Reversibly deployable energy absorbing assembly and methods for operating the same

• US 20060033312A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: McKnight, Geoffrey P., Barvosa-Carter, William, Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L., Herrera, Guillermo A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,264,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/728.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0407 using gas or liquid as energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings

Abstract

A reversibly deployable energy absorbing assembly includes a rigid support structure having at least one inlet and at least one outlet; a flexible covering sealingly engaged with the rigid support structure to define an inflatable interior region; a gas source in fluid communication with the at least one inlet; an inlet control valve positioned intermediate the gas source and the at least one inlet; and an actively controlled pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the at least one outlet. The inlet control valve and the pressure relief valve are adapted to provide a response suitable for use in vehicle impact management.

Claims

1. An interior vehicle surface, comprising:

an energy absorbing assembly comprising a rigid support structure having at least one inlet and at least one outlet;

a flexible covering sealingly engaged with the rigid support structure to define an reversibly expandable interior region;

a gas source in fluid communication with the at least one inlet;

an inlet control valve positioned intermediate the gas source and the at least one inlet, wherein the inlet control valve is a binary valve and is adapted to responsively open and close the valve within 1 millisecond; and

an actively controlled pressure relief valve in variable controlled fluid communication with the at least one outlet.

2. The interior vehicle surface of claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing assembly forms a door pillar surface, a headrest surface, a floor surface, a seat surface, a dashboard surface, a steering wheel surface, a door surface, a ceiling surface, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing interior vehicle surfaces.

3. The interior vehicle surface of claim 1, wherein the inlet control valve and the relief valve are valves selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric valve, a solenoid valve, and an active material based valve.

4. The interior vehicle surface of claim 1, further comprising a bimorph actuator disposed in the interior region.

5. The interior vehicle surface of claim 4, further comprising an energy absorbent material disposed in the interior region intermediate to the bimorph actuator and the flexible covering.

6. The interior vehicle surface of claim 1, wherein the actively controlled pressure relief valve is adapted to responsively open and close faster than the inlet control valve.

7. The interior vehicle surface of claim 1, further comprising a controller in operative communication with a pressure sensor, the inlet control valve, and the actively controlled pressure relief valve;

and a sensor in electrical communication with the controller.

8. An interior vehicle surface, comprising:

an energy absorbing assembly comprising a rigid support structure having at least one inlet and at least one outlet;

a flexible covering sealingly engaged with the rigid support structure to define a reversibly expandable interior region;

a gas source in fluid communication with the at least one inlet;

an inlet control valve positioned intermediate the gas source and the at least one inlet, wherein the inlet control valve is a continuously variable valve and is adapted to responsively open and close the valve within 1 millisecond; and

an actively controlled pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the at least one outlet.

9. The interior vehicle surface of claim 8, wherein the energy absorbing assembly forms a door pillar surface, a headrest surface, a floor surface, a seat surface, a dashboard surface, a steering wheel surface, a door surface, a ceiling surface, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing interior vehicle surfaces.

10. The interior vehicle surface of claim 8, wherein the inlet control valve and the relief valve are valves selected from the group consisting of a piezoelectric valve, a solenoid valve, and an active material based valve.

11. The interior vehicle surface of claim 8, further comprising a bimorph actuator disposed in the interior region.

12. The interior vehicle surface of claim 11, further comprising an energy absorbent material disposed in the interior region intermediate to the bimorph actuator and the flexible covering.

13. The interior vehicle surface of claim 8, wherein the actively controlled pressure relief valve is adapted to responsively open and close faster than the inlet control valve.

14. The interior vehicle surface of claim 8, further comprising a controller in operative communication with a pressure sensor, the inlet control valve, and the actively controlled pressure relief valve;

and a sensor in electrical communication with the controller.

15. An interior vehicle surface, comprising:

an energy absorbing assembly comprising a rigid support structure;

a flexible covering sealingly engaged with the rigid support structure to define an expandable interior region;

an energy absorbing material disposed in the interior region;

a bimorph actuator intermediate the rigid support structure and the energy absorbing material, wherein the bimorph actuator comprises a flexible strip and a piezoelectric material disposed on a portion of the strip; and

an actuator in electrical communication with the bimorph actuator.

16. The interior vehicle surface of claim 15, wherein the energy absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of foam, fabric, and rubber.

17. The interior vehicle surface of claim 15, wherein the energy absorbing assembly forms a door pillar surface, a headrest surface, a floor surface, a seat surface, a dashboard surface, a steering wheel surface, a door surface, a ceiling surface, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing interior vehicle surfaces.

18. The interior vehicle surface of claim 15, further comprising at least one opening disposed in the rigid support structure in fluid communication with an ambient environment.

19. The interior vehicle surface of claim 15, further comprising a controller in operative communication with a pressure sensor, the inlet control valve, and the actively controlled pressure relief valve;

and a sensor in electrical communication with the controller.

20. A method of operating an energy absorbing assembly, comprising:

attaching the energy absorbing assembly to a rigid support structure, wherein the energy absorbing assembly comprises a flexible cover sealing engaged with the rigid support structure to form a reversibly expandable interior region;

at least one inlet and at least one outlet in fluid communication with the interior region;

an inlet control valve in fluid communication with the at least one inlet;

an outlet pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the at least one outlet; and

a gas source in fluid communication with the inlet control valve;

sensing or predicting an impact of an object;

providing an activation signal to the inlet control valve to open fluid communication between the gas source and the interior region;

inflating the interior region to an inflated position within about 20 milliseconds; and

closing the inlet control valve and opening the pressure relief valve to deflate the interior region to a predetermined pressure.

21. The method of operating the energy absorbing assembly of claim 20, wherein the inlet control valve and the pressure relief valve are valves selected from the group consisting of a solenoid valve, a piezoelectric actuated valve, electroactive polymer actuated valve, an electrorheological actuated valve, a magnetorheological actuated valve, and a magnetic shape memory alloy actuated valve.

22. The method of operating the energy absorbing assembly of claim 20, wherein the inlet control valve is a binary valve and is fully opened within 1 millisecond.

23. The method of operating the energy absorbing assembly of claim 20, wherein the inlet control valve is a continuously variable valve and is fully opened within 10 milliseconds.

24. The method of operating the energy absorbing assembly of claim 20, wherein inflating and deflating the interior region is repeated.

25. A method of operating an energy absorbing assembly, comprising:

attaching the energy absorbing assembly to a rigid support structure, wherein the energy absorbing assembly comprises a flexible cover sealing engaged with the rigid support structure to form an expandable interior region;

an energy absorbing material disposed in the interior region;

a bimorph actuator intermediate the rigid support structure and the energy absorbing material, wherein the bimorph actuator comprises a flexible strip or sheet and a piezoelectric material disposed on a portion of the strip; and

an actuator in electrical communication with the bimorph actuator;

sensing or predicting an impact of an object; and

providing an activation signal to the bimorph actuator and change a shape orientation of the flexible strip from a substantially planar configuration to a non-planar configuration.

26. The method of operating the energy absorbing assembly of claim 26, further comprising discontinuing the activation signal to change the shape orientation of the flexible strip from the non-planar configuration to the substantially planar configuration.