US 12,234,811 B1
Monitoring a state of a shape memory material member
Michael Paul Rowe, Pinckney, MI (US); Brian J. Pinkelman, Ann Arbor, MI (US); and Yufei Zhu, Ypsilanti, MI (US)
Assigned to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US); and Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota (JP)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/452,602.
Int. Cl. F03G 7/06 (2006.01); G01L 1/22 (2006.01); G01L 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC F03G 7/066 (2021.08) [F03G 7/06143 (2021.08); G01L 1/22 (2013.01); G01L 5/0061 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
an actuator configured to morph, when activated, into an activated configuration in which a dimension of the actuator increases, the actuator including a shape memory material member;
a sensor configured to acquire sensor data, a portion of the shape memory material member operatively engaging the sensor, the shape memory material member including an external portion that extends external to the actuator; and
one or more processors operatively connected to monitor a state of the shape memory material member based on the sensor data.