Presently disclosed self-regulating thermal insulation may include one or more thermal actuators that may expand and contract in response to changes in temperature adjacent the thermal insulation, thereby automatically changing the thermal resistance of the thermal insulation. In this manner, a self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to locally adjust in response to local changes in temperature of a part being insulated, for example, during curing or some other manufacturing process. Such self-regulating thermal insulation may be configured to respond to temperature changes without feedback control systems, power, or human intervention. One example of self-regulating thermal insulation may include a first plate, a second plate, a support structure coupling the first plate and the second plate and defining an insulation thickness therebetween, an internal partition positioned between the first plate and the second plate, and at least one thermal actuator positioned between the second plate and the internal partition.

A method of testing a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated device includes cyclically operating the device. The method further includes determining a number of cycles in a functional life of the device based on observations of the device during the cyclical operation. The functional life is a range of consecutive cycles of operation of the device beginning with a first cycle during which the device performs within a specified limit. The functional life is immediately followed by a cycle during which the device performs outside of the specified limit. The method still further includes applying a progressive substitution sub-process to identify an opportunity to increase the number of cycles in the functional life of the device.

An environmental aspect control assembly is configured to control one more environmental aspects. The environmental aspect control assembly may include at least one aspect-controlling portion formed of one or more environmental aspect-controlling materials, and at least one shape-changing actuator operatively connected to the aspect-controlling structure(s). The shape-changing actuator(s) is configured to have a first actuator shape at a first temperature and a second actuator shape at a second temperature that differs from the first temperature. The first actuator shape causes the aspect-controlling structure(s) to form a first structural shape. The second actuator shape causes the aspect-controlling structure(s) to form a second structural shape that differs from the first structural shape.

The invention relates to an actuator device comprising at least one retaining means on which rearview means can be secured or is secured and which are mounted in a movable manner relative to a housing component of a rearview device and comprising at least one adjusting unit with at least one second adjusting means for moving the retaining means relative to the housing component. The first adjusting means and the second adjusting means each comprise at least one shape-memory element, and the first adjusting unit and the second adjusting unit are arranged between the housing component and the retaining means so as to be mechanically connected in series. The first adjusting unit has a first maximum travel path, and the second adjusting unit has a second maximum travel path which is different from the first maximum travel path. The invention also relates to a rearview device with an actuator device according to the invention.

The present application relates to a superelastic SMA structure, with enhanced power density and compressive stability, comprising two or more connected plate sections to form an overall substantially closed perimeter, wherein the structure comprises an opening positioned in the centre of the structure, and wherein the connected plate sections are dimensioned with a circular symmetry to allow a stacking assembly, and wherein each section includes an array of hollow perforated cells formed between one or more thin vertical walls of a thickness within a predefined range of values, and wherein at least one perforated cell defines a fluid passageway within a predefined range of hydraulic diameter values.