FLUID ROUTING DEVICE HAVING A SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY MEMBER

摘要

The subject invention provides a fluid routing device (20) for directing the transportation of a fluid including a housing (22) defining first (40) and second (42) corridors selectively fluidly coupled to one another, and a valve assembly (72) capable of alternating between an open configuration fluidly coupling the first (40) and second (42) corridors and a closed configuration fluidly separating the first (40) and second (42) corridors. A shape memory alloy member (132) alternates between a de-energized state and an energized state. A link (118) is pivotably mounted to the housing (22) and is coupled between the valve assembly (72) and the shape memory alloy member (132). The link (118) pivots between a first position when the shape memory alloy member (132) is in the de-energized state and a second position when the shape memory alloy member (132) is in the energized state which alternates the valve assembly (72) between the closed configuration and the open configuration for selectively fluidly coupling the first (40) and second (42) corridors.