Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090171294 | Single crystal shape memory alloy devices and methods - Devices and methods of making devices having one or more components made of single crystal shape memory alloy capable of large recoverable distortions, defined herein as “hyperelastic” SMA. Recoverable Strains are as large as 9 percent, and in special circumstances as large as 22 percent. Hyperelastic SMAs exhibit no creep or gradual change during repeated cycling because there are no crystal boundaries. Hyperelastic properties are inherent in the single crystal as formed: no cold work or special heat treatment is necessary. Alloy components are Cu—Al—X where X may be Ni, Fe, Co, Mn. Single crystals are pulled from melt as in the Stepanov method and quenched by rapid cooling to prevent selective precipitation of individual elemental components. Conventional methods of finishing are used: milling, turning, electro-discharge machining, abrasion. Fields of application include aerospace, military, automotive, medical devices, microelectronics, and consumer products. | 07-02-2009 |
20110253525 | THIN FILM SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY DEVICE AND METHOD - A thin film device, such as an intravascular stent, is disclosed. The device is formed of a seamless expanse of thin-film (i) formed of a sputtered nitinol shape memory alloy, defining, in an austenitic state, an open, interior volume, having a thickness between 0.5-50 microns, having an austenite finish temperature A | 10-20-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080213062 | CONSTANT LOAD FASTENER - Described herein are fasteners and devices for securing together several components so that the load applied to the components is constant or nearly constant. The fasteners described herein include a hyperelastic member having first end to which a first retainer is coupled and a second end to which a second retainer is coupled. The retainers are configured to contact the structures being fastened and transfer the load from the structures to the hyperelastic member. The hyperelastic member may be an elongate shaft (e.g., a rod, cylinder, strut, etc.), and is a shape memory alloy that is typically fabricated as a single crystal. | 09-04-2008 |
20090035859 | METHOD AND DEVICES FOR PREVENTING RESTENOSIS IN CARDIOVASCULAR STENTS - Described herein are devices and methods fabricating devices having nanostructures that allow adhesion or growth of one cell type, such as endothelial cells, more than another cell type, such as smooth muscle cells. In particular, stent covers having such nanostructures are described, and methods for fabricating these stent covers. Also described herein are methods for optimizing the nanostructures forming the devices. | 02-05-2009 |
20090095493 | FRANGIBLE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY FIRE SPRINKLER VALVE ACTUATOR - A temperature-activated valve for a conventional fire sprinkler utilizing a hyperelastic single-crystal shape memory alloy is described. The shape-memory element expands as it is heated, forcing a bolt to break, thereby opening the sprinkler valve. The devices described are less susceptible to accidental breakage than conventional actuators, and have fewer moving parts. Transition temperature of the shape memory alloy can be tuned to a narrow range. | 04-16-2009 |
20090139613 | HYPERELASTIC SHAPE SETTING DEVICES AND FABRICATION METHODS - Shape-setting methods for fabricating devices made of single crystal shape memory alloys. The method include drawing a single crystal of a shape memory alloy from a melt of the alloy. This is followed by heating and quenching the crystal sufficiently rapid to limit the formation of alloy precipitates to an amount which retains hyperelastic composition and properties of the crystal. | 06-04-2009 |
20090187243 | BIOCOMPATIBLE COPPER-BASED SINGLE-CRYSTAL SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS - We describe herein biocompatible single crystal Cu-based shape memory alloys (SMAs). In particular, we show biocompatibility based on MEM elution cell cytotoxicity, ISO intramuscular implant, and hemo-compatibility tests producing negative cytotoxic results. This biocompatibility may be attributed to the formation of a durable oxide surface layer analogous to the titanium oxide layer that inhibits body fluid reaction to titanium nickel alloys, and/or the non-existence of crystal domain boundaries may inhibit corrosive chemical attack. Methods for controlling the formation of the protective aluminum oxide layer are also described, as are devices including such biocompatible single crystal copper-based SMAs. | 07-23-2009 |
20100006304 | SPRINKLER VALVE WITH ACTIVE ACTUATION - A temperature-activated valve for a conventional fire sprinkler utilizing a hyperelastic single-crystal shape memory alloy is described. The shape-memory element expands as it is heated, forcing a bolt to break, thereby opening the sprinkler valve. The shape memory element typically communicates with the valve so as to force it open. The devices described are less susceptible to accidental breakage than conventional actuators, and have fewer moving parts. Transition temperature of the shape memory alloy can be tuned to a narrow range. | 01-14-2010 |
20110083767 | HYPERELASTIC SHAPE SETTING DEVICES AND FABRICATION METHODS - Shape-setting methods for fabricating devices made of single crystal shape memory alloys. In particular the methods described may be used to fabricate dental arches of single-crystal shape memory alloys. The methods include drawing a single crystal of a shape memory alloy from a melt of the alloy. This is followed by heating, forming, and quenching the crystal sufficiently rapid to limit the formation of alloy precipitates to an amount which retains hyperelastic composition and properties of the crystal. | 04-14-2011 |
20110313513 | METHOD AND DEVICES FOR PREVENTING RESTENOSIS IN CARDIOVASCULAR STENTS - Described herein are devices and methods fabricating devices having nanostructures that allow adhesion or growth of one cell type, such as endothelial cells, more than another cell type, such as smooth muscle cells. In particular, stent covers having such nanostructures are described, and methods for fabricating these stent covers. Also described herein are methods for optimizing the nanostructures forming the devices. | 12-22-2011 |
20120318101 | METHOD OF ALLOYING REACTIVE COMPONENTS - Metal seeds for forming single-crystal shape-memory alloys (SMAs) may be fabricated with high reliability and control by alloying thin films of material together. In particular, described herein are methods of forming AlCuNi SMAs by first producing high-quality seeds (ingots) of copper, aluminum, and nickel to produce for pulling single crystal shape memory alloys, in particular superelastic or hyperelastic alloys. The method is applicable to a wide range of alloys in which one or more of the components are reactive. The method is an improvement upon traditional methods such as mixing and melting pellets. In this improved method, a reactive layer (e.g., aluminum) is provided in thin flat layers between layers of other materials (e.g., copper and layers of nickel). When the stacked layers are vacuum heated in a crucible to the melting temperature of the reactive layer, it becomes reactive and chemically bonds to the other layers, and may form eutectics that, as the temperature is further increased, melt homogeneously and congruently at temperatures below the melting temperatures of copper and nickel. Oxidation and evaporation are greatly reduced compared to other methods of alloying, and loss of material from turbulence is minimized. | 12-20-2012 |
20130177862 | HYPERELASTIC SHAPE SETTING DEVICES AND FABRICATION METHODS - Dental arches of single-crystal shape memory alloys, methods of fabrication and apparatus for fabrication. The methods include drawing a single crystal of a shape memory alloy from a melt of the alloy. This is followed by heating, forming, and quenching the crystal sufficiently rapid to limit the formation of alloy precipitates to an amount which retains hyperelastic composition and properties of the crystal. | 07-11-2013 |
20140076465 | METHOD OF ALLOYING REACTIVE COMPONENTS - Metal ingots for forming single-crystal shape-memory alloys (SMAs) may be fabricated with high reliability and control by alloying thin layers of material together. In this method, a reactive layer (e.g., aluminum) is provided in thin flat layers between layers of other materials (e.g., copper and layers of nickel). When the stacked layers are vacuum heated in a crucible to the melting temperature of the reactive layer, it becomes reactive and chemically bonds to the other layers, and may form eutectics that, as the temperature is further increased, melt homogeneously and congruently at temperatures below the melting temperatures of copper and nickel. Oxidation and evaporation are greatly reduced compared to other methods of alloying, and loss of material from turbulence is minimized. | 03-20-2014 |