Patent ID: 9581146
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: F03G,H01F,Y10T

Claim:
1. A system for heating a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator, the system comprising: an SMA actuator having at least one layer, the SMA actuator selectively heated to a transition temperature; a smart susceptor in thermal contact with the at least one layer of the SMA actuator; a plurality of induction heating coils receiving an alternating current and generating a magnetic field based on the alternating current, the magnetic field creating an eddy current in the smart susceptor to heat the smart susceptor to a Curie temperature that is equal to the transition temperature, wherein heating the smart susceptor to the Curie temperature heats the SMA actuator to the transition temperature; and an electric circuit to drive the alternating current supplied to the induction heating coils.