Patent ID: 8628372

Claim:
An actuator assembly comprising: a resilient substrate; at least one shape memory alloy secured to said substrate and configured to bend said resilient substrate and said at least one shape memory alloy in a common direction between an at-rest configuration and an actuated configuration; said at least one shape memory alloy having an elongated length and a first temperature while in said at-rest configuration and having a contracted length and a second temperature while in said actuated configuration, wherein said first temperature is less than said second temperature and said elongated length is greater than said contracted length; said at least one shape memory alloy being elastically bendable, in a temperature range encompassing said first temperature and said second temperature; said at least one shape memory alloy being contractable from said elongated length to said contracted length in response to transmission of an electrical current through said at least one shape memory alloy, said electrical current being sufficient to heat said at least one shape memory alloy from said first temperature to said second temperature and bending said resilient substrate and said at least one shape memory alloy from said at-rest configuration to said actuated configuration; and said at least one shape memory alloy being elongatable from said contracted length to said elongated length in response to reduction or termination of said electrical current, said shape memory alloy having sufficient heat dissipation means to enable cooling of said at least one shape memory alloy from said second temperature to said first temperature and to thereby bend said resilient substrate and said at least one shape memory alloy from said actuated configuration to said at-rest configuration.