Claims
- 1. A method of urging a working end of a repetitive motion work arm into a work surface comprising:
providing a work arm, the work arm having a working end, the work arm positioned to repetitively move about a predetermined path of a work surface, the work arm also having a connection end; repetitively moving the working end of the work arm about the predetermined path of the work surface; urging the working end of the work arm into the work surface by activating a shape memory alloy actuator in physical communication with the work arm; and deactivating the shape memory alloy actuator.
- 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forcing thermal conductive fluid towards the shape memory alloy actuator to provide thermal energy to a shape memory alloy in the shape memory alloy actuator.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein a valve controlled by a processor controls the flow of thermal conductive fluid towards the shape memory alloy and wherein the working end of the work arm is not urged into the work surface until a predetermined target threshold measurement has been reached.
- 4. A wiper blade system for a non-opaque surface of a motor vehicle comprising:
a wiper arm having a blade end and a body connection end; and a shape memory alloy actuator in physical communication with the body connection end of the wiper-arm,
the wiper arm positioned to moved across the non-opaque surface in a repetitive path of movement.
- 5. The wiper blade system of claim 4 wherein the shape memory alloy actuator contains a thermal energy activation element.
- 6. The wiper blade system of claim 4 wherein the shape memory alloy actuator has a working element,
the working element in physical communication with the wiper arm, the working element positioned to urge the blade end of the wiper arm into the non-opaque surface.
- 7. The wiper blade system of claim 4 further comprising:
a control line, the control line associated with the shape memory alloy actuator, the control line containing heated oil.
- 8. The wiper blade system of claim 4 further comprising:
a pivot pin about which the wiper arm may rotate; a rocker arm directly coupled to the shape memory alloy actuator; and a biasing spring in physical communication with the rocker arm.
- 9. The windshield wiper system of claim 4 wherein the shape memory alloy actuator is in thermal communication with a heating element and wherein the non-opaque surface is a windshield of a motor vehicle.
- 10. A method of urging a wiper blade towards a non-opaque surface of a motor vehicle comprising:
urging a blade end of a wiper arm towards a non-opaque surface of a motor vehicle by activating a shape memory alloy actuator in physical communication with the wiper arm; and moving the blade end of the wiper arm over the non-opaque surface.
- 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
detecting the speed of the motor vehicle.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the shape memory alloy actuator is activated only after the motor vehicle reaches a predetermined target speed.
- 13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
forcing a thermally conductive fluid towards the shape memory alloy actuator to provide thermal energy to a shape memory alloy in the shape memory alloy actuator.
- 14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
subjecting a shape memory alloy within the shape memory alloy actuator to an electrical voltage.
- 15. The method of claim 10 wherein the non-opaque surface is a windshield of the motor vehicle.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/072,562, filed Feb. 11, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/764,117, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,253, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/467,749 filed Dec. 20, 1999 and entitled “Heat Converter Engine Using A Shape Memory Alloy Actuator,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,992.
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10072562 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Child |
10740858 |
Dec 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09764117 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Child |
10072562 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09467749 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
Child |
09764117 |
Jan 2001 |
US |