Moveable joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10830219-B2
Application number	US-201716335466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A moveable joint including a first member and a second member moveably connected to the first member, a shape-memory-alloy member coupled to the first member and engageable with the second member, and a biasing member configured to bias the second member from a first position relative to the first member towards a second position relative to the first member. Movement of the second member between the first position and the second position is limited by the shape-memory-alloy member such that the position of the second member relative to the first member is determined by the shape of the shape-memory-alloy member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A moveable joint comprising:
a first member;
a second member moveably connected to the first member;
a shape-memory-alloy member connected to the first member and engageable with the second member, the shape-memory-alloy member being configured to change shape when heated; and

a biasing means configured to bias the second member from a first position relative to the first member towards a second position relative to the first member;
wherein movement of the second member between the first position and the second position is limited by the shape-memory-alloy member such that the position of the second member relative to the first member is determined by the shape of the shape-memory-alloy member;
wherein when the shape-memory-alloy member is in a deformed shape, the second member is in the first position relative to the first member, and when the shape-memory-alloy member is energized to return to its original shape, the second member moves to the second position relative to the first member; and
wherein when the shape-memory-alloy member is in its original shape, the second member is moveable relative to the shape-memory-alloy member.

2. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein, intermediate of the first position and the second position, the position of the second member relative to the first member is determined by the shape of the shape-memory-alloy member.

3. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein the second member is rotatable about the first member.

4. A moveable joint according to claim 3 , wherein the second member is hingedly connected to the first member.

5. A moveable joint according to claim 4 , wherein the second member comprises a shaft receivable by the first member such that the second member is hingedly rotatable relative to the first member.

6. A moveable joint according to claim 5 , wherein the first member comprises one or more v-shaped grooves configured to receive the shaft of the second member.

7. A moveable joint according to claim 6 , wherein the first member comprises a v-shaped groove at opposing ends of the first member configured to receive the shaft of the second member.

8. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein the first member is configured to adjust the position of the second member.

9. A moveable joint according to claim 7 , wherein the first member comprises a flexible material such that opposing ends of the first member are moveable relative to a centre of the first member.

10. A moveable joint according to claim 9 , wherein opposing ends of the first member are moveable relative to the centre of the first member such that the v-shaped groove at opposing ends of the first member is configured to adjust the position of the second member relative to the centre of the first member.

11. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , further comprising a heating means configured to heat the shape-memory-alloy member such to change its shape.

12. A moveable joint according to claim 11 , wherein the heating means extends substantially along the length of the shape-memory-alloy member.

13. A moveable joint according to claim 12 , wherein the heating means comprises a wire.

14. A moveable joint according to claim 13 , wherein the heating means comprises a constantan wire.

15. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing means comprises a spring.

16. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein the shape-memory-alloy member comprises a one-way shape-memory-alloy.

17. A moveable joint according to claim 1 , wherein the shape-memory-alloy member comprises nitinol.

18. A satellite comprising a moveable joint according to claim 1 .

19. A satellite according to claim 18 , wherein the second member of the moveable joint comprises a mirror.

20. A satellite comprising a movable joint comprising:
a first member;
a second member moveably connected to the first member;
a shape-memory-alloy member connected to the first member and engageable with the second member, the shape-memory-alloy member being configured to change shape when heated; and
a biasing means configured to bias the second member from a first position relative to the first member towards a second position relative to the first member;
wherein movement of the second member between the first position and the second position is limited by the shape-memory-alloy member such that the position of the second member relative to the first member is determined by the shape of the shape-memory-alloy member.

Assignees

• Res & Innovation Uk
• The Science And Tech Facilities Council

Inventors

• Pearson David

Classifications

• F03G7/06143 Primary

  Wires · CPC title

• F16F3/02

  with springs made of steel or of other material having low internal friction · CPC title

• F16F1/121

  adjustable, e.g. to modify spring characteristics · CPC title

• F16F2224/0258

  Shape-memory metals, e.g. Ni-Ti alloys · CPC title

• B64G1/222

  for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state · CPC title