Compartment access system with active material component and method for controlling access to an interior compartment
First Claim
1. A compartment access system comprising:
- a frame partially defining an interior compartment;
a closure operatively connected to and movable with respect to said frame and further defining said compartment; and
at least one active material component operatively connected to said closure and configured for remotely triggered activation to actuate and thereby affect access to said compartment.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Accessing interior compartments for storage or other purposes is improved by the use of one or more active material components. Activating one or more active material components carries out one or more of the following functions: opening or closing the compartment (which may include cinching a closure) and/or latching or unlatching a closure from a frame. Activation may result from a remote trigger signal. A method is provided for controlling access to an interior compartment that may be carried out by a controller operatively connected to various active material components that unlatch the closure from the frame, close the closure and cinch the closure to the frame, respectively.
59 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A compartment access system comprising:
-
a frame partially defining an interior compartment; a closure operatively connected to and movable with respect to said frame and further defining said compartment; and at least one active material component operatively connected to said closure and configured for remotely triggered activation to actuate and thereby affect access to said compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A storage container comprising:
-
a frame partially defining an interior compartment; a closure operatively connected to and movable with respect to said frame and further defining said compartment; and at least one active material component operatively connected to said closure and configured to move said closure with respect to said frame when activated to thereby affect access to said compartment. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A method for controlling access to an interior compartment defined by a container having a frame and a closure movable with respect to the frame to open and substantially close the closure, and a latch for latching the closure to the frame, comprising:
-
receiving a remotely triggered trigger signal; determining whether the closure is in an open position or a closed position; activating a first active material component when the closure is determined to be in the closed position via the determining step, wherein the first active material component is operatively connected to the latch and is configured to unlatch the latch when activated; and activating a second active material component when the closure is determined to be in the open position via the determining step;
wherein the second active material component is operatively connected to the closure and is configured to move the closure to an intermediate closed position when activated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification