Force and deceleration delimiting devices and methods for operating the same

• US 20050234140A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• 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., Johnson, Nancy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 521/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0421 using honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/045 associated with the instrument panel or dashboard

Abstract

Force and deceleration delimiting devices and methods for operating the same in a vehicle. The devices generally include an open celled material expandable from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, wherein the open celled material is sandwiched between a first end cap member and a second end cap member; an optional support surface cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded states; and an optional shield cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded states; and an activation mechanism adapted to regulate selective expansion of the open celled material from the non-expanded state to the expanded state in response to a triggering event, wherein the support surface and/or shield have a compact shape when the open celled material is in the non-expanded state and an expanded state when the open celled material is in the expanded state.

Claims

1. A force and deceleration delimiting device for a vehicle, the device comprising:

an open celled material expandable from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, wherein the open celled material is sandwiched between a first end cap member and a second end cap member;

a support surface cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded states; and

an activation mechanism adapted to regulate selective expansion of the open celled material from the non-expanded state to the expanded state in response to a triggering event.

2. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the open celled material comprises a honeycomb cellular structure.

3. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the compact shape of the support surface comprises a coiled or folded configuration.

4. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the support surface has a compact shape when the open celled material is in the non-expanded state and an expanded state when the open celled material is in the expanded state.

5. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the support surface comprises a vehicle surface.

6. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, further comprising a shield cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded states.

7. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 6, wherein the compact shape of the shield comprises a coiled or folded configuration.

8. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the open celled material is aluminum.

9. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the first end cap member is fixedly attached to a stationary surface within the vehicle.

10. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the activation mechanism comprises:

a compression spring in biased communication with the first end cap member and the second end cap member when the open celled material is in the non-expanded state;

an opening in the first end cap member corresponding to a first shape; and

a disk rotatably engaged with the opening of the first end cap member, wherein the disk is lockingly engaged with the first end cap member in the non-expanded state and is coaxially aligned with the opening the expanded state; and

a trigger in operative communication with the disk adapted to effect rotation of the disk in response to the triggering event.

11. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein said activation mechanism comprises:

an expansion agent in operative communication with the first end cap member and the second end cap member, wherein the expansion agent is adapted to effect expansion of the open celled material; and

a controller in operative communication with the expansion agent.

12. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 11, wherein the expansion agent comprises a pyrotechnic device or a fluid pressurized cylinder.

13. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 11, further comprising a sensor in electrical communication with the controller.

14. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the expanded state of the open celled material comprises a transverse plane substantially perpendicular to an anticipated crash axis, wherein the anticipated crash axis is substantially parallel to a cellular axis of cells of the open celled material.

15. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 4, wherein the support surface is spooled and has one end fixedly attached to the first end cap member and an other end fixedly attached to the second end cap member.

16. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 4, further comprising a protective shield about the spooled support surface.

17. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the force and deceleration delimiting device has a non-expanded volume of 1/10^th to 1/60^th relative to an expanded volume.

18. The force and deceleration delimiting device of claim 1, wherein the first end cap member has a different shape from the second end cap member.

19. A method for absorbing an impact energy of an object in a vehicle environment, comprising:

sensing an impact event;

triggering a force and deceleration delimiting device, wherein the force and deceleration delimiting device comprises an open celled material expandable from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, a support surface cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded states; and

expanding the open celled material to the expanded state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising resetting the force and deceleration delimiting device comprising compressing the open celled material from the expanded state to the non-expanded state.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein triggering the force and deceleration delimiting device comprises activating an activation mechanism, wherein the activation mechanism comprises a compression spring in biased communication with the first end cap member and the second end cap member when the open celled material is in the non-expanded state;

an opening in the first end cap member corresponding to a first shape; and

a disk rotatably engaged with the opening of the first end cap member, wherein the disk is lockingly engaged with the first end cap member in the non-expanded state and is coaxially aligned with the opening the expanded state; and

a trigger in operative communication with the disk adapted to effect rotation of the disk.

22. A method for limiting the force on, and/or deceleration of an object in a vehicle environment, comprising:

sensing or pre-sensing an impact event; and

expanding an open celled material from a compressed volume to an expanded volume, wherein the expanded volume of the open celled material forms a transverse plane substantially perpendicular to an anticipated crash axis, wherein the anticipated crash axis is substantially parallel to a cellular axis of cells of the open celled material.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising a shield cooperatively positioned with the open celled material to cover a surface of the open celled material in the expanded and the non-expanded volumes.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising simultaneously expanding a support surface and the shield with the expanding of the open celled material in the transverse plane substantially perpendicular to the anticipated crash axis.