Provided are a battery pack, and a transportation apparatus including the battery pack. The battery pack includes a battery module, a battery management system configured to control charging and discharging operations of the battery module, a power supply terminal arranged to supply operation power, and a switch connected between the power supply terminal and the battery management system, and configured to be turned on in response to an abnormal situation of the battery module. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a battery pack, and a transportation apparatus including the battery pack, which may start a suitable protection operation by waking up a battery management system for monitoring a state of the battery pack, and by controlling a charge/discharge operation thereof, by detecting an abnormal situation of a battery module even when the battery management system is in a sleep mode.

A bi-metal actuator includes a shape memory alloy layer thermally actuated, a superelastic alloy layer fixed along to at least a part of the shape memory alloy layer, and at least one deformation sensor. The shape memory alloy layer has an initial shape at or below a transition start temperature T.sub.S and a final shape at or above a transition end temperature T.sub.E, has transitional shapes between the initial shape and the final shape which is formed according to the temperature between the transition start temperature T.sub.S and the transition end temperature T.sub.E of the shape memory alloy layer. The at least one deformation sensor is provided along at least a part of the superelastic alloy layer for measuring strain values of the superelastic alloy layer indicating the current form of the shape memory alloy layer.

A shape-memory alloy actuated switch (SMAAS) is provided that enables the stable switching of two separate circuits. The presently disclosed SMAAS includes a substrate, one or more electrical contacts attached to the substrate for connecting to load circuits, and one or more electrically conductive elements for selectively connecting the one or more electrical contacts. The disclosed SMAAS also includes one or more shape-memory alloy actuators attached to the substrate. The one or more shape-memory alloy actuators are configured to move the one or more electrically conductive elements. The shape-memory alloy actuators are self-heated by passing current through the shape-memory alloy material. The disclosed SMAAS may also include electrical contacts to connect an external control current to the shape-memory alloy material. In some examples, the provided SMAAS includes one or more retention mechanisms to prevent movement of the electrically conductive elements after actuation.

A power switch device has a housing, a movable shuttle and at least one shape memory alloy actuator. The housing has a cavity and stationary current carrying contacts which extend through the housing to the cavity. The movable shuttle with a bridge contact provided in the cavity. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator is attached to a first end of the shuttle and to a first end of the housing. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator is configured to respond to a first activation signal. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator contracts from an initial shape in response to the first actuation signal to move the shuttle and the bridge contact toward the stationary current carrying contacts to a closed position in which the bridge contact is positioned in electrical engagement with the stationary current carrying contacts.

The present invention provides a relay with a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire driven mechanism. Conventional mechanical relays rely on electromagnetic principle to operate. Hence, magnetic fields of electromagnetic relays often interfere with magnetic fields of other electrical components, thus resulting in the components physically interfering with each other. The present invention utilizes the shape memory characteristics of a SMA wire to achieve the purpose of changing the operation of the relay. Specifically, when a SMA wire is heated, it restores to its original shape or original length. Comparing to conventional mechanical relays, the relay provided by the present invention does not magnetically interfere with other electrical components, and thus is able to function effectively. In addition, because the relay of the present invention does not require iron cores or coils, available space therein is increased and may be used to accommodate control circuits with various functions.

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can include a key height activation engine and a keyboard. The keyboard can include a plurality of keys and one or more of the plurality of keys can include a key height mechanism. The key height mechanism includes a shape memory material and when the key height mechanism is activated by the key height activation engine, the shape memory material raises the one or more of the plurality of keys that includes the key height mechanism from a first height to a second height.

A shape memory actuator including: a monolithic shape memory alloy; a shape memory effect (SME) section of the alloy, configured for actuation; a pseudo-elastic (PE) section of the alloy, configured as a sensor for enabling position sensing; and a control system configured to control the actuator by controlling a current through at least the SME section based on the sensor results of the PE section. A method of controlling a shape memory actuator, the method including: applying a predetermined current through the actuator; measuring a first resistance of the SME section; measuring a second resistance of the PE section; calculating an estimated position of the actuator based on the first and second resistances; and adapting the current applied to the actuator based on the estimated position. A method of manufacturing a shape memory actuator, the method including: laser processing; thermomechanically treating; and training the shape memory alloy.

The present invention provides a relay with a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire driven mechanism. Conventional mechanical relays rely on electromagnetic principle to operate. Hence, magnetic fields of electromagnetic relays often interfere with magnetic fields of other electrical components, thus resulting in the components physically interfering with each other. The present invention utilizes the shape memory characteristics of a SMA wire to achieve the purpose of changing the operation of the relay. Specifically, when a SMA wire is in heat, it restores to its original shape or original length. Comparing to conventional mechanical relays, the relay provided by the present invention does not magnetically interfere with other electrical components, thus is able to function effectively. In addition, because the relay of the present invention does not require iron cores or coils, available space therein is increased and may be used to accommodate control circuits with various functions.

RFID devices are provided for use in combination with a food item or other temperature-sensitive item. The RFID devices include an RFID chip and an antenna electrically coupled to the RFID chip, along with a temperature-sensitive member. The temperature-sensitive member is configured to be in a first condition below a selected temperature and a second condition above the selected temperature to signify that the RFID device and associated food item or other temperature-sensitive item have been exposed to a temperature above the selected temperature. The temperature-sensitive member may be incorporated into the antenna to render the antenna at least partially inoperative above the selected temperature. The temperature-sensitive member may instead be configured to exhibit different colors below and above the selected temperature, or a single RFID device may include both types of temperature-sensitive members. Such RFID devices may also incorporate tamper-resistant features and/or accommodate human- and/or machine-readable printed symbols.

A resettable sensor assembly includes a body having a axis and defining a cavity therein. The body includes a first plurality of threads disposed about the axis. The assembly includes a housing mated to the body and including at least one electrical contact. The assembly further includes a plate. The assembly also includes an actuator element configured for translating the plate along the axis between a first position in which the plate contacts the at least one electrical contact and a second position in which the plate is spaced apart from the at least one electrical contact. The element is formed from a shape memory alloy that is transitionable between an austenite crystallographic phase and a martensite crystallographic phase in response to a thermal activation signal to thereby translate the plate between the first position and the second position.