Conveying device with peristaltic movement

Abstract

A conveying device with peristaltic movement includes a flexible transport tube and a two-way shape memory alloy. The two-way shape memory alloy is mounted on the surface of the transport tube. When the two-way shape memory alloy is electrically conducted and heated, the cross-sectional area of transport path in the flexible transport tube contracts by the contractive force resulting therefrom. When electrically conducting and heating the two-way shape memory alloy is terminated, the original cross-sectional area of transport path in the flexible transport tube is restored by the recovery force thereof. The position of the flexible transport tube at which the contraction and the restoration are applied to is sequentially moved in a predetermined direction by a temperature controlling device, so as to convey an object within the flexible transport tube in the predetermined direction.

1 . A conveying device with peristaltic movement, which includes a flexible transport tube, contracts a cross-sectional area of transport path in said flexible transport tube by utilizing contractive force obtained when a two-way shape memory alloy is heated, then restores an original cross-sectional area of transport path in said flexible transport tube by utilizing recovery force obtained when heating the two-way shape memory alloy is terminated, and which controls repetition of the contraction motion and the restoration motion by a temperature controlling device, so as to transport an object in a predetermined direction.  
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , further including the two-wayshape memory alloy and the temperature controlling device.  
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the contraction motion or the restoration motion is an action that causes part of the cross-sectional area of transport path in the flexible transport tube to be contracted or restored.  
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the contraction motion or the restoration motion is an action that causes part of the cross-sectional area of transport path in the flexible transport tube to be contracted or restored.  
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature controlling device moves sequentially a position to be contracted or to be restored in an object conveying direction.  
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature controlling device moves sequentially a position to be contracted or to be restored in an object conveying direction.  
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 3 , wherein the temperature controlling device moves sequentially a position to be contracted or to be restored in an object conveying direction.  
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a fine wire shape.  
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a fine wire shape.  
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a coil form.  
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a coil form.  
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a plate form.  
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a plate form.  
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a ring form.  
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the two-way shape memory alloy is of a ring form.  
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature controlling device is an electric conduction and heating device which changes the temperature of the two-way shape memory alloy.  
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature controlling device is an electric conduction and heating device which changes the temperature of the two-way shape memory alloy.  
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature controlling device is an external heating device which changes the temperature of the two-way shape memory alloy.  
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature controlling device is an external heating device which changes the temperature of the two-way shape memory alloy.