A shoe closure device comprising: a housing including a top cover portion and a bottom cover portion; a shape memory shoe fastener; a first electrically-powered heater positioned above the shape-memory shoe fastener; a second electrically-powered heater positioned beneath the shape memory shoe fastener; a rechargeable battery positioned within the housing and electrically communicating with each of the first and second electrically-powered heaters; a controller electrically communicating with the rechargeable battery and positioned within the housing, the controller including a microprocessor, a battery charging control circuit, and a wireless charging receiver, the controller configured to heat the shape memory shoe fastener to return each of the shape memory polymer strips to the shape-recovered configuration to close a shoe; an actuator communicating with the controller to actuate the controller to heat the shape memory shoe fastener.

A nut runner apparatus for screw-coupling a nut to a bolt, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, includes a nut socket into which the nut is removably inserted, a heating device that heats the nut to thermally expand the nut, an actuating device that rotates the nut socket to screw-couple the nut thermally expanded by the heating device to the bolt, and a cooling device that cools the nut screw-coupled to the bolt to thermally contract the nut.

The present application refers to a connection for connecting hydraulic tubing as used by subsea devices, by using a shaped memory alloy material. The sleeve connection made of a shaped memory alloy material is originally manufactured with an internal diameter shorter than the external diameter of the tubing, internally has a cover material made of dielectric material and, most internally, has a layer of an anti-corrosive material which is contiguous to the external face of said tubing The layer of an anti-corrosive material internally has protruding portions designed to grasp the external surface of the tubing, forming streaks.

A formed body of CuAlMn-based shape-memory alloy may include a screw portion, wherein the screw portion is a form-rolled portion. A method for producing a formed body of CuAlMn-based shape-memory alloy may involve forming a screw portion having superelasticity by plastically working at least a portion of a material for the formed body with form-rolling in a state that a crystal structure is an A2-type structure and then, subjecting heat-treatment so as to convert the A2-type crystal structure into an L.sub.21-type crystal structure. The screw portion can be formed with good working property, and has excellent fatigue resistance and breaking resistance.

A layered composite assembly may include a plurality of composite fiber layers stacked onto one another. Each of the plurality of composite fiber layers may include a main body including a plurality of composite fibers. The main body may be pre-impregnated with at least one resin. Each composite fiber layer also includes a plurality of layer-securing pins secured to the main body. The layer-securing pins are configured to mechanically connect the main body to an adjacent composite fiber layer.

A fastening device having a bellows-like or accordion-like structure made of a material that changes shape when activated by a catalyst, and having pleated or foldable zigzag elements that contract from an extended state to a contracted state upon activation. These elements are formed from zig and zag segments of various shapes. The shape changing material may be a shape memory metal alloy, shape memory polymer or elastic memory composite. A method of using this fastener provides apposition and compression of abutment surfaces to join together two pieces of material, and is suitable for joining apposing bone surfaces together to heal fractures via the use of orthopedic hardware.

An optical assembly for an endoscope, the optical assembly including: an objective tube; and at least one optical element held in the objective tube; wherein the objective tube comprises at least one region acting as a clamping mount for the at least one optical element, and the at least one region of the objective tube acting as the clamping mount is at least sectionally formed of a shape-memory material.

An anchor including shape memory metals, shape memory polymers or a combination thereof. The anchor has surgical and nonsurgical uses.

A connecting element for the force- and/or form-fitting connection of a first component to a second component is provided, having a connecting portion having a shape memory material. Furthermore, a reinforcement and the use of the connecting element is provided.

A microfluidic device, including a controllable shape-changing micropillar where a shape of the shape-changing micropillar is changed by a fluid.