Abstract
A mechanical component is provided. The component can have a core, a sheath circumferentially surrounding the core, and an insulator between the core and the sheath. The core can include a shape memory material that is arranged to move from an initial form to an activated form upon a temperature of the core warming past a transition temperature of the shape memory material. A distal portion of the sheath can be in electrical communication with a distal portion of the core, while the insulator blocks a flow of electrical current between a proximal portion of the sheath and a proximal portion of the core.
Claims
1. A mechanical component comprising: a core having a proximal end, a distal region, and an intermediate region connecting the distal region with the proximal end, the core comprising a shape memory material shaped into an initial form, the core configured to move from the initial form to an activated form upon a temperature of the core warming past a transition temperature of the shape memory material; a sheath circumferentially surrounding the core, a distal portion of the sheath configured to be in electrical communication with a distal portion of the core; and an insulator disposed between the core and the sheath, the insulator configured to block a flow of electrical current between a proximal portion of the sheath and a proximal portion of the core.
2. The mechanical component of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the sheath is disposed less than 2 centimeters away from the proximal end of the core.
3. The mechanical component of claim 1, further comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal in electrical communication with the sheath, the second terminal in electrical communication with the core.
4. The mechanical component of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the sheath to a radius of the core is between 0.01 and 0.25.
5. The mechanical component of claim 1, wherein the core has the initial form at a first temperature of the core that is below the transition temperature and warming the core past the transition temperature causes the core to change from the initial form to the activated form that is different in shape compared to the initial form.
6. The mechanical component of claim 5, wherein the initial form has a first spring constant that is greater than a second spring constant of the activated form.
7. The mechanical component of claim 5, wherein the initial form has a first spring constant that is lesser than a second spring constant of the activated form.
8. A mechanical keyboard comprising: the mechanical component of claim 1; a button affixed to the distal region; and a circuit board in electrical communication with the proximal portion of the sheath and the proximal portion of the core.
9. The mechanical keyboard of claim 8 further comprising an additional shape memory component having a shape memory stalk, a proximal end of the shape memory stalk in electrical connection with the circuit board.
10. The mechanical keyboard of claim 9, wherein a spring constant of the shape memory stalk is configured to change upon the circuit board delivering an electrical current to the shape memory stalk.
11. The mechanical keyboard of claim 10, wherein the spring constant decreases upon the electrical current warming the shape memory stalk past a transition temperature of the shape memory stalk.
12. The mechanical keyboard of claim 10, wherein the spring constant increases upon the electrical current warming the shape memory stalk past a transition temperature of the shape memory stalk.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
(2) FIG. 1A illustrates a shape memory component attached to a circuit board, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(3) FIG. 1B illustrates the shape memory component of FIG. 1A after the component has undergone a shape change due to warming of its shape memory material, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(4) FIG. 2A illustrates a flow of electrical current through a shape memory component formed as a helical spring, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(5) FIG. 2B illustrates a flow of electrical current through the helical spring of FIG. 2A when the polarity at the proximal end of the spring is reversed, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(6) FIG. 2C illustrates a cross-sectional axial view of an intermediate portion of the helical spring along the line of view denoted by C in FIG. 2B, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(7) FIG. 3A illustrates a group of shape memory components attached to a circuit board, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(8) FIG. 3B illustrates a group of shape memory components attached to a circuit board, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
(9) FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a console having a plurality of shape memory components.
(10) FIG. 5 illustrates a method of making a shape memory component, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
(11) This disclosure relates generally to mechanical components that are made from, or include, a shape memory material, and to methods of inducing the shape memory material of the mechanical component to undergo a shape change. In some aspects, the shape memory material can be an alloy (e.g., nitinol). Nitinol can reference an alloy that contains nickel and titanium. In certain aspects, nitinol can include an alloy having a 55%:45% by-weight blend of nickel with titanium. In some arrangements, one or more physical characteristics of mechanical components disclosed herein can be changed by inducing a shape change in the shape memory material of the mechanical component.
(12) Shape Memory Alloy Component
(13) FIG. 1A illustrates an illustrative, non-limiting example of a mechanical component 100. The component 100 can comprise or include a shape memory material. The component 100 can have a distal end 102, a proximal end 104, and an intermediate portion 106. The intermediate portion 106 can connect directly or indirectly the distal end 102 and the proximal end 104. In the depicted component 100, the distal end 102 is free and the proximal end 104 is attached to a circuit board 200. When the shape memory material of the component 100 is in its martensite phase, the component 100 can have an first shape or initial form 101. The initial shape 101 can define a placement of the distal end 102 relative to the proximal end 104. In some aspects, the initial shape 101 can be the form or shape of the component 100 with the shape memory material of the component 100 in a first material phase (e.g., 100% martensite). As shown in FIG. 1A, the distal end 102 can be located a first vertical distance 10 away from the distal end 104 when the component 100 is in its initial form 101.
(14) FIG. 1B illustrates the mechanical component 100 of FIG. 1A after the component 100 has undergone a shape change. In some aspects, the shape change can be driven by a phase transition of the shape memory material of the component 100, as described herein. The shape change can move the component 100 from its initial form 101 to a subsequent or activated form 103. As shown in FIG. 1B, the distal end 102 of the component 100 can be located a second vertical distance 12 away from the proximal end 104 when the component 100 is in its activated form 103 (e.g., 100% austenite). A vertical travel distance 14 of the distal end 102 can be defined by comparing the vertical position of the distal end 102 when the component 100 is in the initial form 101 to the vertical position of the distal end 102 when the component is in the activated form 103. Similarly, a horizontal travel distance 16 can be defined by comparing the horizontal position of the distal end 102 when the component 100 is in the initial form 101 to the horizontal position of the distal end 102 when the component 100 is in the activated form 103.
(15) FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a component 100 that is configured to move its distal end 102 further from, and to the right of, its proximal end 104 as the shape memory material of the component 100 undergoes a shape change to change its initial form 101 to its activated form 103. In some aspects, this shape change can be driven by a martensite to austenite phase transition. In some arrangements, the component 100 can be configured such that the shape change moves the distal end 102 toward the proximal end 104, or only in the horizontal direction, or only in the vertical direction, or only in a rotational direction without moving beyond or toward the proximal end 104, or in other combinations of the aforementioned directions such as in a rotational direction while moving away from the proximal end 104.
(16) FIG. 2A illustrates a component 100 formed as a helical spring 1100. In some aspects, the helical spring 1100 can have multiple coaxial layers. In some arrangements, the component 100 can have a shape memory core 120 surrounded by an electrically-conductive sheath 122 and an insulator 124 disposed between at least a portion of the core 120 and the sheath 122. As shown in FIG. 2A, electrical current can be passed through the spring 1100 by connecting near the proximal end 1104 a first terminal 30 to the sheath 122 and a second terminal 32 to the core 120. The insulator 124 can be configured to block the flow of electrical current between the core 120 and the sheath 122 in the intermediate region 1106 of the spring 1100. At the proximal end 1104, the insulator 124 can be configured to block the flow of electrical current from shorting directly between the first and second terminals 30, 32. In some aspects, the proximal end of the insulator 124 can extend proximally beyond the proximal end of the sheath 122. The insulator 124 can further be configured to direct a proximal-sheath electrical current 2 from the proximal end 1104 to the distal end 1102 within the sheath 122, as described herein. At the distal end 1102, the insulator 124, or lack thereof, can be configured to allow a distal-sheath electrical current 4 to cross from the sheath 122 to the core 120. The core 120 can be configured to conduct an intermediate-core electrical current 6 from the distal end 1102 to the proximal end 1104 within the core 120.
(17) In some aspects, the shape memory component 100 can be activated by making electrical connections with only one end of the component 100. The illustrative, non-limiting embodiment shown in FIG. 2A illustrates that electrical current can be pass through the component 100 by connecting the first terminal 30 to the sheath 122 near the proximal end 1104 and connecting a second terminal 32 to the core 120 near the proximal end 1104. In some aspects, the component 100 can be configured to form the electrical connections at the first and second terminals 30, 32 by soldering a proximal portion of the component 100 to a circuit board 200 (FIG. 1A).
(18) The proximity or nearness of the first and second terminals 30, 32 to the proximal end 104 of a component 100 can be defined in terms of geometry of the component 100. For example, the helical spring 1100 of FIG. 2A makes roughly three and one-half circumferential revolutions, giving the spring 1100 a total component length of roughly three and one-half circumferences of a coil. In some aspects, the first and second terminals 30, 32 can be within the first proximal turn of the spring 1100 or within the proximal-most coil-circumference length of spring 1100. In some aspects, the first and second terminals 30, 32 can each be located within the first or second proximal turns of a helical spring 1100.
(19) Turning back briefly to FIG. 1B, proximity of the first and second terminals 30, 32 to the proximal end 104 of the component 100 can also be defined in terms of a percentage of the total height of the component 100. For example, the first vertical distance 10 indicates the total vertical distance between the distal and proximal ends 102, 104 when the component 100 is in the initial form 101. In some aspects, the first and second terminals 30, 32 can be disposed within the proximal 10% of the first vertical distance 10 of the component 100. In some aspects, the percentage of the first vertical distance 10 in which the first and second terminals 30, 32 are disposed within of the proximal end 104 can be: 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and other values between any of the aforementioned values.
(20) Returning to FIG. 2B, which illustrates the spring 1100 with the polarity of the first and second terminals 30, 32 reversed compared with the polarity shown in FIG. 2A. Reversing the polarity between the core 120 and sheath 122 at the proximal end 1104 can reverse the direction of electrical current flow through the spring 1100. As shown in FIG. 2B, the intermediate-core electrical current 6 can proceed within the core 120 in a direction from the proximal end 1104 to the distal end 1102. Similarly, a distal-core-flow 8 can cross from the core 120 to the sheath 122 at the distal end 1102, and the proximal-sheath electrical current 2 can complete the flow of electrical current from the first terminal 30 to the second terminal 32, as shown in FIG. 2B.
(21) In some aspects, the component 100 can be configured so that the flow of electrical current through the spring 1100 heats the core 120. The flow of electrical current through the core 120 can warm the core 120 past the transition temperature of the shape memory material of the component 100. In some aspects, warming the shape memory core 120 past its transition temperature can drive the core 120 to undergo a shape change to move the spring 1100 from an initial coil configuration to a subsequent or activated coil configuration, as described herein.
(22) FIG. 2B shows a side view of a helical spring 1100 that makes approximately three and a half revolutions along its length. A coil-thread distance 9 can be defined as the vertical distance traveled along the axis of the spring 1100 to move between two adjacent and alike circumferential positions of the spring 1100, as noted in FIG. 2B. In some arrangements, the coil characteristics of the spring 1100 can change as the component 100 moves from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103. For example, the shape change can cause the coil thread distance 9 to increase for one or more coils of the spring 1100, or the shape change can cause the coil thread distance 9 decrease for one or more coils of the spring 1100. In some aspects, the coil of the spring 1100 may become more tightly wound so that the number of coils increases along the length of the spring 1100. In some aspects, the coil of the spring 1100 may become more loosely wound so that the number of coils decreases along the length of the spring 1100. In some aspects, the shape change may cause the diameter of one or more coils to reduce. In some aspects, the shape change may cause the diameter of one or more coils to increase. In some aspects, a spring coefficient of the component 100 can increase when the component 100 moves from its initial for 101 to its activated form 103. In some aspects, a spring coefficient of the component 100 can decrease when the component 100 moves from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103. In some arrangements, the shape change can cause the spring 1100 to change both its height (e.g., by changing the vertical position of the distal end 1102) and its spring constant (e.g., by changing the tightness of the coiling of the spring 1100).
(23) FIG. 2C depicts a cross-sectional axial view of the intermediate portion 1106 of the spring 1100, viewed along the line of view denoted by C in FIG. 2B. As shown in FIG. 2C, the core 120 can have a core radius 5. The sheath 122 can have a sheath thickness 7. The sheath thickness 7 can be selected so that the sheath 122 is sufficiently thick to carry electrical current effectively yet thin enough that the sheath 122 does not significantly oppose the bending moments of the core 120 as the core 120 undergoes a shape change. In some aspects, a ratio of the sheath thickness 7 to the core radius 5 can be: between 0.01 and 0.25; between 0.02 and 0.2; between 0.05 and 0.1. In some aspects, a ratio of the thickness of the insulator 124 to the core radius 5 can be: between 0.001 and 0.25; between 0.002 and 0.1; between 0.005 and 0.05.
(24) FIG. 3A depicts a side view of a group 300 of components 100A connected to a circuit board 200. Each of the group of components 100A can have a tab 130 attached to the distal end 102 of a shape memory stalk 132. In some aspects, the tab 130 can be a key of a keyboard or a button on a controller. The shape memory stalk 132 can move from an initial form 101 to an activated form 103 upon the stalk 132 being warmed passed the transition temperature of the shape memory material, as described herein. The circuit board 200 can be configured to connect electrically with the proximal end 104 of the stalk 132, as described herein. The circuit board 200 can be configured to deliver electric current to the proximal end 104 of each of the one or more components 100A. In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 200 has delivered electric current to warm and change the shape memory material of the stalk 132 of the component 100A in the middle of the group 300 of three components 100A. In the illustrated embodiment, the shape change of the stalk 132 from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103 has caused the tab 130 to rise away from the circuit board 200 by a vertical travel distance 14.
(25) FIG. 3B depicts a side view of a group 300 of components 100B connected to a circuit board 200. Each of the group of components 100B can have a tab 130 and a shape memory stalk 132, as described herein with respect to components 100A. In the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board 200 has delivered electric current to warm and change the shape memory material of the stalk 132 of the component 100B in the middle of the group 300 of three components 100B. In the illustrated embodiment, the shape change of the stalk 132 from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103 has caused the tab 130 to remain at substantially the same distance away from the circuit board 200, as shown in FIG. 3B by the tab 130 remaining substantially at the same distance from a reference line 150 when the stalk 132 is in its initial form 101 and in its activated form 103. However, as described herein, FIG. 3B is illustrating that a spring constant of the stalk 132 can change when the stalk 132 is activated to undergo a shape change from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103. In some arrangements, the group 300 of components 100 can include a first subset of components that have a stalk 132 configured to move the tab 130 relative to the circuit board 200 when the stalk 132 is activated to undergo a shape change from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103, and a second subset of components that have a stalk 132 configured to keep the tab 130 substantially unchanged with respect to its distance away from the circuit board 200 when the stalk 132 is activated to undergo a shape change from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103. In some arrangements, the group 300 of components 100 can include a first subset of components that have a stalk 132 configured to change a spring constant of the stalk 132 when the stalk 132 is activated to undergo a shape change from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103, and a second subset of components that have a stalk 132 configured to keep a spring constant of the stalk 132 substantially unchanged when the stalk 132 is activated to undergo a shape change from its initial form 101 to its activated form 103.
(26) FIG. 4 depicts a top view of a console 400 having a plurality of different types of buttons 160. In some aspects, the buttons 160 can be the tab 130 of a component 100 that is connected to a circuit board 200 by a shape memory stalk 132, as described herein. The buttons 160 can extend, or otherwise be accessible, through a top surface 162 of the console 400. The console 400 can be configured so that the position of the button 160 relative to the top surface 162 can change when the circuit board 200 activates a shape change in the stalk 132 to which the button 160 is connected. The console 400 can be configured so that spring constant of the stalk 132 to which the button 160 is connected changes when the circuit board 200 activates a shape change in the stalk 132. In some aspects, changing the spring constant of the stalk 132 changes the force required to move the button 160 toward or past the top surface 162. In some variants, the spring constant of the stalk 132 can change (increase or decrease) with the tab 130 remaining substantially fixed relative to the top surface 162 of the console 400. In some variants, the spring constant of the stalk 132 can change (increase or decrease) with the tab 130 moving relative to the top surface 162 of the console 400. In some aspects, the console 400 can be a mechanical keyboard in which the stalk 132 is a nitinol spring that replaces a conventional steel spring of the keyboard. The stalk 132 can be configured so that electricity applied to the stalk 132, as disclosed herein, can be used to increase the level of strength required to press that key of the mechanical keyboard that is associated with the stalk 132. In some arrangements, the stalk 132 can be configured so that applying electricity to the stalk 132 reduces the level of strength that is required to press the mechanical keyboard key associated with the stalk 132.
(27) FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a method of making a shape memory component 100 that can be activated to undergo a shape change by electrically connecting a proximal region of the component to an electric circuit. The method can include an annealing step 500 in which a nitinol core 120 is annealed in a desired activated shape 103 while the core 120 is in the austenite phase of the nitinol. The method can include a cooling step 510 in which the nitinol core 120 is cooled to allow the nitinol material to shift to its martensite phase. The method can include a coating step 520 in which the nitinol core 120 is coated with an insulator 124. The method can include a stripping step 530 in which a portion of the insulator 124 can be removed at the distal end 102 of the core 120. The method can further include a covering step 540 in which a thin sheath 122 of conductive material is applied over the insulator 124 and distal region of the core 120. The method can include an insulator uncovering step 550 in which a proximal region of the insulator 124 is arranged by removing a portion of the sheath 122 or otherwise arranging the insulator 124 so that the proximal region of the insulator 124 extends proximally beyond the proximal end of the sheath 122 and the proximal region of the core 120 extends proximally beyond a proximal end of the sheath 122 and further beyond a proximal end of the insulator 124. The method can include a cold shaping step 560 in which the nitinol core 120 can be shaped into its initial shape 101 while the shape memory material of the nitinol core 120 is in a martensite phase.
(28) Other Variations and Terminology
(29) While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments or uses and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof, including embodiments which do not provide all of the features and advantages set forth herein. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed; others may be added. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments herein, and may be defined by claims as presented herein or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the patent specification of during prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.
(30) Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment, or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.
(31) Conditional language, such as can, could, might, or may, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments. The terms comprising, including, having, and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term or is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term or means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Further, the term each, as used herein, in addition to having its ordinary meaning, can mean any subset of a set of elements to which the term each is applied.
(32) Conjunctive language, such as the phrase at least one of X, Y, and Z, unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.
(33) Language of degree used herein, such as the terms approximately, about, generally, and substantially as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms approximately, about, generally, and substantially may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of the stated amount. As another example, the terms generally parallel and substantially parallel may refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than 15 degrees.
