US 11,912,078 B1
Shape memory alloy (SMA) tubular structure
Colin M. Creager, Cleveland, OH (US); Santo A. Padula, II, Cleveland, OH (US); and Calvin Young, Cleveland, OH (US)
Assigned to United States Government Administrator of NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/119,632.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/077,138, filed on Sep. 11, 2020.
Int. Cl. B60C 7/06 (2006.01); B60C 7/14 (2006.01); C22C 19/03 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 7/06 (2013.01) [B60C 7/14 (2013.01); B60C 2200/12 (2013.01); C22C 19/03 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-pneumatic structure comprising:
a matrix of a plurality of layers of wires,
wherein a first layer comprises a loop of a cross section of the structure, forming a tube, the tube having an axis, and a second layer that interlaces with the first layer to create a surface of the tube;
wherein the tube ends are mated together to form a torus,
wherein an applied level of torsion to the matrix along the axis of the tube yields a selected set of performance characteristics; and
wherein the plurality of layers of wires comprise a shape memory alloy (SMA) having an austenite crystal structure in an ambient condition, and during an application of an externally applied force upon the structure, the austenite crystal structure of the SMA reorients to a martensitic crystal structure to minimize internal strain energy and decrease local stiffness that accommodate load and large deflection of the SMA.