JPH0615154B2 - Shape memory effect device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a shape memory effect device that causes a shape memory alloy to have a shape memory effect by thermal energy held by a fluid.

[Prior art]

If a shape memory alloy is used as an actuator, and the alloy is driven by the heat energy of the fluid, it is possible to use hot waste liquid, hot water in the radiator of an internal combustion engine, solar heat, geothermal heat, heat due to chemical reaction, and biological reaction. It is possible to obtain a device that operates with low-quality heat sources such as heat and body temperature.

However, conventionally, many devices for driving a shape memory alloy by electrically heating it have been proposed, but only a few devices for driving the shape memory alloy by the heat energy of a fluid have been proposed. However, there is a drawback that the handling property of the device is not good due to the use of fluid.

[Object of the Invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
An object of the present invention is to provide a shape memory effect device capable of driving a shape memory alloy by heat energy of a fluid and having good handleability.

[Structure of Invention]

The shape memory effect device according to the present invention includes a pipe made of a flexible material, one end of which is connected to a fluid supply source, and a pipe at an intermediate portion of the pipe passing from outside the pipe through the pipe wall into the pipe. It enters, extends inside the pipe, passes through the pipe wall at other places in the middle part of the pipe, exits the pipe, and is linked to other objects at the outside portions on both sides of the portion extending inside the pipe. A linear shape memory alloy, and a biasing means for applying a tensile force to the shape memory alloy, wherein the portion where the shape memory alloy passes through the tube wall of the tube causes the fluid to flow outside the tube. It is designed to prevent leakage.

[Action]

In the present invention, the shape memory alloy can be cooled by flowing a low-temperature fluid from the fluid supply source into the pipe, and in this state, if a tensile force is applied to the shape memory alloy by the bias means, the shape memory alloy is extended and deformed. Can be given. On the other hand, by flowing a high-temperature fluid from the fluid supply source into the pipe, the shape memory alloy can be heated, and the shape memory alloy returns from the state of being stretched and deformed to the memorized length by the shape memory effect. Shrinks as it tries.

Further, according to the present invention, (a) both the shape memory alloy and the tube can be integrally handled as one element.

(B) By simply connecting one end of the pipe to the fluid supply source, the fluid can be supplied into the pipe very easily and the shape memory alloy can be heated and cooled by the fluid.

(C) The shape memory alloy is separated from the fluid on both sides of the portion extending inside the pipe and outside the pipe, the driven body, an object supporting the driven body, and an interposition such as a pulley. It is possible to connect to or make contact with an object or the like to link them.

(D) Since the tube is made of a flexible material, it does not hinder the movement of the shape memory alloy.

For the reasons described above, the handling property of the device is greatly improved despite the use of fluid.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 to 6 show an embodiment in which a manipulator is constructed using the shape memory effect device according to the present invention.
1 to 3 (note that FIG. 2 shows a pipe 1 described later).
4, 16 are removed), the body of the potentiometer 2 is fixed to the tip of the arm 1, and the rear end of the arm 3 is fixed to the rotary shaft 2a of the potentiometer 2. ing. As a result, the arm 3 is rotatably supported by the arm 1 via the potentiometer 2. Further, pulleys 4 and 5 are rotatably supported on the rotary shaft 2a of the potentiometer 2.

An adjusting material support plate 6 is attached near the rear end of the arm 1, and tension adjusting materials 7, 8 are attached to the supporting plate 6.
The screw part of is screwed. Reference numeral 9 is a hot water tank for storing hot water 61, and 10 is a cold water tank for storing cold water 62. The insides of these tanks 9 and 10 are pressurized by a compressor 11. The compressor 11 is for pumping hot water 61 and cold water 62 to the pipes 14 and 16 described later, but may be omitted.

The hot water tank 9 has a pipe 14 through pipes 12 and 13.
And is connected to the inlet side of the pipe 16 via the pipes 12 and 15. On the other hand, the cold water tank 10 is connected to the inlet side of the pipe 14 via the pipes 17 and 18 and the pipe 1 via the pipes 17 and 19.
6 is connected to the inlet side. The outlet sides of the pipes 14 and 16 are connected to a wastewater pipe 20. In addition,
The tubes 12 to 19 are made of a flexible material such as silicone rubber.

Pins 21 and 22 are provided upright near the tip of the arm 3. One end of a linear closed-side shape memory alloy 23 made of a Ti—Ni alloy or the like is attached to the pin 21, and the other end of the closed-side shape memory alloy 23 is
It is attached to the tension adjusting screw member 7 so as to be rotatable relative to the adjusting member 7. The intermediate portion of the closed side shape memory alloy 23 is wound around the pulley 5 in a cross state.

On the other hand, one end of a linear open side shape memory alloy 24 made of a Ti—Ni alloy or the like is attached to the pin 22, and the other end of the alloy 24 is attached to the tension adjusting material 8 and the adjusting material. It is attached so as to be rotatable relative to 8. The intermediate portion of the open side shape memory alloy 24 is wound around the pulley 4 without crossing.

Each of the shape memory alloys 23 and 24 memorizes a straight shape (however, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the shape memory alloys 23 and 24 utilize shape recovery from extensional deformation of the arm. Shape memory alloy 2 as it drives 3
It cannot be used even if 3 and 24 remember the curved shape). The shape memory alloys 23 and 24 are applied with appropriate tension by adjusting the positions of the tension adjusting members 7 and 8.

Reference numerals 25 and 26 are valve bodies, and these valve bodies 25 and 26 are rotatable around support shafts 27 and 28. The lower end of the valve body 25 has an inflated shape, and the lower end is opposed to the valve body receiving member 29 fixedly installed via the pipe 13, and the valve body receiving member 30 fixedly installed. Are opposed to each other via a pipe 18. In addition, the valve body 26
The lower end of the valve is also inflated, and this lower end is opposed to the valve body receiving member 31 fixedly installed via the pipe 19, and the pipe 15 is attached to the valve body receiving member 32 fixedly installed. Are opposed through.

One end of a connecting member 33 is rotatably connected to the valve body 25, and the other end of the connecting member 33 is rotatably connected to a valve body 26. As a result, the valve bodies 25 and 26 are connected by the connecting member 33, and are interlocked to rotate in the same direction. 34 is a solenoid whose main body is fixed, and the movable iron core of this solenoid 34 has a valve body 25 through a rod 35 having a little flexibility.
Is rotatably coupled to the upper end of the. 36 is a solenoid whose main body is fixed.
The movable iron core is rotatably coupled to the upper end portion of the valve element 26 via a rod 37 having some flexibility.

The closed-side shape memory alloy 23 passes through the pipe wall from a certain position in the middle of the pipe 14 into the pipe 14 in the portion along the arm 1 and the portion along the arm 3, respectively. The pipe 14 is inserted into the pipe 14 so as to extend and pass through the pipe wall at another portion of the middle portion of the pipe 14 to come out of the pipe 14. Here, as shown in detail in FIG.
The portion through which the closed side shape memory alloy 23 passes through the tube 14 is sealed by the sealing material 63. Similarly, the side shape memory alloy 24 enters the inside of the pipe 16 through the pipe wall from a portion at an intermediate portion of the pipe 16 in a portion along the arm 1 and a portion along the arm 3, respectively. The pipe 16 is inserted into the pipe 16 so as to extend inside, pass through the pipe wall at the other part of the middle portion of the pipe 16 and come out of the pipe 16. The open side shape memory alloy 24 is also sealed by a seal material (not shown) at the portion where the pipe 16 passes through.

Reference numeral 38 denotes a control device, which inputs an input signal a indicating a target value of the rotation angle of the arm 3, compares the input signal a with the output of the potentiometer 2 (actual rotation angle of the arm 3), and outputs the comparison result. The solenoids 34 and 36 are operated according to the deviation.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

First, when both solenoids 34 and 36 are off,
The valve bodies 25 and 26 are in a neutral state. Then, at this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the pipe 13 (19) is sandwiched between the lower end portion of the valve body 25 (26) and the valve body receiving member 29 (31) to be in a crushed state, Simultaneously with the blockage, the pipe 18 (15) is also sandwiched between the lower end portion of the valve body 25 (26) and the valve body receiving member 30 (32) to be crushed and closed. Therefore, the hot water 61 and the cold water 62 from the hot water tank 9 and the cold water tank 10 are transferred to the pipes 14,
16 is never supplied.

Next, when the solenoid 34 is turned off and the solenoid 36 is turned on, the rod 37 connected to the movable iron core of the solenoid 36 is pulled in, and the valve body 26 rotates about the support shaft 28 in the clockwise direction in the figure. At the same time, the valve body 25 is rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure around the support shaft 27 in conjunction with this (at this time, the valve bodies 25 and 26 rotate,
The movable iron cores of the solenoids 34 and 36 perform linear motion,
This difference in movement is absorbed by the flexibility of the rods 35,37).

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the pipe 13 (19) is more tightly sandwiched between the lower end portion of the valve body 25 (26) and the valve body receiving member 29 (31), and is left in the closed state. While maintaining, the pipe 18 (15) is not pinched tightly between the lower end of the valve body 25 (26) and the valve body receiving member 30 (32), and is in an open state. Therefore, the hot water tank 9
From which hot water 61 flows through the pipes 12 and 15 to the pipe 16, and cold water 62 from the cold water tank 10 flows into the pipe 14 through the pipes 17 and 18.

As a result, the open side shape memory alloy 24 is heated by the hot water 61, while the closed side shape memory alloy 23 is cooled by the cold water 62. Then, as described above, the open side shape memory alloy 2
When 4 is heated, the shape memory effect causes the alloy 24 to shrink in an attempt to return to the length in the memory shape. Therefore, the arm 3 is rotated in the direction (arrow A direction) in which the elbow formed by the arm 3 and the arm 1 opens. At this time, the cooled side shape memory alloy 23 is stretched and deformed. In addition, the hot water 61 passing through the pipes 14 and 16
The cold water 62 is discharged from the drain pipe 20.

Next, when the solenoid 34 is turned on and the solenoid 36 is turned off, the rod 35 engaged with the movable iron core of the solenoid 34 is pulled in, and the valve body 25 is rotated counterclockwise around the support shaft 27 in the figure. At the same time when the valve body 26 is rotated, the valve body 26 is also rotated counterclockwise in the figure around the support shaft 28 in conjunction with this. Then, contrary to the above, the tubes 13 and 19
Is open and the tubes 18 and 15 are closed. Therefore, the hot water 61 from the hot water tank 9 flows into the pipes 12 and 13
The cold water 62 flows from the cold water tank 10 to the pipe 16 via the pipes 17 and 19 as well as to the pipe 14.

As a result, the closed side shape memory alloy 23 is heated by the hot water 61, while the open side shape memory alloy 24 is cooled by the cold water 62. And, as described above, the closed side shape memory alloy 2
When 3 is heated, the shape memory effect causes the alloy 23 to shrink in an attempt to return to the length in the memory shape. Therefore, the arm 3 is rotated in the direction (arrow B direction) in which the elbow is closed. Note that the open side shape memory alloy 24 that is being cooled at this time is stretched and deformed.

As is apparent from the above, in this embodiment, by controlling the solenoids 34 and 36, the arm 3 can be rotated with respect to the arm 1 in the opening direction and the closing direction of the elbow portion.

Then, an input signal a indicating the target value of the rotation angle of the arm 3 is input to the control device 38, and the control device 38 compares the input signal a with the output of the potentiometer 2 (actual rotation angle of the arm 3). The solenoid 34,
By operating 36, feedback control of the angle of the arm 3 is realized.

In the present embodiment, the tube 14 and the shape memory alloy 23, and the tube 16 and the shape memory alloy 24 respectively constitute the shape memory effect device according to the present invention. In such a shape memory effect device, 14 and shape memory alloy 23,
The tube 16 and the shape memory alloy 24 can be integrally handled as one element.

Then, both ends of the pipes 14 and 16 are connected to the warm water 6 as described above.
1. It is extremely easy to supply hot water 61 and cold water 62 into the pipes 14 and 16 by simply connecting them to the pipes 13, 15, 18, 19 on the supply side of the cold water 62 and the pipe 20 on the discharge side. The memory alloys 23 and 24 can be heated and cooled. Moreover, the shape memory alloy 2 is provided on both ends of the pipes 14 and 16.
Since there is no 3, 24, both ends of the pipes 14, 16 and the pipes 13, 15, 18, 19 and the discharge-side pipe 20 can be easily connected.

Also, of the influence memory alloys 23, 24, the tubes 14, 16
Arms 3 (driven body) and arm 1 (supported body) are supported in a state where pipes 14 and 16 on both sides of a portion extending inside are isolated from hot water 61 and cold water 62. Connected to the object), the pulley 4,
Can be wrapped around 5.

Further, since the tubes 14 and 16 are made of a flexible material, they do not hinder the movement of the shape memory alloys 23 and 24.

Therefore, the handling of the device is very good despite the use of fluid.

In the present embodiment, a pair of shape memory alloys 23 and 24 are used, and when one shape memory alloy is heated and contracts,
The shape memory alloy serves as a biasing means for applying a tensile force to the other shape memory alloy,
It goes without saying that a means other than a shape memory alloy such as a spring can be used as the bias means in the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the shape memory effect device according to the present invention can drive the shape memory alloy by the thermal energy held by the fluid, and (a) integrally integrates both the shape memory alloy and the tube as one element. It can be handled.

(B) By simply connecting one end of the pipe to a fluid supply source, the fluid can be supplied into the pipe very easily, and the shape memory alloy can be heated / cooled by the fluid. Since there is no shape memory alloy, it is possible to easily connect the one end portion to the fluid discharge destination side device and the other end portion to the fluid discharge destination side device.

(C) The shape memory alloy is separated from the fluid on both sides of the portion extending inside the pipe and outside the pipe, the driven body, an object supporting the driven body, and an interposition such as a pulley. Objects and the like can be connected or brought into contact with each other and linked to them.

(D) Since the tube is made of a flexible material, it does not hinder the movement of the shape memory alloy.

For the reasons described above, the excellent effect that the handling property of the device is very good can be obtained even though the fluid is used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a manipulator constructed by using a shape memory effect device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an arm portion in the embodiment described above with a pipe removed from a shape memory alloy. Front view, FIG. 3 is III-I in FIG.
A sectional view taken along line II, FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing an essential part of the embodiment, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged sectional views showing a valve portion in the embodiment. 1, 3 ... Arm, 4,5 ... Pulley, 9 ... Hot water tank, 10 ... Cold water tank, 14, 16 ... Pipe, 23,
24 ... Shape memory alloy, 61 ... Warm water, 62 ... Cold water,
63 ... Sealing material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pipe made of a flexible material, one end of which is connected to a fluid supply source, and a pipe at an intermediate portion of the pipe, passing through the pipe wall from the outside of the pipe into the pipe, and inside the pipe. A linear wire which extends through the tube wall at the other part of the middle part of the tube to the outside of the tube and is linked to other objects at the outside parts on both sides of the part extending inside the tube. A shape memory alloy, and a biasing means for applying a tensile force to the shape memory alloy, and a portion where the shape memory alloy passes through the tube wall of the tube does not allow the fluid to leak out of the tube. Shape memory effect device characterized in that