Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A thermal energy scavenger assembly comprising: at least one temperature-sensitive element made of material which exhibits shape memory due to thermoelastic, martensitic phase transformation; reaction means reacting with said element for applying a stress to said element to strain said element during a first phase and for responding to the unstraining of said element during a second phase; and stress limiting means for limiting the strain of said element during said second phase whereby the strain upon the element may be greater during the first phase than during the second phase.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A thermal energy scavenger assembly comprising: at least one temperature-sensitive element made of material which exhibits shape memory due to thermoelastic, martensitic phase transformation; reaction means reacting with said element for applying a stress to said element to strain said element during a first phase and for responding to the unstraining of said element during a second phase; and stress limiting means for limiting the strain of said element during said second phase whereby the strain upon the element may be greater during the first phase than during the second phase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
110 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said phase transformation occurs as said element passes through a transition temperature between a relatively cool temperature below the transition temperature and a relatively warm temperature above the transition temperature, said first phase occurring while said element is at said relatively cool temperature, said second phase occurring while said element is at said relatively warm temperature, said strain in said element during said first phase being greater than said strain in said element during said second phase, and said stress applied to said element in reacting with said reaction means being greater during said second phase than during said first phase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said stress limiting means is disposed between said reaction means and said element so that said reaction means reacts with said element through said stress limiting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said stress limiting means allows lost motion between said reaction means and said element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said stress limiting means includes a spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said reaction means includes cam means for reacting with said element during the straining and unstraining thereof, and including support means supporting said cam means and said element for allowing relative movement between said element and said cam means to extract energy as said element reacts with said cam means through said stress limiting means during the unstraining of said element in said second phase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 4 including carriage means supporting said element for allowing said element to be placed in tension while reacting with said reaction means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said stress limiting means includes an elastic member interacting between said element and said carriage means so that the stress applied to said element by said reaction means is transmitted through said elastic member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said element comprises a wire.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said elastic member is a coil spring disposed about one end of said wire and reacting therewith so that said spring is compressed during said unstraining of said spring in said second phase.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 10 including a plurality of said wires and a plurality of said springs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said reaction means includes cam means for reacting with said wires during the straining and unstraining thereof, and including support means supporting said cam means and said carriage means for allowing relative movement between said cam means and said wires supported by said carriage means to extract energy as said wires unstrain and shorten in length as they compress said springs in reacting with said cam means during said second phase.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a plurality of said elements with each element comprising a wire in tension by forces applied through said stress limiting means, and said stress limiting means comprises spring means having a spring rate for remaining substantially immovable to elongate said wires in said first phase and movable in response to the increased stress during said second phase to prevent the stress in the wires from exceeding a predetermined limit in said second phase thereby preventing the permissible strain of the wires from being exceeded in said second phase.