Door closure assist assemblies

• US 20050198774A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Henry, Christopher P., Barvosa-Carter, William, Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L., Massey, Cameron
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/71
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/15 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/16 consisting of two or more plastic materials having different physical or chemical properties B60J10/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/244 inflatable or deflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/40 characterised by contact between two or more cooperating sealing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/50 characterised by means for prevention or reduction of noise, e.g. of rattling or vibration of windows
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2201/12 Shape memory
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/16 Use of special materials for parts of locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 15/1607 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0011 with piezoelectric actuators piezoelectric devices per se H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/00 Power-actuated vehicle locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/001 with bolts extending over a considerable extent, e.g. nearly along the whole length of at least one side of the wing movable sealing strips E06B7/18
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/166 electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/00 Closers or openers for wings, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/43 Motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/614 charging thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/67 Materials; Strength alteration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2314 : characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/022 : characterised by structure or material
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/025 : and with at least one flexible lip
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/027 : and with a hollow profile
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/028 : the packing being mechanically expanded against the sealing surface
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/061 : with positioning means F16J15/0831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/064 : the packing combining the sealing function with other functions
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/0806 : characterised by material or surface treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 277/921 : Closure or weather strip seal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/65 : Emergency or safety
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 : Magnetic

Abstract

Door closure assist assemblies that assist in providing a final closing motion generally includes an extender portion comprised of an active material adapted to linearly expand in response to an activation signal and a releasable fastener having one component in movable communication with the extender portion and a second component attached to the other selected one of the door and doorframe. During operation, the door closure assist assembly provides the final closing action.

Claims

1. A door closure assist assembly, comprising:

an extender portion having one end fixedly attached to a selected one of a door and a doorframe, wherein the extender portion comprises an active material operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the extender portion is adapted to linearly expand with a change in the at least one attribute of the active material;

a releasable fastener disposed in operative communication with the extender portion;

an activation device in operative communication with the active material; and

a controller in operative communication with the activation device.

2. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the releasable fastener portion comprises a magnet attached in movable communication to the extender portion;

and a ferrous material fixedly attached to the other of the selected one of the door and door frame, wherein the ferrous material is in contact alignment with the magnet.

3. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the extender portion comprises an inflator formed of an electroactive polymer or a dielectric elastomer.

4. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the extender portion comprises a linear actuator formed of a unimorphic or bimorphic piezoelectric material.

5. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, further comprising a linear motion amplifier in operative communication with the extender portion.

6. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises a piezoelectric material, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymer, an electroactive polymer, a dielectric elastomer, a magnetorheological elastomer, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials.

7. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the extender portion is disposed within a seal body.

8. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the releasable fastener portion comprises a first electrode attached in movable communication with the extender portion;

a second electrode fixedly attached to the other one of the selected door and door frame, wherein the second electrode is aligned with the first electrode; and

a power source in electrical communication with the first and second electrodes.

9. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the releasable fastener portion comprises a first reversibly adhesive material attached in movable communication to the extender portion;

a second reversibly adhesive material attached to the other one of the selected door and door frame, wherein the second reversibly adhesive material is aligned with the first reversibly adhesive material; and

a heat or light source in operative communication with the first and second reversibly adhesive materials, wherein the first and second reversibly adhesive materials change an adhesive strength of the first reversibly adhesive material with the second reversibly adhesive material in response to heat or light form the heat or light source.

10. The door closure assist assembly of claim 1, wherein the releasable fastener portion comprises a plurality of hook elements attached in movable communication to the extender portion;

and a loop material fixedly attached to the other selected one of the door and the door frame in contact alignment with the plurality of hook elements.

11. The door closure assist assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of hook elements comprises a shape memory material in operative communication with the activation device, wherein the plurality of hook elements undergo a change in shape orientation in response to an activation signal from the activation device.

12. A method for assisting a final closing motion of a door within a doorframe, comprising:

moving the door to within a defined distance from the doorframe;

activating a door closure assist assembly, wherein the door closure assist assembly comprises an extender portion having one end fixedly attached to a selected one of a door and a doorframe, wherein the extender portion comprises an active material operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, a releasable fastener having one component attached to the extender portion and a second component attached to the other selected one of the door and the doorframe, wherein activating the door closure assist assembly comprises extending the extender portion, and fastening the one component to the second component; and

deactivating the door closure assist assembly and retracting the extender portion to provide the final closing motion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one component comprises a ferrous material and the second component comprises a magnet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the magnet comprises a permanent magnet or a electromagnet.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the one component comprises a plurality of hook elements and the second component comprises a loop material.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of hook elements are formed of the active material in operative communication with an activation device effective to change a shape orientation of the active material in response to an activation signal from the activation device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the active material of the plurality of the hook elements is different from the active material of the extender portion.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the one component and the second component comprises a heat or light activated adhesive material.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the active material comprises a piezoelectric material, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymer, an electroactive polymer, a dielectric elastomer, a magnetorheological elastomer, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein activating the door closure assist assembly and deactivating the door closure assist assembly is repeatable.