SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTIVE HATCH VENT
First Claim
1. A method of operating a hatch on a vehicle defining an interior space and including a vent assembly moveable between an open position and a closed position, with the open position permitting fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle and the closed position preventing fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle, the method comprising:
- opening the hatch;
automatically signaling the vent assembly with a vehicle controller to move into the open position in response to the opening of the hatch;
closing the hatch; and
automatically signaling the vent assembly with the vehicle controller to move into the closed position in response to the closing of the hatch.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vent assembly is disposed within an interior space of a vehicle for opening and closing fluid communication between the interior space and an exterior of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a housing defining a plurality of openings and a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings. An actuator mechanism moves the vanes between an open position and a closed position, and includes a shaped memory alloy (SMA) member for actuating the vanes between the open and closed positions. The SMA member is activated when a hatch of the vehicle is opened to move the vanes into the open position and thereby open fluid communication between the interior space and the exterior to alleviate excessive air pressure buildup during closure of the hatch.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating a hatch on a vehicle defining an interior space and including a vent assembly moveable between an open position and a closed position, with the open position permitting fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle and the closed position preventing fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle, the method comprising:
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opening the hatch; automatically signaling the vent assembly with a vehicle controller to move into the open position in response to the opening of the hatch; closing the hatch; and automatically signaling the vent assembly with the vehicle controller to move into the closed position in response to the closing of the hatch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a hatch on a vehicle defining an interior space and including a vent assembly moveable between an open position and a closed position, with the open position permitting fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle and the closed position preventing fluid flow into and out of the interior space of the vehicle, the method comprising:
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monitoring at least one operating condition of the vehicle; determining if all of the at least one operating conditions of the vehicle are within a respective allowable range or are not within their respective allowable range; opening the hatch; automatically signaling the vent assembly with a vehicle controller to move into the open position in response to the opening of the hatch, when all of the at least one operating conditions of the vehicle are within their respective allowable range; closing the hatch; and automatically signaling the vent assembly with the vehicle controller to move into the closed position in response to the closing of the hatch. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification