JPH0751939B2 - Shape memory reciprocating device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a shape memory reciprocating device, and is particularly used as an actuator that utilizes solar thermal energy.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the reciprocating motion using a shape memory alloy is described in "Nikkei New Material" (July 30, 1990 issue, P99), "The operating principle of a bidirectional element using a bias spring". Done 6th
It is configured as shown in the figure.

This is after the shape memory deformation is urged so that it returns to the original shape when it is shaped into the required shape and comes to the preset temperature atmosphere, and after the shape memory alloy is deformed by applying an external force at a temperature lower than the transformation point temperature. This is a nickel-titanium alloy that uses a so-called unidirectional shape memory alloy that returns to its original shape when heated to a preset temperature, but does not return to the shape it had when it was previously deformed even when the temperature is lowered again. Etc. are used. By the way, there is also a bidirectional shape memory alloy in which the shape memory alloy is deformed only by changing the temperature when the shape memory deformation is energized both at a temperature lower than the transformation point temperature and at a temperature higher than the transformation point temperature. Alloys are used.

By using this, the shaft 20 can be reciprocated only by the temperature change without the bias spring 41 in FIG.
That is, if the unidirectional shape memory spring 40 is replaced with a bidirectional one by connecting the flange 21 to the base left portion 11a via this spring, the shaft 20 repeats left and right reciprocating motions only by changing the temperature.

In addition, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-48313 discloses a "solid phase heat engine" in which a shape memory alloy is directly energized to be heated to change the temperature.

In addition, “Nikkei New Material” (July 30, 1990 issue,
Application examples of shape memory alloys are described in P100 to P101), but the method of changing the temperature is heating by artificial thermal energy.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, heating by artificial thermal energy has an advantage that heating control is easy, but has the following drawbacks.

First, a device for generating artificial thermal energy is required, and a heating control device is also required, so that the shape memory reciprocating device becomes large and expensive.

In addition, the control of the heating control device and the above device becomes complicated.

Furthermore, fuel is required to generate artificial thermal energy, which increases operating costs.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, has an extremely simple structure, and can be easily reduced in size and weight, and is driven by heating a shape memory alloy with solar heat or the like, which requires no operating cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a shape memory reciprocating device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A shape memory reciprocating device according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a housing 1 having a hollow portion having an opening through which a heat medium flows in and out, and the housing. A lid member 3 for opening and closing the opening of the housing 1 by an appropriate means, and a shape memory deformation biasing member arranged in the hollow portion of the housing 1 so as to deform into a preformed shape at a preset temperature atmosphere. An operating member 4 made of a strip-shaped or linear shape memory material and formed into a desired shape; one end of the operating member 4 is exposed to the outside of the housing 1; The output member 2 is engaged with the actuating member 4 so as to move back and forth by being deformed. The actuating member 4 is deformed by the temperature change in the hollow portion in which the actuating member 4 is housed, and the actuating member 4 is deformed. It is characterized in that the output shaft 2 is adapted to move forward and backward.

(Operation) In the present invention, for example, when the air in the hollow portion, which is closed by closing the opening of the housing by the lid member, is heated by the solar heat through the housing to reach a high temperature, the air is disposed in the hollow portion. The actuating member made of a shape memory material is deformed, actuating the output shaft and actuating the lid member to open the opening, the hollow portion in which the actuating member is disposed communicates with the outside of the housing, and the housing is caused by natural convection. The low temperature of the outside causes air to enter the hollow portion in which the actuating member is disposed, thereby lowering the temperature of the actuating member.

Then, the actuating member is deformed in the opposite direction to actuate the output shaft in the opposite direction, actuate the lid member, and close the opening to seal the hollow portion in which the actuating member is disposed.

Then, again, the air in the hollow portion in which the actuating member is arranged is heated in the same manner as described above, the above-described operation is repeated, and the output shaft continues the reciprocating operation.

(Example) Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Embodiment 1 In FIG. 1, a housing 1 is made of a copper plate, has a circular cross section, is closed at both ends with circular plates, and has a pair of holes 1a, 1a facing each other at the upper and lower left end portions and a right end portion. A pair of holes 1b, 1b are vertically provided so as to face each other, and the surface is coated with black carbon.

In addition, the shield plate 5 is appropriately separated from the surface of the housing 1 through a connecting member 5a attached to the surface of the housing 1 and is installed to face the holes 1a and 1b, respectively, and the holes 1a and 1b are installed.
The size is set so that the direct rays from the heat source that enters through the do not hit the operating member.

The output shaft 2 is a stepped shaft composed of a large-sized portion and a small-shaped portion having a circular outer shape with the same central axis. The large-shaped portion is fitted in the hollow portion of the housing 1 and the small-shaped portion is the right end wall. It is said to be able to move back and forth through the.

A pipe shape having an outer shape in which the axial center is aligned with the axial center of the output shaft 2 on the left end surface and the right end surface of the large portion of the output shaft 2 and is substantially the same as the outer shape of the large portion of the output shaft 2. The end surfaces of the cover members 3 and 3 are integrally attached.

It is made of a unidirectional shape memory nickel-titanium alloy and is formed into a coil having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the lid member 3 so as to return to its original shape at about 45 ° C. The actuating member 4, which has been urged by shape memory deformation in advance so that the coil length is elongated and deformed to the maximum length, is housed in the hollow portion of the lid member 3, and the left end surface of the large portion of the output shaft 2 and the left end wall of the housing 1 are accommodated. It is compressed and deformed between itself and the inner surface to be stretched and stretched, and between the right end surface of the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the inner surface of the right end wall of the housing 1 is returned to its original shape and stretched and stretched. Has been done.

As a result, the output shaft 2 is moved to the left side of the hollow portion of the housing 1 and is retracted, and the lid members 3 and 3 attached to the output shaft 2 are also moved to the left side of the hollow portion of the housing 1, so that the housing 1 A pair of holes 1a, 1a penetrating vertically opposite the left end of the housing 1 are closed, and the communication between the outside of the housing 1 and the left hollow portion formed by the large portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 is established. A right side hollow formed by the outside of the housing 1 and the large portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 by opening a pair of holes 1b, 1b which are cut off and are vertically provided to face the right end portion of the housing 1 so as to face each other. The department is in communication.

The operation of the above structure will be described. When the shape memory reciprocating device having the above structure is taken out to the outdoors with sunlight, the temperature inside the left hollow portion formed by the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 is heated by solar heat. The air in the left hollow portion is heated through the wall of the copper housing 1 to be heated. On the other hand, the air in the facing right hollow portion becomes lighter when heated and the temperature rises and goes out of the housing 1 through the hole 1b, so the temperature in the right hollow portion is low.

When the temperature in the hollow portion on the left side exceeds 45 ° C., the operating member 4 therein is pre-biased by shape memory deformation, that is, the coil length is elongated and deformed to the original shape and returns to the original shape. The shape memory nickel-titanium alloy in the lower right hollow portion is easily compressed and deformed to shorten the operating member 4.

In synchronization with this deformation, the output shaft 2 moves to the right and the lid member moves to the right to open a pair of holes 1a, 1a penetrating vertically facing the left side of the housing 1 and opening the housing 1 to the outside. The large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the left-side hollow portion formed by the housing 1 are communicated with each other, and a pair of holes 1b, 1b penetrating vertically facing the right end portion of the housing 1 are closed to close the housing 1. The outside and the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the right-side hollow portion formed by the housing 1 are shut off from each other.

Then, the heated air in the left-side hollow portion is quickly discharged to the outside of the housing 1 by natural convection, and the low-temperature air outside the housing 1 enters and the temperature in the left-side hollow portion becomes low, while the temperature in the right-side hollow portion is Like the temperature inside the left hollow portion, the temperature rises, and finally the operating member 4 deforms and the output shaft 2 moves leftward as described above.

After that, the output shaft 2 repeats the above-mentioned rightward line and leftward line, and continues the reciprocating motion while there is insolation.

In addition, since the shielding plate 5 blocks the radiant heat of the sun, the operating member 4 is not heated by the radiant heat of the sun. Therefore, the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 communicating with the outside of the housing 1 and the housing 1 are prevented. The temperature of the actuating member 4 in the hollow portion formed by is substantially the same as the low temperature outside the housing 1.

In this embodiment, the shielding plate 5 prevents the operating member 4 from being heated by solar heat, but the present invention is not limited to this.

That is, the shielding plate 5 may be omitted when the number of reciprocations of the output shaft 2 per unit time may be small or when the area of the opening of the housing 1 is small.

Further, in order to heat the housing 1 quickly, it is preferable that a large number of fins are provided on the surface of the housing 1 so as to widen the heat collecting area.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the housing 1 is covered with the transparent cover 10 through the closed hollow portion 9, the hollow portion formed by the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 is closed by the lid member 3. The rate of temperature rise in the department is fast. Therefore, there is an effect that the number of reciprocations of the output shaft 2 per unit time can be increased.

In addition, when the housing 1 is heated by forming the condenser lens on the transparent cover 10, the temperature rising speed is increased, and the number of reciprocations of the output shaft 2 per unit time can be further increased.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the shape memory reciprocating device according to the present invention.

The same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 used in the description of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and a duplicate description will be omitted here.

The feature of the second embodiment is that the actuating member 4 of the shape memory reciprocating device similar to that of the first embodiment has a strip shape.
A pair of shape memory materials having a V shape are made to face each other so that bent portions having a V shape are opposed to the hole 1a side of the housing 1 and are appropriately separated, and the right end is the left end surface of the large portion of the output shaft. And the opposite left end is connected to the left end inner wall surface of the housing 1, and the same shape memory material as described above is used for the hole 1b of the housing 1.
The left end is connected to the right end surface of the large portion of the output shaft 2 and the opposite right end is connected to the inner wall surface of the right end of the housing 1 so as to form a bent portion of these shape memory materials. The point is that the cover member 3 having the effect of shielding the direct rays of the heat source from directly impinging on the operating member 4 is attached and the holes 1a and 1b can be opened and closed by the deformation of the operating member 4.

The operation of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment,
When the temperature in the left hollow portion exceeds 45 ° C., the operating member 4 therein expands and deforms into a shape that is pre-energized for shape memory deformation, that is, a shallow bent "C" shape, and returns to the original shape. Due to the extensional deformation, the shape memory nickel-titanium alloy in the right-side hollow portion having a low temperature is easily deformed into a deep bent shape and the operating member 4 is shortened.

In synchronization with this deformation, the output shaft 2 moves rightward and the lid member 3
Is separated from the inner wall of the housing 1 to open a pair of holes 1a, 1a penetratingly provided on the left end of the housing 1 so as to be opposed to each other, and the outside of the housing 1 and the large portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 are opened. A pair of holes 1b, 1b penetrating through the housing 1 close to the inner wall of the housing 1 and the upper end of the right end portion of the housing 1 facing each other are closed to connect the formed hollow portion on the left side. The outside and the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the right-side hollow portion formed by the housing 1 are shut off from each other.

Thus, the output shaft 2 repeats the reciprocating motion as in the first embodiment.

According to the present embodiment, since the lid member also serves as the function of the shielding plate, there is an effect that the number of parts can be reduced.

Embodiment 3 FIGS. 4 to 5 show a shape memory reciprocating device according to a third embodiment of the invention.
It shows an example.

The same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 used in the description of the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted here.

A feature of the third embodiment is that the housing 1 of the shape memory reciprocating device similar to the first embodiment is a transparent body,
The inner wall surface of the left end of the housing 1 and the left end surface of the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2, and the inner wall surface of the right end portion of the housing 1 and the right end surface of the large-shaped portion of the output shaft 2 are appropriately provided in the gaps between the transparent lid member 3 and the operating member 4, respectively. Four shield plates 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d or 7a, 7 which are arranged apart from each other and are elastic (for example, bellows-shaped) and coated with carbon black on the surface and have a heat collecting function.
The direct light from the light source connected through b, 7c, 7d and incident through the transparent housing 1 is blocked by the shielding plate so as not to directly hit the operating member 4.

The number of the shielding plates is not limited to four, and any number of shielding plates may be used as long as the operating member 4 can directly shield the light.

Further, in the present embodiment, the shielding plate also has a function as a heat collecting plate, so that it is preferable that the surface area is large.

The operation of the third embodiment is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment, and the shield plates 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d are expanded and contracted in synchronization with the reciprocating movement of the output shaft 2.

At this time, when the hole 1a or the hole 1b is opened, the shielding plates 6a, 6b, 6
Since c, 6d, 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d are appropriately separated from each other, the high temperature air inside the shield plate also passes through the hole 1a or the hole 1b similarly to the high temperature air outside the shield plate and the housing 1 Easily replaced by cold outside air.

According to this embodiment, the housing 1 is made transparent and the heat collecting plate disposed in the hollow portion formed by the large-sized portion of the output shaft 2 and the housing 1 and closed by the lid member 3 is directly exposed to the sunlight. The heating is performed so that the rate of temperature rise in the hollow portion can be increased, which has the effect of increasing the number of reciprocations of the output shaft 2 per unit time.

It should be noted that one of the two hollow portions formed by the housing of the first to third embodiments and the large-sized portion of the output shaft has one of the operating members removed to leave the remaining hollow portion in the above-mentioned hollow portion. Similar to the use of a bidirectional shape memory material in the prior art "Principle of operation of a bidirectional element using a bias spring", if a bidirectional shape memory material is arranged, the output shaft reciprocates only by a temperature change. Needless to say, it can be done.

Further, the operation of the lid member 3 utilizes the deformation force of the operation member 4, but the operation is not limited to this.

In short, if the actuating member 4 is deformed in shape memory, the lid member 3 may be actuated by appropriate means.

Further, the cross-sectional shape of the housing 1 may be any cross-section as long as the actuating member 4 is deformable and the output shaft 2 has a hollow cross-section that can be moved forward and backward.

In addition to gas such as air, liquid, powder, or granular solid can be used as the heat medium.

At this time, the shape of the hollow portion of the housing 1 must be devised so that the medium can flow out of the housing 1 by its own weight.

Further, it may be combined with a reflecting mirror in order to improve the light collecting efficiency, or may be combined with a heat collecting lens in order to improve the heat collecting efficiency.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the shape memory reciprocating device of the present invention, the structure is extremely simple, and it is easy to reduce the size and weight. Further, the present invention is extremely effective in that it has an effect that operating costs are unnecessary because it is operated by solar heat which is natural energy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a shape memory reciprocating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a housing of the shape memory reciprocating device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the shape memory reciprocating device according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part showing a third embodiment of the shape memory reciprocating device according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4, and FIG. 1 ... Housing 1a, 1b ... Hole 2 ... Output shaft 3 ... Lid member 4 ... Actuating member 5a ... Connecting member 5,6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d. Plate 11 …… Base 11a …… Left part of base 20 …… Axis 21 …… Flange 40 …… One-way shape memory spring 41 …… Bias spring

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing 1 having a hollow portion having an opening through which a heat medium flows in and out, a lid member 3 for opening and closing the opening portion of the housing 1 by appropriate means, and a hollow portion of the housing 1. An actuating member 4 formed into a required shape, which is formed of a strip-shaped or linear shape memory device, which is arranged and is biased by shape memory deformation so as to be deformed into a shape formed in advance in an atmosphere of a preset temperature; The output shaft 2 has one end exposed to the outside of the housing 1 and the other end exposed to the hollow portion of the housing 1 and is engaged with the operating member 4 so as to move back and forth due to the deformation of the operating member 4. A shape memory reciprocating device, characterized in that the operating member 4 is deformed by a temperature change in a hollow portion in which the operating member 4 is housed, and the output shaft 2 is advanced and retracted.