Solid-state motor and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995288-B2
Application number	US-201615009223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2016
Priority date	Jan 28, 2016
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

Described herein is a motor comprising a first rotatable member and an anchor, spaced apart from the first rotatable member. The motor also comprises a belt, in tension about the first rotatable member and the anchor. The belt is co-rotatably engaged with the first rotatable member. Further, the belt is made from a shape-memory alloy. Additionally, the motor comprises a thermal regulation device, positioned between spaced-apart first and second portions of the belt. The thermal regulation device is also configured to concurrently cool the first portion of the belt to contract the first portion of the belt and heat the second portion of the belt to expand the second portion of the belt. Concurrent contraction and expansion of the first and second portions of the belt cause rotation of the belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motor, comprising:
a first rotatable member;
an anchor, spaced apart from the first rotatable member;
a belt, in tension about the first rotatable member and the anchor, the belt being co-rotatably engaged with the first rotatable member, wherein the belt is made from a shape-memory alloy; and
a thermal regulation device comprising a heat generating element, the heat generating element positioned at least partially in a gap between spaced-apart first and second portions of the belt and configured to concurrently cool the first portion of the belt to contract the first portion of the belt and heat the second portion of the belt to expand the second portion of the belt, wherein concurrent contraction and expansion of the first and second portions of the belt cause rotation of the belt.

2. The motor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the anchor comprises a second rotatable member; and
the belt is co-rotatably engaged with the second rotatable member.

3. The motor according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotatable member comprises a drive shaft.

4. The motor according to claim 3 , wherein the first rotatable member further comprises a wheel co-rotatably coupled to the drive shaft.

5. The motor according to claim 1 , further comprising spaced-apart first and second guide elements engaged with the belt, wherein the first and second guide elements cooperate with the anchor to:
position the first portion of the belt a first distance away from the thermal regulation device; and
position the second portion of the belt a second distance away from the thermal regulation device.

6. The motor according to claim 5 , wherein the first distance and the second distance are constant along an entire length of the thermal regulation device.

7. The motor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the thermal regulation device comprises a first surface directly adjacent the first portion of the belt;
the thermal regulation device comprises a second surface directly adjacent the second portion of the belt;
the thermal regulation device is selectively operable to generate a first temperature of the first surface and a second temperature of the second surface; and
the first temperature is different than the second temperature.

8. The motor according to claim 7 , wherein:
the thermal regulation device is powered by an electrical power signal; and
the first temperature and the second temperature are inversely proportionally adjustable by adjusting a current of the electrical power signal.

9. The motor according to claim 7 , wherein:
the thermal regulation device comprises at least one heat transfer element, positioned between and thermally coupled with the first and second surfaces of the thermal regulation device; and
the at least one heat transfer element comprises a P-element made from a P-type semiconductor material and an N-element made from an N-type semiconductor material.

10. The motor according to claim 9 , wherein the thermal regulation device comprises an array of heat transfer elements.

11. The motor according to claim 7 , wherein:
in a first operational mode, the first temperature is higher than the second temperature to cause rotation of the belt in a first rotational direction; and
in a second operational mode, the first temperature is lower than the second temperature to cause rotation of the belt in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction.

12. The motor according to claim 1 , further comprising a control module operably coupled with the thermal regulation device, wherein the control module is configured to:
activate the thermal regulation device, to cause the first rotatable member to rotate;
change a power input to the thermal regulation device, to adjust a rotational speed of the first rotational member; and
deactivate the thermal regulation device, to cause the first rotatable member to stop rotating.

13. The motor according to claim 12 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor, configured to sense a temperature of the thermal regulation device, wherein the control module modulates the thermal regulation device, to adjust a rotational speed of the first rotational member, based, at least in part, on the temperature of the thermal regulation device sensed by the at least one temperature sensor.

14. An aircraft, comprising:
an actuatable element; and
a motor, coupled with the actuatable element and operable to actuate the actuatable element, wherein the motor comprises:
a first rotatable member;
an anchor, spaced apart from the first rotatable member;
a belt, in tension about the first rotatable member and the anchor, the belt being co-rotatably engaged with the first rotatable member, wherein the belt is made from a shape-memory alloy; and
a thermal regulation device comprising a heat generating element, the heat generating element positioned at least partially in a gap between spaced-apart first and second portions of the belt and configured to concurrently cool the first portion of the belt to contract the first portion of the belt and heat the second portion of the belt to expand the second portion of the belt, wherein concurrent contraction and expansion of the first and second portions of the belt causes rotation of the belt.

15. A method of rotating a first rotatable member, comprising:
co-rotatably coupling a belt, made from a shape-memory alloy, with the first rotatable member;
cooling, with a thermal regulation device comprising a heat generating element, a first portion of the belt to contract the first portion of the belt; and
while cooling the first portion of the belt, heating, with a thermal regulation device, a second portion of the belt to expand the second portion of the belt, the heat generating element positioned at least partially in a gap between the first and second portions of the belt.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein cooling the first portion of the belt and heating the second portion of the belt comprises transmitting an electrical current through a P-N element, comprising a P-element made from a P-type semiconductor material and an N-element made from an N-type semiconductor material.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
the first portion of the belt is cooled and the second portion of the belt is heated by a thermal regulation device positioned between the first portion of the belt and the second portion of the belt; and
the method further comprises:
determining a temperature of the thermal regulation device; and
adjusting the temperature of the thermal regulation device if the temperature of the thermal regulation device is not within a predetermined temperature threshold.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
determining a rotational speed of the belt; and
adjusting the temperature of the thermal regulation device if the rotational speed of the belt is not within a predetermined speed threshold.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising transmitting an electrical power signal to the thermal regulation device, wherein adjusting the temperature of the thermal regulation device comprises changing a current of the electrical power signal.

20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
cooling the first portion of the belt and heating the second portion of the belt rotates the belt in a first rotational direction; and
the method further comprises heating the first portion of the belt and cooling the second portion of the belt to

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Safai Morteza
• Meredith Kimberly D

Classifications

• F03G7/0614 Primary

  using shape memory elements · CPC title

• F03G7/064

  characterised by its use · CPC title

• G05D23/27535

  Details of the sensing element · CPC title

• B64C13/30 Primary

  using cable, chain, or rod mechanisms · CPC title

• F03G7/065 Primary

  using a shape memory element · CPC title