An energy-recovery device comprises an engine, an immersion chamber, a drive, and a power module. The engine comprises a core comprising a core element that comprises working material, the core element comprising a fixed first end and a second end that is connected to the drive. The immersion chamber houses the engine and is configured to be sequentially filled with fluid to expand and contract the core element. The power module applies a controlled stress to the core element during at least one of a heating phase and a cooling phase of a power cycle carried out by the engine.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of structural vibration control, and provides a composite axial energy consumption device based on piezoelectricity and shape memory alloy, comprising a screw, steel pipes, stiffening ribs, steel sheets, bolt-nuts, piezoceramics, screw caps and SMA wire bundles. The mechanical energy of the structure under pressure is converted into the electric energy of the piezoceramics and then the electric energy is converted into heat energy, so that energy consumption efficiency is high and mechanical performance is good. The SMA wire bundles have large tensile bearing capacity, shape memory effect and good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance. The number of the segments and the specifications of the piezoceramics and the SMA wire bundles can be adjusted according to the actual needs, so that the structure can be adjusted according to the size of an axial force and specific stress conditions.

The present disclosure relates to a terminal device and a method for controlling an image acquirer. The terminal device includes: a shell; an image acquirer positioned in the shell; and a driver positioned in the shell and connected with the image acquirer. The driver includes a memory metal, and the memory metal has different lengths in an energized state and a deenergized state, and is configured to control the image acquirer to get into and out of the shell by length extension and contraction.

The present invention belongs to the technical field of structural vibration control, and provides a composite axial energy consumption device based on piezoelectricity and shape memory alloy, comprising a screw, steel pipes, stiffening ribs, steel sheets, bolt-nuts, piezoceramics, screw caps and SMA wire bundles. The mechanical energy of the structure under pressure is converted into the electric energy of the piezoceramics and then the electric energy is converted into heat energy, so that energy consumption efficiency is high and mechanical performance is good. The SMA wire bundles have large tensile bearing capacity, shape memory effect and good corrosion resistance and fatigue resistance. The number of the segments and the specifications of the piezoceramics and the SMA wire bundles can be adjusted according to the actual needs, so that the structure can be adjusted according to the size of an axial force and specific stress conditions.

The present disclosure provides a camera apparatus, an SMA driving device and a manufacturing method, a driving method and a wiring method, wherein the SMA driving device further comprises a lens carrier, at least one upgoing driver, and at least one downgoing driver; wherein the lens carrier is drivingly connected to the upgoing driver, and the upgoing driver supports the lens carrier upwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move upward; wherein the lens carrier is drivingly connected to the downgoing driver, and the downgoing driver draws the lens carrier downwardly in a thermally driven manner, and pulls the lens carrier to move downward; and wherein the lens is disposed on the lens carrier of the SMA driving device, and the SMA driving device drives the lens to move up and down, thereby improving the focusing speed of the lens.

A deployment body for a sensor array includes at least one superelastic spring formed of a shape memory alloy (SMA) material that enables activation of the deployment body. The SMA spring is configured to expand from a stowed position in which the SMA spring is wound around a central hub of the deployment body to a deployed position in which the SMA spring is extended in a radially outward direction relative to the central hub. A stiffness of the SMA spring enables the SMA spring to hold cables of the sensor array and maintain a deployed shape of the sensor array, which may be a volumetric array. Using the SMA material is advantageous in that the material is tuned to maintain superelasticity based on at least one of an intended operating temperature and a desired expansion ratio of stowed to deployed diameter of the deployment body.

An actuator (18) includes a first part (3), a second part (2) and eight shape memory alloy, SMA, wires (4.sub.1, . . . , 4.sub.8) connected between the first part (3) and the second part (2) so as to enable the second part (2) to be moved relative to the first part (3) with at least two degrees of freedom. Two of the SMA wires (4.sub.1, . . . , 4.sub.8) are located on each of four sides (s.sub.1, . . . , s.sub.4). The four sides (s.sub.1, . . . , s.sub.4) extend in a loop around a primary axis (z). On contraction, a first group (4.sub.1, 4.sub.3, 4.sub.5, 4.sub.7) of four of the SMA wires each provide a force on the second part (2) with a component in a first direction along the primary axis (z), and a second group (4.sub.2, 4.sub.4, 4.sub.6, 4.sub.8) of the other four of the SMA wires each provide a force on the second part (2) with a component in a second, opposite direction along the primary axis (z). Each of the eight SMA wires (4.sub.1, . . . , 4.sub.8) is configured such that a length perpendicular to the primary axis (z) is foreshortened relative to a length (l.sub.1, . . . , l.sub.4) of a corresponding one of the four sides (s.sub.1, . . . , s.sub.4).

An actuator assembly comprises a support structure (6), a movable part (5) movable relative to the support structure, at least one shape memory alloy (SMA) wire (2) connected between the support structure and the movable part via wire attach components and arranged, on contraction, to drive movement of the movable part and a control circuit configured to apply drive signals to the at least one SMA wire so as to drive movement of the movable part relative to the support structure between predetermined positions in a repeated pattern; wherein the length of the at least one SMA wire extending between respective wire attach components is less than 5 mm.

An assembly includes a frame configured to couple to a valve, an actuating arm movably coupled to the frame and configured to move a movable component of the valve to adjust a position of the movable component, and a biasing member coupled to the actuating arm and the frame. The biasing member is configured to bias the actuating arm in a first direction relative to the frame. The assembly further includes one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) elements coupled to the actuating arm and the frame. Responsive to an activation that causes the one or more SMA elements undergo a dimensional transformation, the one or more SMA elements are configured to operate against the biasing member to bias the actuating arm in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the frame.

An SMA actuation apparatus (1) comprises a support structure (4) on which a movable element (2) is supported. Four SMA actuator wires (11-14) are connected at their ends to one of the support structure (4) and the movable element (2) and being hooked over a respective connector (7) connected to the other. Pairs of the SMA actuator wires (11-14), on contraction, to drive movement of the movable element (2) relative to the support structure (4), through the respective connectors (7), in opposite directions in said plane (XY), that are orthogonal as between the pairs. Each connector (7) is compliant laterally to the direction in which the respective SMA actuator wire (11-14) drives movement of the movable element (2) relative to support structure (4).