Autodynamic flexible circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200869-B2
Application number	US-202218052165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2022
Priority date	Nov 2, 2022
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

A dynamic flex circuit includes a plurality of hole sets arranged along the dynamic flexible circuit. The dynamic flex circuit also includes a plurality of actuator wires coupled to the dynamic flexible circuit by way of intertwining each of the plurality of actuator wires through each hole set in the plurality of hole sets arrange along the dynamic flexible circuit. Each of the plurality of actuator wires are configured to impart a motion onto the dynamic flexible circuit depending on the amount of heat applied to each of the plurality of actuator wires.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dynamic flexible circuit, comprising:
a plurality of hole sets arranged along the dynamic flexible circuit; and
one or more of actuator wires coupled to the dynamic flexible circuit, each of the one or more wires are intertwined through each hole set in the plurality of hole sets arrange along the dynamic flexible circuit, wherein
each of the one or more of actuator wires are configured to impart a motion onto the dynamic flexible circuit depending on an amount of heat applied to each of the one or more of actuator wires.

2. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of actuator wires are made of alloy comprising nickel or titanium, all of which are configured to change in shape when exposed to heat.

3. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of actuator wires are nitinol shape memory alloys configured to be in a first shape or a second shape.

4. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of holes sets are arranged on the dynamic flexible circuit in a row and column format.

5. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of wires are connected to the dynamic flexible circuit by way of looping, adhesive or plastic staking, soldering, trapping, coating and looping, or curling.

6. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of actuator wires comprises two or more actuator wires, the two or more actuator wires comprises a first wire configured to be exposed mostly on top of the dynamic flexible circuit and a second wire configured to be exposed mostly below the dynamic flexible circuit.

7. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
memory comprising a set of instructions, wherein
the set of instructions is configured to control a position, orientation, or configuration of the flexible circuit via a feedback loop sensed by a light emitting diode (LED) emitter and detector, a change in resistance, capacitance or inductance, a magnetic sensor, MEMS gyroscope, MEMS accelerometer, or MEMS magnetometer.

8. The dynamic flexible circuit of claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more actuator wires is energized forcing an appendage or the dynamic flexible circuit to change from a first state to a second state, and
another one of the one or more of actuator wires is configured to return the appendage or the dynamic flexible circuit from the second state to the first state, or
straight elongated material affixed to the appendage or the dynamic flexible circuit, configured to return the appendage from the second state to the first state.

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Fuller Jerome K
• Sheerin Todd Fillmore

Classifications

• H05K1/118

  specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions · CPC title

• H05K3/363

  by soldering · CPC title

• B64C3/56

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64U30/12

  Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep · CPC title

• B64G1/446

  Thermal solar power generation · CPC title