Patent ID: 7667560

Claim:
A synthetic jet actuator comprising: (a) a housing including at least one opening in fluid communication with an ambient volume external to the housing; (b) a membrane configured to be magnetically actuated, actuation of the membrane causing the membrane to move from a first position to a second position, the membrane comprising a shape memory alloy, the membrane being disposed in the housing, such that an operating volume is defined by the membrane and the housing, the membrane being disposed such that the membrane is in contact with a fluid contained within the operating volume, the at least one opening in the housing coupling the operating volume in fluid communication with the ambient volume, movement of the membrane from the first position to the second position causing a corresponding change in the operating volume and causing the membrane to push the fluid out of the working volume into the ambient volume via the at least one opening; and (c) a magnetic trigger configured to selectively actuate the membrane, wherein repeated actuation of the membrane forms a series of fluid vortices that are projected into the ambient volume via the at least one opening, the fluid vortices entraining a portion of the fluid in the ambient volume, thereby generating a synthetic jet, each fluid vortex being projected into the ambient volume when movement of the membrane causes the membrane to push the fluid out of the working volume into the ambient volume via the at least one opening.