Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Morphable body with shape memory material members
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Application No.: US16396872Application Date: 2019-04-29
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Publication No.: US10933974B2Publication Date: 2021-03-02
- Inventor: Ryohei Tsuruta , Taewoo Nam , Eric Smith , Umesh N. Gandhi , Deborah Bumgardner
- Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US TX Plano
- Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US TX Plano
- Agency: Darrow Mustafa PC
- Agent Christopher G. Darrow
- Main IPC: B64C3/38
- IPC: B64C3/38 ; F03G7/06 ; B64C3/54

Abstract:
A body can be configured to be selectively morphable. The body can be at least partially hollow. The body can include a surface. A shape memory material member, such as a shape memory alloy wire, can extend along the surface. The shape memory material member can include a first region, a second region, and a central region located between the first region and the second region. The first and second regions of the shape memory material member can be constrained on the surface, such as by stitches. The central region of the shape memory material member can be unconstrained on the surface. When activated, the shape memory material member can contact, causing the body to bend in the central region due being constrained in the first and second regions. Thus, the body can be morphed into an activated configuration.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200339242A1 MORPHABLE BODY WITH SHAPE MEMORY MATERIAL MEMBERS Public/Granted day:2020-10-29
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