Magnetic Shape Memory Actuator with Segmented Flux Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromagnetic actuator designs with multiple coil devices for magnetic shape memory materials face challenges in achieving compactness and efficiency due to unnecessary large dimensions, weight, and heat generation, resulting in prolonged movement and switching times.
Innovation Solution
The actuator employs a parallel magnetic circuit configuration where each coil device's magnetic flux is managed within its own flux-conducting circuit, preventing flux overlap and allowing for reduced core dimensions, with optional integration of permanent magnets for enhanced magnetic preloading and bi-stable switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two coil devices are deployed to enable magnetic flux input into the drive element, then the actuator can achieve bidirectional actuation capability, but the core regions must be dimensioned large to control mutually overlapping fluxes, resulting in increased dimensions, weights, and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic circuit is segmented into separate flux-conducting paths for each coil device. Each coil has its own dedicated flux-conducting circuit that prevents magnetic flux from entering other coil devices, thereby eliminating the need for oversized core regions to manage overlapping fluxes and reducing overall actuator weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Each coil device is assigned a specific flux-conducting circuit with localized magnetic flux control. This local quality approach ensures that magnetic flux from one coil remains confined to its designated path, allowing for optimized, smaller core dimensions at each location rather than requiring a uniformly large core structure.
2Reliability
If two coil devices are deployed with large core regions to control overlapping fluxes, then magnetic flux control is improved, but the actuator dimensions and volume increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The flux-conducting circuit is divided into separate, dedicated paths for each coil device. This segmentation allows each coil to control its own magnetic flux independently through its assigned circuit, achieving reliable magnetic flux control without requiring large, overlapping core regions that would increase actuator volume.
Solution Approach 2:
Separate flux-conducting circuits act as intermediaries between each coil device and the drive element. These intermediary circuits guide and confine magnetic flux along designated paths, preventing flux overlap and enabling compact actuator design while maintaining effective magnetic flux control.
3Ease of manufacture
If standardised flux-conducting modules are deployed for magnetic flux circuit implementation, then manufacturing simplicity and reproducibility are improved, but the modules must be dimensioned large to accommodate overlapping fluxes, increasing dimensions and weights
Solution Approach 1:
The flux-conducting modules are segmented into separate, standardized units, each dedicated to a specific coil device. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of individual modules while reducing their dimensions and weights, since each module only needs to handle its own coil's flux without accommodating overlapping fluxes from other coils.
4Stability of the object's composition
If coil devices are positioned opposite each other with series-connected magnetic flux, then magnetic circuit symmetry is improved, but the overlapping fluxes require large core cross-sections, resulting in increased dimensions and heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic circuit is segmented into separate flux-conducting paths for each coil device, maintaining symmetry in the overall arrangement while preventing magnetic flux overlap. This segmentation allows each coil to operate independently with its own flux path, reducing the core cross-sectional area required and minimizing heat generation from excessive magnetic flux concentration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration results in a more compact, lighter actuator with reduced heat generation and faster movement and switching times, maintaining magnetic properties while minimizing module dimensions and energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a coil device is thereby assigned to the magnetic shape memory material (MSM='Magnetic Shape Memory'), which as a reaction to an energisation generates the magnetic field required for the expansion of the shape memory drive element
Implementation Method 2
a shape memory material (shape memory alloy material) experiences an expansion as a reaction to an applied magnetic field
Implementation Method 3
The actuator employs a parallel magnetic circuit configuration where each coil device's magnetic flux is managed within its own flux-conducting circuit, preventing flux overlap and allowing for reduced core dimensions, with optional integration of permanent magnets for enhanced magnetic preloading and bi-stable switching
Data Source
AI summary
An actuator having a drive element made of a magnetic shape memory material is driven responsive to electrical control of a plurality of coil apparatuses and carries out an expansion movement in response to the control. The coil apparatuses are magnetically connected to the drive element via flux-concentrating apparatus having a flux-concentrating section associated with the coil apparatuses for interaction with the drive element. Each flux-concentrating apparatus has a core section and connecting section, which conducts a magnetic flux to the drive element, such that a magnetic flux-concentrating circuit for each of the coil apparatuses is formed by the common drive element. The flux-concentrating circuits are magnetically connected in parallel with one another, based on the common drive element, and/or a magnetic flux direction of a magnetic flux in the particular flux-concentrating circuit in the drive element has the same orientation.