Active material based seal assemblies

• US 20050206096A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• 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 LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Henry, Christopher P., Barvosa-Carter, William, Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L., Keefe, Andrew C., Mc Knight, Geoffrey P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,677 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 tailored for vehicles such as in a vehicle door application, door opening and closing efforts can be minimized yet seal effectiveness can be maximized.

Claims

1. An active material based seal assembly, comprising:

a seal structure comprising an active material adapted to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in the at least one attribute changes a modulus property and/or shape of the seal structure, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, magnetic materials, electrorheological fluids, electrorheological elastomers, magnetorheological fluids, magnetorheological elastomers, dielectric elastomers, ionic polymer metal composites, piezoelectric polymers, piezoelectric ceramics, various combinations of the foregoing materials; and

a controller in operative communication with the active material adapted to selectively provide the activation signal.

2. The active material based seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the active material has one end attached to a rigid member.

3. The active material based seal assembly of claim 2, wherein the seal structure further comprises a passive elastic member in operative communication with the active material, wherein the passive elastic member is positioned to sealingly contact an opposing surface in response to the activation signal to the active material.

4. The active material based seal assembly of claim 2, wherein the seal structure further comprises a passive elastic member in operative communication with the active material, wherein the passive elastic member is positioned to sealingly contact an opposing surface upon discontinuation of the activation signal to the active material.

5. The active material based seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal structure comprises a passive elastic member on a bistable structure formed of the active material, wherein the bistable structure is disposed over a recessed portion of a surface, wherein the bistable structure is curvilinear with respect to the recessed portion upon discontinuation of the activation signal and substantially linear upon activation of the activation signal to sealingly force the passive elastic member against an opposing surface.

6. The active material based seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal structure comprises a first layer of the active material and a second layer of a passive elastic material.

7. The active material based seal assembly of claim 6, wherein the seal structure further comprises an encapsulating layer about the first and second layers.

8. The active material based seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the seal structure comprises a tubular shaped body and the active material is in operative communication therewith, wherein the active material dimensionally expands the tubular shaped body in response to the activation signal.

9. The active material based seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the active material forms all of the seal structure.

10. The active material based seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the active material is interiorly disposed within the tubular elastic body and comprises an electroactive polymer gel in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir.

11. The active material based seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the tubular elastic body is pressurized and the active material is a dielectric elastomer in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir.

12. The active material based seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the active material is a bimorph actuator disposed on an inner surface of the tubular seal body (114).

13. A vehicle comprising:

at least two opposing surfaces; and

an active material based seal assembly intermediate the at least two opposing surfaces, wherein the active material based seal assembly comprises a seal structure comprising an active material adapted to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in the at least one attribute changes a modulus property and/or shape of the seal structure, and a controller in operative communication with the active material adapted to selectively provide the activation signal, wherein the change in the at least one attribute changes a dimension of the seal structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the seal structure is spaced apart from a selected one of the at least two opposing surfaces and is adapted to contact the selected one to form a sealing engagement in response to the activation signal.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, magnetic materials, electrorheological fluids, electrorheological elastomers, magnetorheological fluids, magnetorheological elastomers, dielectric elastomers, ionic polymer metal composites, piezoelectric polymers, piezoelectric ceramics, various combinations of the foregoing materials.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the seal structure contacts the at least two opposing surfaces to form a sealing engagement in the absence of the activation signal and is adapted to contract away from a selected one of the at least two opposing surfaces in response to the activation signal.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the seal structure and the at least two opposing surfaces defines a seal between a door and doorframe.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the seal structure is tubular shaped and the active material is in operative communication with the seal structure, wherein the change in the at least one attribute to the active material changes a modulus property and/or shape of the seal structure.

19. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the active material is intermediate is a passive elastic member and a selected one of the at least two opposing surfaces, wherein activation of the active material causes the passive elastic member to increase a seal, force of the active material based seal assembly against the at least two opposing surfaces.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the passive elastic member is tubular shaped and the active material is disposed within an interior thereof, wherein the change in the least one attribute changes the modulus and/or shape of the seal assembly.