A bypass system has a source of a fluid to be cooled and a heat exchanger for selectively cooling fluid. A piston is moveable along an axis allowing movement of a valve poppet toward and away from the valve seat. The piston moves with a rigid seal carrier. The rigid seal carrier and the piston move within a valve housing. A wax element is disposed on an opposed axial side of the rigid seal carrier relative to a chamber, such that the wax element expands as a temperature of the fluid to be cooled increases, and causes the valve poppet to move against the valve seat. A bypass valve is also disclosed.

A wind turbine rotor blade, with a length, a rotor blade root, a rotor blade tip, a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an air guide for heated air to guide heated air inside of the rotor blade and along a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade from the rotor blade root in the direction of the rotor blade tip. The wind turbine rotor blade additionally comprises at least one passively controllable air control element in the area of the air guide. The invention further relates to a wind turbine with at least one wind turbine rotor blade.

An asymmetric bistable shape memory alloy inertial actuator capable of preventing accidental actuation caused by environmental temperature variations but preserving temperature-related safety features and its use in devices.

In an embodiment, an article comprises a plurality of structural units, wherein each structural unit comprises a first portion; a second portion; wherein the second portion contacts the first portion; and a third portion; wherein the third portion is in communication with the first portion and the second portion and is more compressible than the first portion and the second portion; wherein the first portion comprises a first shape memory alloy having a first preset state and wherein the second portion comprises a second shape memory alloy that has a second preset state; wherein the second preset state is different from the first preset state.

A circuit arrangement to control at least one valve includes at least one actuator with at least one positioning element adjustable between at least one first position and a second position. At least one driver unit activates the actuator and a control unit operates the driver unit. At least one air mass measuring device measures an air mass flowing through the valve. The control unit processes an output signal of the air mass measuring device. Valves, valve arrangements, seat comfort systems, and methods all use such circuit arrangements.

In a spring-woven fabric, a manufacturing method for the spring-woven fabric, a flexible actuator using the spring-woven fabric, a wearable robot comprising the flexible actuator, and a massage device comprising the flexible actuator, the spring-woven fabric is configured to be contracted or relaxed by external power supply. The fabric includes a thermal response drive element and a wire. The thermal response drive element has a spring shape, and is configured to function as one of a warp and a weft. The wire is configured to function as the remaining of the warp and the weft.

There is provided a method of driving a shape memory alloy haptic assembly comprising an actuator comprising shape memory alloy that is arranged on actuation to provide a haptic effect, the method comprising supplying drive current to the actuator successively during a pre-heating period in which the temperature of the shape memory alloy is raised without causing the shape memory alloy to provide the haptic effect and during an actuation period in which the temperature of the shape memory alloy is raised so as to cause the shape memory alloy to provide the haptic effect. A shape memory alloy haptic assembly is also provided.

A cooling system includes a coolant source to cool down components of a processing chamber and a return line for the coolant coupled between the processing chamber and the coolant source. The return line has a valve, which includes a flow compartment having a first inlet and an outlet that support a default flow rate of the coolant, the flow compartment also having a second inlet. The valve has a plunger with a tip to variably open and close the second inlet to vary a flow rate of the coolant from the default flow rate. The valve has a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring positioned on the plunger between a side of the valve and the tip, the SMA spring attached to the tip to variably withdraw the tip from the second inlet in response to a rise in temperature of the coolant above a threshold temperature value.

An asymmetric bistable shape memory alloy inertial actuator capable of preventing accidental actuation caused by environmental temperature variations but preserving temperature-related safety features and its use in devices.

A vehicle seat can be configured to provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. Shape memory material members can be operatively positioned with respect to a seat portion of the vehicle seat. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated by an activation input. When activated, the shape memory material members can engage a seat pan so as to cause the seat pan to tilt in a respective lateral direction. As a result, a seat cushion supported by the seat pan can also tilt in the respective lateral direction. The seat cushion can be tilted in a lateral direction that is opposite to the direction of the lateral acceleration. Thus, the effects of lateral acceleration felt by a seat occupant can be reduced. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration.