Direction controlled service apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457907-B2
Application number	US-201313863360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A direction controlled service apparatus may include a mounting assembly, a housing assembly configured to operably connect to the mounting assembly, the housing assembly being movable with respect to the mounting assembly, and a plurality of actuators connected between the mounting assembly and the housing assembly, each actuator of the plurality of actuators being configured to contract upon a current being applied to the actuator to rotate the housing assembly with respect to the mounting assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A direction controlled service apparatus comprising:
a mounting assembly;
a housing assembly configured to operably connect to said mounting assembly, said housing assembly being movable with respect to said mounting assembly;
a plurality of actuators connected between said mounting assembly and said housing assembly, wherein each actuator of said plurality of actuators comprises a shape memory alloy wire and contracts upon application of an electric current; and
at least one locking mechanism configured to releasably secure said housing assembly in a fixed position with respect to said mounting assembly, wherein said locking mechanism comprises:
a latch movable between an open and a closed configuration, said latch being configured to operably engage said housing assembly upon being set in said closed configuration;
a latch release movable between an engaged and a disengaged configuration, said latch release being configured to operably engage said latch upon being set in said engaged configuration;
a latch actuator operably connected to said latch, said latch actuator being configured to move said latch into said open configuration; and
a latch release actuator operably connected to said latch release, said latch release actuator being configured to move said latch release into said disengaged configuration;
wherein said latch actuator and said latch release actuator are each configured to contract upon a current being applied to one of said latch actuator or said latch release actuator, said latch actuator and said latch release actuator each comprising a shape memory alloy wire.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one current generating circuit electrically connected to said plurality of actuators, said current generating circuit being configured to apply said electrical current to each actuator of said plurality of actuators.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a control board electrically connected to said at least one current generating circuit;
wherein said control board is configured to receive a wireless signal, said wireless signal representing a position of said housing assembly with respect to said mounting assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said housing assembly comprises a ball-shaped housing, said ball-shaped housing comprising a first ring;
said mounting assembly comprises a socket housing configured to receive said ball-shaped housing, said socket housing comprising a second ring;
each of said actuators of said plurality of actuators being connected between said first ring and said second ring, said plurality of actuators being spaced circumferentially about said first ring and said second ring; and
said ball-shaped housing being configured to rotate with respect to said socket housing upon contraction of at least one actuator of said plurality of actuators.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said actuators comprises a first end connected to said first ring and an opposed second end connected to said second ring.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said actuators comprises a first end and a second end, said first end and said second end each being connected to said first ring and an intermediate location of said actuator being looped about said second ring.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said actuators comprises:
a first coiled section extending from proximate said first end to proximate said intermediate location; and
a second coiled section extending from proximate said second end to proximate said intermediate location.

8. A direction controlled service apparatus comprising:
a mounting assembly;
a housing assembly configured to operably connect to said mounting assembly, said housing assembly being movable with respect to said mounting assembly; and
a plurality of actuators connected between said mounting assembly and said housing assembly, wherein each actuator of said plurality of actuators comprises a shape memory alloy wire and contracts upon application of an electric current, and wherein:
said housing assembly comprises a ball-shaped housing, said ball-shaped housing comprising a first ring;
said mounting assembly comprises a socket housing configured to receive said ball-shaped housing, said socket housing comprising a second ring;
each of said actuators of said plurality of actuators being connected between said first ring and said second ring, said plurality of actuators being spaced circumferentially about said first ring and said second ring; and
said ball-shaped housing being configured to rotate with respect to said socket housing upon contraction of at least one actuator of said plurality of actuators.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one current generating circuit electrically connected to said plurality of actuators, said current generating circuit being configured to apply said electrical current to each actuator of said plurality of actuators.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a control board electrically connected to said at least one current generating circuit;
wherein said control board is configured to receive a wireless signal, said wireless signal representing a position of said housing assembly with respect to said mounting assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising at least one locking mechanism configured to releasably secure said housing assembly in a fixed position with respect to said mounting assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said locking mechanism comprises:
a latch movable between an open and a closed configuration, said latch being configured to operably engage said housing assembly upon being set in said closed configuration;
a latch release movable between an engaged and a disengaged configuration, said latch release being configured to operably engage said latch upon being set in said engaged configuration;
a latch actuator operably connected to said latch, said latch actuator being configured to move said latch into said open configuration; and
a latch release actuator operably connected to said latch release, said latch release actuator being configured to move said latch release into said disengaged configuration;
wherein said latch actuator and said latch release actuator are each configured to contract upon a current being applied to one of said latch actuator or said latch release actuator, said latch actuator and said latch release actuator each comprising a shape memory alloy wire.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said actuators comprises a first end connected to said first ring and an opposed second end connected to said second ring.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of said actuators comprises a first end and a second end, said first end and said second end each being connected to said first ring and an intermediate location of said actuator being looped about said second ring.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of said actuators comprises:
a first coiled section extending from proximate said first end to proximate said intermediate location; and
a second coiled section extending from proximate said second end to proximate said intermediate location.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said ball-shaped housing comprises:
a first opening disposed at an upper end;
a second opening disposed at a lower end; and
a light-emitting diode module connected about said second opening, said light-emitting diode module comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

17. The

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Brown Douglas A
• Cheung Kwun-Wing W

Classifications

• B64D2011/0053

  Cabin passenger reading lights · CPC title

• B64D2011/0038

  Illumination systems for cabins as a whole · CPC title

• B64D13/00 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64D2013/003

  Cabin ventilation nozzles · CPC title