SMA HAPTIC ASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY OF AN SMA HAPTIC ASSEMBLY

摘要

An SMA actuator assembly comprises two parts relatively movable along a movement axis, and a length of SMA wire, each end of the SMA wire being connected to one of the parts. One part comprises a contact portion and the other part comprises plural contact portions, the contact portions making contact with the SMA wire on opposite sides along the movement axis. The contact portions alternate in a direction normal to the movement axis and are positioned to guide the SMA wire along a tortuous path such that the parts are driven in opposite directions on contraction of the SMA wire. Considering intermediate sections of the SMA wire between contacts with adjacent contact portions, on contraction of the SMA wire, the fractional change in the wire length of each intermediate section is equal to the overall strain of the SMA wire and there is no slippage of the SMA wire.