摘要 |
A thermally-activated material assembly transformable between an actuated condition and a non-actuated condition including an actuator material that, in response to being heated and cooled above/below an actuation temperature, causes the actuator element to actuate from a non-actuated shape to an actuated shape, and vice versa, respectively. The assembly also includes a drive mechanism connected to the actuator element and a phase-change material (PCM) associated with the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism causes the PCM to either (i) directly engage the actuator element when the actuator assembly is in the non-actuated condition and to be disengaged from the actuator element when the actuator assembly is in the actuated condition or (ii) directly engage the actuator element when the actuator assembly is in the actuated condition and to be disengaged from the actuator element when the actuator assembly is in the non-actuated condition.
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