Patent ID: 7564152

Claim:
A method for producing magnetostrictive contraction, the method comprising: applying longitudinally-axially directed tension to an elongate structure so that the magnetization of said elongate structure tends generally to be longitudinally-axially directed, said elongate structure being characterized by an elongate structure longitudinal axis; while said longitudinally-axially directed tension is being applied to said elongate structure, applying a transversely directed magnetic field to said elongate structure so that said magnetization tends generally to be transversely directed, said transverse direction being relative to said longitudinal-axial direction; said applying of said transversely directed magnetic field including conducting longitudinally-axially directed electrical current through at least one elongate electrical conductor, each said elongate electrical conductor being characterized by an elongate electrical conductor longitudinal axis, each said elongate electrical conductor being placed so that: said elongate electrical conductor is one of exterior to said elongate structure and interior to said elongate structure; said elongate electrical conductor longitudinal axis is one of parallel to said elongate structure longitudinal axis and coincident with said elongate structure longitudinal axis; wherein longitudinally-axially directed magnetostrictive contraction of said elongate structure is associated with the directional change of said magnetization from said longitudinally-axially directed general tendency to said transversely directed general tendency.