ADAPTIVE ENERGY ABSORPTION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20070278057A1
• Filed: 02/02/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovital LLC, University of Maryland
• Original Assignee: University of Maryland
• Inventors: Hu, Wei, Wang, Gang, Wereley, Norman, Chen, Peter, Hiemenz, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/267.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4242 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/501 actively controlled suspension, e.g. electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/508 Scissors-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/522 characterised by dampening means
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/53 Means for adjusting damping characteristics by varying fluid viscosity, e.g. electromagnetically F16F13/30 takes precedence; brakes comprising a medium with electrically or magnetically controlled friction F16D57/002; electrorheological fluids per se C10M171/001; magnetorheological fluids per se H01F1/447

Abstract

An adaptive energy absorption system for a vehicle seat is disclosed, utilizing an adaptive energy absorber or variable profile energy absorber (VPEA) for mitigating occupant injury due to extreme vehicle movement (e.g., during a vehicle shock event), and/or for mitigating vibration experienced by an occupant of the vehicle seat during normal vehicle operating conditions. The adaptive energy absorption system achieves the aforementioned objectives for a wide range of occupant weights and load levels. Various configurations of dual-goal energy absorption apparatuses that enable both shock mitigation and vibration isolation are disclosed.

Claims

1. An energy absorption apparatus, comprising:

a variable profile energy absorber operatively coupled between a vehicle and a structure to mitigate vibration experienced by the structure and to mitigate shock experienced by the structure during a shock event, said variable profile energy absorber having a movable element to apply forces between the vehicle and the structure to mitigate vibration and shock; and

a stiffness element releasably coupled to said moveable element by a coupling mechanism, which is constructed and arranged to permit said stiffness element to be operatively coupled to said moveable element during vibration mitigation and to permit said stiffness element to be separated from said movable element during the shock event such that said movable element moves without being operatively connected to said stiffness element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said variable profile energy absorber comprises at least one of an active valve damper, a magnetorheological fluid damper, or an electrorheological fluid damper.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said variable profile energy absorber includes a cylinder, and said movable element is a piston rod.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stiffness element is a spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism is a frangible pin.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said variable profile energy absorber includes a cylinder, and said movable element includes a piston with a first rod portion extending from one side of said piston and a second rod portion extending from another side of said piston.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said stiffness element is a resilient member coupled to one of said rod portions.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said stiffness element is positioned within a housing coupled to said variable profile energy absorber.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said stiffness element is a spring.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said variable profile energy absorber includes a cylinder, and said movable element includes a piston with a first rod portion extending from one side of said piston, said variable profile energy absorber further including an accumulator that is open to the atmosphere, and said stiffness element is a resilient member coupled to one of said rod portions.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said stiffness element is coupled to said variable profile energy absorber and positioned outside said cylinder.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said stiffness element is a spring.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stiffness element is resilient.

14. A method of absorbing energy, comprising:

mitigating vibration experienced by a structure using a variable profile energy absorber that is operatively coupled between a vehicle and the structure by moving a movable element of the variable profile energy absorber between the vehicle and the structure, the mitigating of the vibration including using a stiffness element coupled to the movable element; and

mitigating shock experienced by the structure during a shock event by automatically separating the stiffness element from the movable element such that the movable element moves to mitigate the shock without being operatively connected to the stiffness element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the automatic separation of the stiffness element from the movable element includes the release of a releasable mechanical coupling between the movable element and the stiffness element.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the automatic separation of the stiffness element from the movable element includes the release of pressure from a stiffness element, which includes a pressure accumulator.

17. An energy absorption apparatus, comprising:

a variable profile energy absorber operatively coupled between a vehicle and a structure to mitigate vibration experienced by the structure and to mitigate shock experienced by the structure during a shock event, said variable profile energy absorber having a movable element to apply forces between the vehicle and the structure to mitigate vibration and shock; and

a fixed profile energy absorber operatively coupled to said variable profile energy absorber to mitigate shock during the shock event experienced by said structure, said fixed profile energy absorber being constructed and arranged such that the fixed profile energy absorber is in a first structural configuration during mitigation of vibration and in a second structural configuration during mitigation of shock during the shock event.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said fixed profile energy absorber is structured and arranged to maintain an original shape in said first configuration, and a second shape, which is a different shape than said first shape, in said second configuration.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said movable element is a rod and said fixed profile energy absorber is a deformable element.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said deformable element comprises at least one of a crush tube, a plastically expandable cylinder, an invertible tube, or a wire.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said variable profile energy absorber and said fixed profile energy absorber comprises at least one of a magnetorheological fluid damper or an electrorheological fluid damper.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said fixed profile energy absorber includes a valve and a flow-restricting disc.

23. A method of absorbing energy, comprising:

mitigating vibration and a shock experienced by a structure by operatively coupling a variable profile energy absorber between a vehicle and the structure and activating the variable profile energy absorber to mitigate the vibration and the shock experienced by the structure, the variable profile energy absorber having a movable element to apply forces to the structure in order to mitigate the vibration and the shock; and

assisting the mitigation of the shock by operatively coupling a fixed profile energy absorber to the variable profile energy absorber to mitigate the shock experienced by the structure, the fixed profile energy absorber having a first structural configuration during mitigation of vibration and being reconfigured into a second structural configuration during mitigation of the shock.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the assisting of the mitigation of the shock includes the fixed profile energy absorber changing physical shape from the first configuration to the second configuration.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the changing of physical shape comprises at least one of crushing a tube, plastically expanding a cylinder, inverting a tube, or bending a wire.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the assisting of the mitigation of the shock event includes the release of a releasable mechanical coupling between the fixed profile energy absorber and a portion of the variable energy absorber.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the assisting of the mitigation of the shock event includes moving a flow-restricting element adjacent an opening, through which fluid passes.