Actuator with Shape Memory Alloy elements for Operating a Valve - US Patent Granted (May-2026)

I am happy to share that my prior work at Smart Materials, Structures and Systems Laboratory (SMSS Lab), IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with Johnson Controls India has been granted a United States Patent.

Patent title: Actuator with Shape Memory Alloy Elements for Operating a Valve

US Patent No.: 12,631,263 B2

Valve actuators are essential components of building automation and HVAC control systems, and conventionally, they employ a stepper motor to position HVAC control valves. Our patented concept explores a different actuation route. It uses suitably arranged shape memory alloy elements to generate the force required to operate a valve. The approach has the potential to reduce dependence on conventional motors and gear trains, enabling compact and quiet actuation with fewer moving components.

Such developments may contribute to the next generation of building automation and control hardware, where compactness, reliability, low-noise operation, maintainability, and efficient integration are increasingly important.

I am sincerely grateful to Prof. Bishakh Bhattacharya, IIT Kanpur for his guidance and encouragement throughout this work. I also thank the team at Johnson Controls India for their technical inputs, support, and commitment to the collaboration.

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