THERMALLY DRIVEN PISTON ASSEMBLY AND POSITION CONTROL THEREFOR
摘要
A thermally driven piston assembly's housing has (i) a first material slidingly fitted therein, and (ii) at least one plug of a second material slidingly fitted therein and abutting the first material. The first material is one (e.g., a liquid crystal elastomer) that undergoes a stiffness change and/or a dimensional change when subjected to a temperature change in the temperature range of interest. When subjected to the temperature change while in the housing, the first material is restricted to changing dimensionally along a single dimension. The second material retains its shape and size throughout the temperature range of interest. As a result, the plug moves in the housing in correspondence with the dimensional change of the first material or the plug's movement is damped by the stiffness change of the first material.
申请公布号
WO2006096836(A3)
申请公布日期
2009.05.07
申请号
WO2006US08561
申请日期
2006.03.09
申请人
USA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION;THOMSEN, DONALD, L.;BRYANT, ROBERT, G.