Active pressure relief valves and methods of use

• US 20050199845A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• 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 Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Aase, Jan H., Browne, Alan L., Jones, Gary L., Meernik, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/249 using one-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/031 the hinge being flexible
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/033 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/035 with a plurality of valve members

Abstract

Active pressure relief valves and methods of use for regulating atmospheric conditions within an interior compartment of a vehicle generally include an active material to effect movement of a flap relative to an opening. The active material has the ability to remember its original at least one attribute such as dimension, shape, and/or flexural modulus, which can subsequently be recalled by applying or removing an external stimulus, as will be discussed in detail herein. Suitable active materials include, without limitation, shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials, and the like. Depending on the particular active material, the activation signal can take the form of, without limitation, an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing, or the like.

Claims

1. A structural panel defining an interior compartment of a vehicle, the structural panel comprising:

an opening in the structural panel adapted to provide fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a flap in sealing communication with the opening; and

an active material in operative communication with the flap, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening.

2. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

3. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the flap is hinged to a housing about the opening, wherein the active material is a spring disposed about a rotatable pintle, wherein the active material spring is in operative communication with the flap.

4. The structural panel of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve disposed about the pintle, wherein the active material comprises a magnetorheological fluid or an electrorheological fluid disposed between the pintle and the sleeve, and wherein the active material is adapted to releasably lock the pintle against the sleeve.

5. The structural panel of claim 3, further comprising at least one biased spring disposed about the pintle.

6. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the flap has one end fixedly attached to the structural panel and wherein the active material is in the form of an element attached to a free end of the flap and a stationary member spaced apart from the structural panel.

7. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the flap is suspended by at least one element formed of an active material against the opening, and wherein a bias spring maintains the flap in a closed position in the absence of the activation signal.

8. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing signals.

9. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a hinge comprising an active material, wherein the active material comprises is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal; and

a flap in operative communication with the hinge, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening.

10. The active pressure relief valve of claim 9, wherein the hinge comprises a pintle rotatably seated in at least one apertured boss adapted to receive the pintle;

a spring formed of the active material disposed about the pintle and adapted to move the flap away from the opening in response to the activation signal; and

a return spring adapted to return the flap to seal the opening in the absence of the activation signal.

11. The active pressure relief valve of claim 9, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

12. The active pressure relief valve of claim 9, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

13. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a flap having one end in operative communication with a hinge; and

an active material element attached to a free end of the flap and a stationary member spaced apart from the free end, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening.

14. The active pressure relief valve of claim 13, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

15. The active pressure relief valve of claim 13, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

16. The active pressure relief valve of claim 13, wherein the activation signal comprises an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing signals.

17. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a flap in operative communication with a spring to bias the flap against the housing defining the opening; and

an active material element attached to the flap and a stationary member spaced apart from the flap, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening.

18. The active pressure relief valve of claim 17, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

19. The active pressure relief valve of claim 17, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing, materials.

20. The active pressure relief valve of claim 17, wherein the activation signal comprises an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing signals.

21. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a flap in operative communication with the opening;

a linkage in operative communication with the flap; and

an element formed of an active material in operative communication with the linkage, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening.

22. The active pressure relief valve of claim 21, further comprising additional flaps, wherein the flap and the additional flaps are in operative communication with a portion of the opening.

23. The active pressure relief valve of claim 21, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

24. The active pressure relief valve of claim 21, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

25. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment; and

a flap in operative communication with the opening having one end fixedly attached to the housing, wherein the flap comprises an active material effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute changes a shape orientation of the flap.

26. The active pressure relief valve of claim 25, wherein the flap further comprises a flexible material in operative communication with the active material, wherein the change in the at least one attribute of the active material flexes the flexible material.

27. The active pressure relief valve of claim 25, wherein the active material comprises an electroactive polymer, a shape memory alloy, a ferromagnetic shape memory material, a piezoelectric material, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials.

28. The active pressure relief valve of claim 25, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

29. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment; and

a flexible flap in operative communication with the opening having one end fixedly attached to the housing;

an active material element attached to the flexible flap and a stationary member spaced apart from the flexible flap, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute flexes the flexible flap.

30. The active pressure relief valve of claim 29, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

31. The active pressure relief valve of claim 29, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

32. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment; and

a panel slidably disposed in the housing in operative communication with the opening having one end fixedly attached to an active material element, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, and wherein the change in the at least one attribute slides the panel to expose a portion of the opening.

33. The active pressure relief valve of claim 32, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

34. The active pressure relief valve of claim 32, further comprising an additional panel slidably disposed in the housing having one end fixedly attached to the active material element, wherein the change in the at least one attribute slides the additional panel to expose another portion of the opening.

35. The active pressure relief valve of claim 34, further comprising a stationary panel disposed in the housing intermediate panel and the additional panel.

36. The active pressure relief valve of claim 32, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

37. A method for operating an active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle comprises:

positioning the active pressure relief valve in a structural panel defining the interior compartment, the active pressure relief valve comprising a flap in operative communication with an opening; and

an active material in operative communication with the flap, wherein the active material comprises an active material effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening;

selectively introducing the activation signal to the active material; and

moving the flap away from the opening to provide fluid communication between the interior compartment and an external environment.

38. The active pressure relief valve of claim 37, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

39. The active pressure relief valve of claim 37, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.