US Patent Number
6916115
Publication Date
7-12-2005
Abstract
Instruments and methods for measuring a property of a shape memory alloy are provided. The instrument includes a base plate, a non-contact movable mass, a force gauge, an actuator, a biasing spring, a heater for heating the shape memory alloy, and a non-contact displacement detector. The biasing spring and the shape memory alloy are disposed whereby a force applied thereby is applied substantially through a center of stiffness of the movable mass. The displacement detector measures a displacement of the movable mass in a colinear direction with a direction of movement of the movable mass and with a direction of the force applied by the biasing spring and the shape memory alloy. The linear motion stage comprises a housing and at least one guide bar, and wherein a calculated axial expansion of the guide bar is substantially equal to a calculated axial expansion of the base plate.
Assignees
University of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington, KY (US)
Application Number
10/792,974
Filing Date
03/04/2004
Recommended Citation
Vallance, Robert Ryan; Walcott, Bruce L.; Lumpp, James E.; Chikkamaranahalli, Sumanth; Rawashdeh, Osamah A.; and Wolsing, Eric, "System and Device for Characterizing Shape Memory Alloy Wires" (2005). Mechanical Engineering Faculty Patents. 7.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/me_patents/7
