IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,305,268
Granted Patent B2
US 12,305,268 · App. 16/056,760 · Granted May 20, 2025

Methods and systems for processing materials, including shape memory materials

Inventors: Mohammad Ibrahem Khan (Waterloo, CA); Yunhong Norman Zhou (Waterloo, CA)
Assignee: SMARTER ALLOYS INC.
C22F1/006B23K26/0006B23K26/062B23K26/0622B23K26/355B23K26/40B23K26/402B23K26/50B23K26/53B23K26/60B29C71/04C22C19/007C22F1/10B23K2103/42B23K2103/50B29C35/0266B29C2035/0838C21D2201/01C22B9/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,305,268
App. No.
16/056,760
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for treating a material comprising: applying energy to a predetermined portion of the material in a controlled manner such that the local chemistry of the predetermined portion is altered to provide a predetermined result. When the material is a shape memory material, the predetermined result may be to provide an additional memory to the predetermined portion or to alter the pseudo-elastic properties of the shape memory material. In other examples, which are not necessarily restricted to shape memory materials, the process may be used to adjust the concentration of components at the surface to allow the formation of an oxide layer at the surface of the material to provide corrosion resistance; to remove contaminants from the material; to adjust surface texture; or to generate at least one additional phase particle in the material to provide a nucleation site for grain growth, which in turn, can strengthen the material.

Claims (13)

1. A shape memory material formed from a previously formed shape memory material having a first transformation temperature, the shape memory material comprising at least two transformation temperatures wherein a second transformation temperature is imparted to a predetermined portion of the shape memory material following formation of the previously formed shape memory material;

wherein the second transformation temperature is imparted by a method including applying energy to the predetermined portion of the shaped memory material such that the predetermined portion is approximately fully melted and produces a change in the local chemical composition to provide additional transformation temperatures;

wherein the second transformation temperature is not a temperature associated with a rhombohedral phase.

2. The shape memory material of claim 1 wherein the applying energy comprises processing the predetermined portion with a laser.

3. The shape memory material of claim 2 wherein the processing the predetermined portion with a laser comprises:

selecting a power, beam size, and movement speed for the laser to produce a predetermined result;

focusing the laser on a subset of the predetermined portion; and

adjusting a spatial relationship of the laser and the material such that a beam from the laser contacts all of the predetermined portion.

4. The shape memory material of claim 2 wherein the laser is operated in a pulsed fashion to provide bursts of energy to control the application of energy.

5. The shape memory material of claim 1 , wherein the applied energy is controlled to reduce conduction outside the predetermined portion of the material.

6. The shape memory material of claim 1 , wherein the second transformation temperature provides an additional memory to the shape memory material.

7. The shape memory material of claim 1 , wherein the second transformation temperature alters the pseudo-elastic properties of the shape memory material.

8. The shape memory material of claim 1 , further comprising a filler material added during the application of energy.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 16, 2019
From: KHAN, MOHAMMAD IBRAHEM; ZHOU, YUNHONG NORMAN
To: INNOVATIVE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 049764/0360 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 16, 2019
From: INNOVATIVE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: SMARTER ALLOYS INC.
Reel/Frame 049764/0467 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14940351 · Nov 13, 2015
Continuation 13389335 · Apr 17, 2012
Related Publication 20180347020A1 · Dec 6, 2018
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