Quotables
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM ; 1943
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8007604 | Titanium-tantalum base shape memory alloys, actuator and engine A Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy is provided which possesses high machinability and is suitable for repeated high temperature operation. The Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy consists of 15 mol %-40 mol % Tantalum, additive elements, and the balan... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7811393 | Shape memory alloy articles with improved fatigue performance and methods therefor Articles made of shape memory alloys having improved fatigue performance and to methods of treating articles formed from shape memory alloy materials by pre-straining the articles (or desired portions of the articles) in a controlled manner so that the resultant art... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7789975 | Shape memory material and method of making the same The present invention relates generally to a shape memory and/or super-elastic material, such as a nickel titanium alloy. Additionally or alternatively, the present invention relates to a super-elastic or pseudo-elastic material that has an initial transition temper... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7749341 | Precipitation hardenable high temperature shape memory alloy A composition of the invention is a high temperature shape memory alloy having high work output, and is made from (Ni+Pt+Y)xTi(100-x), wherein x is present in a total amount of 49-55 atomic %, Pt is present in a total amount of 10-30 atomic %, ... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7648589 | Energy absorbent material A method for making a ductile and porous shape memory alloy (SMA) using spark plasma sintering, and an energy absorbing structure including a ductile and porous SMA are disclosed. In an exemplary structure, an SMA spring encompasses a generally cylindrical energy ab... | 01/19/2010 |
| 7632361 | Single crystal shape memory alloy devices and methods Devices and methods of making devices having one or more components made of single crystal shape memory alloy capable of large recoverable distortions, defined herein as “hyperelastic” SMA. Recoverable Strains are as large as 9 percent, and in special circumstan... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7501032 | High work output NI-TI-PT high temperature shape memory alloys and associated processing methods According to the invention, compositions of Ni—Ti—Pt high temperature, high force, shape memory alloys are disclosed that have transition temperatures above 100° C.; have narrow hysteresis; and produce a high specific work output. ... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7455738 | Long fatigue life nitinol A high fatigue life superelastic nickel-titanium (nitinol) wire, ribbon, sheet, tubing, or the like is disclosed. The nitinol has a 54.5 to 57.0 weight percent nickel with a balance of titanium composition and has less than 30 percent cold work as a final step after... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7455737 | Selective treatment of linear elastic materials to produce localized areas of superelasticity Methods of selectively treating linear elastic materials to produce localized areas of superelasticity and/or shape-memory are disclosed. In an illustrative method, a linear elastic workpiece may be formed into a particular shape by cold-forming or other low-tempera... | 11/25/2008 |
| 7393595 | Composite comprising a metal or alloy and a shape memory alloy A composite element comprises:(a) a metal or metal alloy component having an elastic modulus that decreases with increasing temperature in a temperature range; and (b) sufficient amount of a shape memory alloy component having an elastic modulus that shows an increa... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7371295 | Shape memory alloy and method for producing same A shape memory alloy comprises Co, Ni and Al with a two-phase structure comprising a β-phase having a B2 structure and a γ-phase having an fcc structure, at least 40% by area of crystal grain boundaries of the β-phase being occupied by the γ-phase. The shape mem... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7316753 | Coherent nanodispersion-strengthened shape-memory alloys High-strength, low-hysteresis TiNi-based shape-memory alloys (SMAS) employing fully coherent low-misfit nanoscale precipitates, wherein the precipitate phase is based on an optimized composition for high parent-phase strength and martensite phase stability, and comp... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7270720 | Superelastic element made of a copper alloy and method for imparting a curvature of a given geometry In a method of bending a rod- or rod-like unfinished workpiece of a single crystal material of a Cu alloy the workpiece is bent at an elevated temperature so as to provide for a predetermined curvature and then the workpiece is further heated whereby the curvature i... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7258753 | Superelastic guiding member An improved guiding member for use within a body lumen having a unique combination of superelastic characteristics. The superelastic alloy material has a composition consisting of about 30% to about 52% (atomic) titanium, and about 38% to 52% nickel and may have one... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7244319 | Superelastic guiding member An improved guiding member for use within a body lumen having a unique combination of superelastic characteristics. The superelastic alloy material has a composition consisting of about 30% to about 52% (atomic) titanium, and about 38% to 52% nickel and may have one... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7243408 | Process method for attaching radio opaque markers to shape memory stent A process comprising the steps of providing a precursor for an implantable medical device, at least a portion of the precursor made of a shape memory material, the shape memory material having a receptacle for receiving a marker therein, the shape memory material ha... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7226466 | Flexible delivery system A delivery system for implanting medical devices within a lumen or body cavity of a patient, the delivery system having a wire formed from a plurality of layered strands yielding a reduced bending stiffness for improved maneuverability with no reduction in overall t... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7220494 | Metal dusting resistant product A product resistant or immune to carburization, metal dusting, coking, oxidation, and having sufficient mechanical strength for use at temperatures greater than 400° C. The product consists of a load-bearing member and a corrosion resistant member, wherein the corr... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7216831 | Shape changing structure In one preferred embodiment, a structure is provided that includes a body having a first wall and a second wall. At least one appending component extends from an end of the body and includes a first skin and second skin. The structure additionally includes at least ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7195681 | Cu—Zn—Al(6%) shape memory alloy with low martensitic temperature and a process for its manufacture The present invention provides for Cu—Zn—Al(6%) alloy and an improved process to lower the martensitic transformation temperature, by a low temperature re-betatising treatment from 110° C. to 30° C. i.e. a lowering of 80° C. wherein previously high temperatur... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7192496 | Methods of processing nickel-titanium alloys Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of processing nickel-titanium alloys including from greater than 50 up to 55 atomic percent nickel to provide a desired austenite transformation temperature and/or austenite transformation temperature range. In on... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7188498 | Reconfigurable tools and/or dies, reconfigurable inserts for tools and/or dies, and methods of use A reconfigurable tool and/or die geometry and methods of use generally comprise forming at least a portion of a shape defining surface with a shape memory material. In response to an activation signal, the shape memory material changes geometry of the shape defining... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7169175 | Self-expanding stent The stent of this invention is a self-expanding stent created by a scaffolding lattice. The stent may be made from a nickel-titanium alloy. The lattice is formed from two different types of helices that proceed circumferentially in opposite directions along the long... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7147057 | Loop systems and methods of using the same for conveying and distributing thermal energy into a wellbore Systems and methods are provided for treating a wellbore using a loop system to heat oil in a subterranean formation contacted by the wellbore. The loop system comprises a loop that conveys a fluid (e.g., steam) down the wellbore via a injection conduit and returns ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7135076 | Memory metal activation system A memory metal expands through the use of a catalyst and a fuel-oxidizer mixture. The catalyst can be placed directly onto the surface of the memory metal, or it can just be in the proximity of the metal. The fuel-oxidizer mixture similarly can be placed on the surf... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7124493 | Method of manufacturing a cardiac harness A cardiac harness for treating congestive heart failure is disclosed. The harness applies elastic, compressive reinforcement on the left ventricle to reduce deleterious wall tension and to resist shape change of the ventricle during the mechanical cardiac cycle. Rat... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7118656 | Thin film stent A method for fabricating a stent or other medical device by creating a free standing thin film of metal. ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7087080 | Materials for use in intraocular lens system There is disclosed an accommodating intraocular lens for implantation in an eye having an optical axis. The lens comprises an anterior portion which in turn comprises an anterior viewing element and an anterior biasing element. The lens further comprises a posterior... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7083687 | Super-elastic titanium alloy for medical uses A super-elastic titanium alloy for medical use consisting essentially of: molybdenum (Mo) as a β stabilizer element of titanium (Ti): from 2 to 12 at %; an α stabilizer element of the titanium (Ti): from 0.1 to 14 at %; and the b... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7082868 | Lightweight armor with repeat hit and high energy absorption capabilities A lightweight armor with repeat hit capability includes at least one layer of material that absorbs energy upon being impacted by an object through a reversible phase change and/or an elastic strain deformation of at least 5%. Once the energy of the object has been ... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7063761 | Method of mounting a tire on a rim A method of mounting a tire on a rim includes selecting a tire comprising bead cores, stretching the bead cores, sliding the bead cores over a balcony portion of the rim, allowing the bead cores to elastically return to lengths corresponding to diameters of respecti... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7032675 | Thermally-controlled valves and methods of using the same in a wellbore Methods of operating a downhole tool comprise thermally-controlling the tool by sensing a temperature and controlling the tool in response to the sensed temperature. Thermally-controlled downhole tools comprise a control element responsive to a change in temperature... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7018209 | Apparatus and methods for a shape memory spring actuator and display Various apparatus and methods for an actuator and display using one or more shape memory springs. A shape memory spring is heated and urges a pin to a first or extended position. The pin may be supported in the first position by a supporting mechanism. The shape mem... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6977017 | Cu-ZN-A1(6%) shape memory alloy with low martensitic temperature and a process for its manufacture The present invention provides for Cu—Zn—Al(6%) alloy and an improved process to lower the martensitic transformation temperature, by a low temperature re-betatising treatment from 110° C. to 30° C. i.e. a lowering of 80° C. wherein previously high temperatur... | 12/20/2005 |
| 6945045 | Driving apparatus Two shape memory alloy members d7 and d8 are connected to a movable member. Continuously, one and then the other of the shape memory alloy members d7 is heated alternately by application of a voltage or current thereto so that, by the generated ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6946040 | Shape memory alloy and method of treating the same A method of treating a shape memory alloy to improve its various characteristics and to cause it to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. A raw shape memory alloy having a substantially uniformly fine-grained crystal structure is prepared and then its crystal orien... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6931709 | Method of joining non-metallic and metallic components A method of attaching a first member of one of quartz and a ceramic to a metal member. The method includes creating a hole in the metal member, the hole being smaller in size than the size of the first member over a temperature range, heating the metal member to a t... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6923829 | Implantable expandable medical devices having regions of differential mechanical properties and methods of making same An implantable expandable medical device in which selected regions of the device are in a martensite phase and selected regions are in an austenite phase. The martensitic regions exhibit pseudoplastic behavior in vivo and may be deformed without recovery under in vi... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6907652 | Pipe connecting method A method of connecting a first pipe to a second pipe having an end part fitting into an end part of the first pipe, comprising arranging the end part of the second pipe within the end part of the first pipe, arranging a sleeve of a deformable material between said e... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6889411 | Shape memory metal latch hinge deployment method A conductive hinge is made of a superelastic shape memory alloy such as nitinol (NiTi) having a large elastic strain limit for enabling the hinge to bend to a small radius during stowage and flexible return to a trained rigid hinge position by training the shape mem... | 05/10/2005 |
