Accession Number:

ADD004566

Title:

Trigger Circuit.

Descriptive Note:

Patent,

Corporate Author:

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON D C

Personal Author(s):

• Orlando,Carl

Report Date:

1977-01-11

Pagination or Media Count:

4.0

Abstract:

A wire of Nitinol can be stretched up to a given amount and will remain in this stretched state until heated to a critical temperature. When heated to the critical temperature, the wire restores to its original length. When the wire restores to its original length, it exhibits a substantial tensile force and this force can be used to operate a device such as a photographic shutter operatively attached to the wire, for example. The trigger circuit of this invention provides a current pulse for the required time period to heat the Nitinol wire to its critical temperature to thereby restore the wire to its original length. The circuit includes a high power transistor which is gated on for a controlled time to provide the required power to heat the Nitinol wire to its critical temperature. Author

Descriptors:

• *Patents
• *Trigger circuits
• Wire
• Nickel alloys
• Titanium alloys
• Heating
• Recovery
• Length

Subject Categories:

• Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE