Volume filling mechanical structures for modifying crash deceleration pulse

• US 20040169398A1
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Johnson, Nancy L., Browne, Alan Lampe
• Granted Patent: US 6,877,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/187.03
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/00 Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions reinforcement elements for side doors B60J5/0412; mudguards B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/007 Means for adjusting or regulating the crash absorption capacity of the vehicle, e.g. when detecting an impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/121 the members having a cellular, e.g. honeycomb, structure

Abstract

A mechanical, active crash pulse management structure for providing modification of crash pulse, wherein the structure has a dormant (initial) state volume, but then in the event of a crash, timely expands into a much larger deployed volume for providing management of an expectant crash energy. The preferred crash energy management structure is a before expansion honeycomb celled material brick, wherein expansion of the honeycomb brick is in a plane transverse to the cellular axis of the cells thereof, and crash crush is intended to be parallel to the cellular axis. In the event of a crash, either an active or passive activation mechanism is provided for causing expansion of honeycomb celled material.

Claims

1. A volume filling mechanical structure for modifying crash deceleration pulse comprising:

a honeycomb celled material expandable from a nonexpanded state to an expanded state; and

an activation mechanism regulating expansion of said honeycomb celled material from said nonexpanded state to said expanded state in response to a crash.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said honeycomb celled material has a first end and an opposite second end;

further comprising a rigid end cap respectively connected to each of said first and second ends.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein said activation mechanism comprises:

an expansion agency interfaced with each of said end caps; and

a trigger connected to said expansion agency which triggers expansion of said expansion agency, wherein expansion of said expansion agency causes attendant expansion of said honeycomb celled material.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein the expansion of the honeycombed celled material is in a transverse plane perpendicular to an anticipated crash axis, and wherein the crash axis is parallel to a cellular axis of cells of the honeycomb celled material.

5. The structure of claim 4, further comprising a crash sensor system, wherein said activation agency is actively responsive to the crash sensor system sensing of an impending crash.

6. The structure of claim 4, wherein said activation agency is passively responsive to a crash.

7. A method for filling a volume with a mechanical structure for modifying crash deceleration of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

selectively retaining a mechanical structure in a dormant state where during the mechanical structure has a first volume; and

expanding the mechanical structure to a second volume, wherein said second volume is larger than said first volume.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of expanding is responsive to a crash.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising sensing a crash, wherein said step of expanding is responsive to said step of sensing.

10. A motor vehicle equipped with a crash energy management structure, comprising:

a body; and

a crash energy management structure connected to said body, said crash energy management structure comprising;

a mechanical structure connected to said body, said mechanical structure being expandable from a first volume to a second volume, wherein said second volume is larger than said first volume; and

an activation mechanism regulating expansion of said mechanical structure from said first volume to said second volume.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a crash sensor system connected to said activation system, wherein said activation system is triggered by said crash sensor system detecting a crash.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said mechanical structure comprises a honeycomb celled material.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a crash sensor system connected to said activation system, wherein said activation system is triggered by said crash sensor system detecting a crash.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said mechanical structure comprises a spring steel coil.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 14, further comprising a crash sensor system connected to said activation system, wherein said activation system is triggered by said crash sensor system detecting a crash.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said mechanical structure comprises a V-brace.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a crash sensor system connected to said activation system, wherein said activation system is triggered by said crash sensor system detecting a crash.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said mechanical structure comprises an accordion.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 18, further comprising a crash sensor system connected to said activation system, wherein said activation system is triggered by said crash sensor system detecting a crash.