Discrete active seal assemblies

• US 20050206095A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• 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: Henry, Christopher P., Barvosa-Carter, William, Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L., Keefe, Andrew C., Mc Knight, Geoffrey P., Herrera, Guillermo A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 277/628
• 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

Active seal assemblies employing active materials that can be controlled and remotely changed to alter the seal effectiveness, wherein the active seal assemblies actively change modulus properties such as stiffness, shape orientation, and the like. In this manner, in seal applications such as a vehicle door application, door opening and closing efforts can be minimized yet seal effectiveness can be maximized.

Claims

1. An active seal assembly, comprising:

a seal body formed of an elastic material integrated with a seal base;

a wire and/or strip partially embedded within the seal body having an end that exits the seal body, wherein the partially embedded wire and/or strip is positioned within the seal body such that a shape of the seal body changes in response to a force exerted on the wire and/or strip;

an active material in operative communication with the end of the wire and/or strip, 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 the at least one attribute exerts the force on the wire and/or strip;

an activation device in operative communication with the active material adapted to provide the activation signal; and

a controller in operative communication with the activation device.

2. The active seal assembly of claim 1, 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.

3. The active seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hollow interior channel extending along a length of the seal body.

4. The active seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rigid and flexible member axisymetrically embedded within and extending along a length of the seal body, wherein the wire and/or strip has an end fixedly attached to the rigid and flexible member at a position distally from a base of the seal body such that the rigid member flexes in response to the force exerted on the wire and/or strip.

5. The active seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pulley in operative communication with the end of the wire and/or strip that exits the seal body and the active material.

6. The active seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising a channel in the seal base for receiving the end of the wire and/or strip that exits the seal body.

7. The active seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the wire and/or strip is the active material, and wherein the active material is selected to be a bimorph.

8. An active seal assembly, comprising:

a seal body formed of an elastic material integrated with a seal base, wherein the seal body comprises a hollow interior channel;

a wire or strip disposed within the hollow interior channel comprising a plurality of stiff elements fixedly attached to the seal body and the wire or strip;

an active material in operative communication with the end of the wire or strip, 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 the at least one attribute exerts the force on the wire or strip such that a shape of the seal body changes in response to a force exerted on the wire or strip;

an activation device in operative communication with the active material adapted to provide the activation signal; and

a controller in operative communication with the activation device.

9. The active seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the wire or strip rotates in response to the activation signal to decrease a cross sectional diameter of the seal body.

10. The active seal assembly of claim 8, 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.

11. The active seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the stiffening elements are formed of the active material.

12. The active seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the wire or strip is centrally disposed within the hollow interior channel.

13. The active seal assembly of claim 8, wherein the stiffening elements form an exoskeleton of the seal body.

14. An active seal assembly, comprising:

a seal body formed of an elastic material integrated with a seal base, wherein the seal body comprises a hollow interior channel;

an active material fluid disposed within the hollow interior channel, 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 the at least one attribute changes a shape of the seal body;

an activation device in operative communication with the active material adapted to provide the activation signal; and

a controller in operative communication with the activation device.

15. The active seal assembly of claim 14, wherein the seal body comprises an outer resilient contact surface and inner hard core that collectively defines the hollow interior channel.

16. The active seal assembly of claim 14, wherein the hollow interior channel is intermediate at least two rigid bodies extending along the length of the seal body, wherein the hollow interior channel includes a portion that extends laterally beyond the at least two rigid bodies.

17. The active seal assembly of claim 14, wherein the active material fluid comprises and electrorheological fluid or a magnetorheological fluid.

18. The active seal assembly of claim 14, wherein the hollow interior channel is in fluid communication with a piston, wherein the active material is in operative communication with the piston to effect movement thereof.

19. The active seal assembly of claim 14, wherein the seal body comprises a solid active material selected from the group consisting of a shape memory alloy, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymers, an electroactive polymer, a magnetorheological elastomer, a piezoelectric material, a composite of one or more of the foregoing materials with a non-active material, and a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

20. An active seal assembly comprising:

a seal body;

a movable element disposed to slide within the seal body, wherein the movable element comprises an active material adapted to selectively move the movable element from a first position to a second position in response to an activation signal and change a shape of the seal body;

an activation device in operative communication with the active material adapted to provide the activation signal; and

a controller in operative communication with the activation device.

21. The active seal assembly of claim 20, wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy.

22. The active seal assembly of claim 21, further comprising a bias spring in operative communication with the moveable element to bias the movable element from the second position to the first position.