an actuator mount;a rotary actuator coupled to the actuator mount and configured to generate a first torque in a first rotary direction and a second torque in a second rotary direction that is opposite the first rotary direction;a rotary element coupled to the rotary actuator, wherein the rotary element has an angular position in an angular range of motion, and further wherein the rotary element is configured to:(i) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the first rotary direction responsive to receipt of the first torque from the rotary actuator; and(ii) rotate with respect to the actuator mount in the second rotary direction responsive to receipt of the second torque from the rotary actuator;an assist magnetic element statically coupled to the actuator mount;a receiver magnetic element mounted on the rotary element; anda thermal control unit configured to regulate a temperature of at least a portion of the rotary actuator;wherein the rotary actuator includes a shape memory alloy element configured to generate the first torque and the second torque responsive to the thermal control unit regulating a temperature of the shape memory alloy element; and wherein the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element are configured to generate a magnetic force therebetween when the angular position of the rotary element is in a magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion, wherein the magnetic assist portion is a subset of the angular range of motion;increasing the temperature of the shape memory alloy element to rotate the rotary element in the first rotary direction;decreasing the temperature of the shape memory alloy element to rotate the rotary element in the second rotary direction; andapplying a supplemental torque to the rotary element with the assist magnetic element and the receiver magnetic element when the angular position of the rotary element is in the magnetic assist portion of the angular range of motion.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (15)
Jee, Kwang Koo, Actuator using shape memory alloy.
Mabe, James H.; Calkins, Frederick T.; Bushnell, Glenn S.; Bieniawski, Stefan R., Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods.
Griffiths, Robert C.; Mabe, James Henry; Bieniawski, Stefan; Calkins, Frederick; Brown, Jonathan K.; Butterfield, Ordie Dean; Irvine, Frank Bruce, Remotely controlled and thermally managed system for actuation of components in a wind tunnel model.
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