US 11,815,072 B2
Thermal actuator arrangement having improved reset time
Rouven Britz, Saarbrücken (DE); Stefan Seelecke, Saarbrücken (DE); and Paul Motzki, Saarbrücken (DE)
Assigned to University of Saarland, Saarbrucken (DE); and Zema Ctr for Mechatronics and Automation Tech., Saarbrucken (DE)
Appl. No. 17/761,385
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF SAARLAND, Saarbrücken (DE); and ZEMA, CENTER FOR MECHATRONICS AND AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY, Saarbrücken (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/075713
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/052933, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 125 143.5 (DE), filed on Sep. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0290659 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. F03G 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03G 7/06 (2013.01) 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal actuator arrangement for moving an actuator between a first actuating position and a second actuating position, comprising:
a first partial actuator having a first thermal actuator element, to which a first opposing force is applied;
a second partial actuator having a second thermal actuator element to which a second opposing force is applied, wherein the actuator elements are configured to modify their shape against the opposing force in each case due to the effect of a temperature change;
the actuator, which is coupled to the first partial actuator, such that, when the first actuator element is deactivated, the actuator is held in the first actuating position when a holding force takes effect and, when the holding force is eliminated, the actuator moves to the second actuating position due to the effect of the first opposing force;
a securing element, which is coupled to the second partial actuator in order to provide the holding force when the second actuator element is in the deactivated state and to reduce or eliminate the holding force when the second actuator element is in the activated state.