Active pressure relief valves and methods of use

• US 7,204,472 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Aase, Jan H., Browne, Alan L., Jones, Gary L., Meernik, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US11/064,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20050199845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.06
• US Class Current: 251/129.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/249 using one-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/031 the hinge being flexible
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/033 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/035 with a plurality of valve members

Abstract

Active pressure relief valves and methods of use for regulating atmospheric conditions within an interior compartment of a vehicle generally include an active material to effect movement of a flap relative to an opening. The active material has the ability to remember its original at least one attribute such as dimension, shape, and/or flexural modulus, which can subsequently be recalled by applying or removing an external stimulus, as will be discussed in detail herein. Suitable active materials include, without limitation, shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials, and the like. Depending on the particular active material, the activation signal can take the form of, without limitation, an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing, or the like.

Claims

1. A structural panel defining an interior compartment of a vehicle, the structural panel comprising:

an opening in the structural panel adapted to provide fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a flap in sealing communication with the opening; and

an active material in operative communication with the flap, wherein the active material is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening, wherein the flap is hinged to a housing about the opening, wherein the active material is a spring disposed about a rotatable pintle, wherein the active material spring is in operative communication with the flap.

2. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

3. The structural panel of claim 1, further comprising at least one biased spring disposed about the pintle.

4. The structural panel of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing signals.

5. An active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle, the active pressure relief valve comprising:

a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with the interior compartment and an external environment;

a hinge comprising an active material, wherein the active material comprises is effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal; and

a flap in operative communication with the hinge, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening, wherein the flap is hinged to the housing, wherein the active material is a spring disposed about a rotatable pintle and is configured to move the flap in relation to the opening in response to the activation signal.

6. The active pressure relief valve of claim 5, wherein the spring formed of the active material is adapted to move the flap away from the opening in response to the activation signal;

and the hinge further comprises a return spring adapted to return the flap to seal the opening in the absence of the activation signal.

7. The active pressure relief valve of claim 5, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

8. The active pressure relief valve of claim 5, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

9. A method for operating an active pressure relief valve for regulating one or more atmospheric conditions in an interior compartment of a vehicle comprises:

positioning the active pressure relief valve in a structural panel defining the interior compartment, the active pressure relief valve comprising a flap fixedly attached to a rotatable pintle in operative communication with an opening; and

an active material spring disposed about the rotatable pintle and in operative communication with the flap, wherein the active material comprises an active material effective to undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one attribute moves the flap in relation to the opening;

selectively introducing the activation signal to the active material; and

moving the flap away from the opening to provide fluid communication between the interior compartment and an external environment.

10. The active pressure relief valve of claim 9, wherein the one or more atmospheric conditions comprise a pressure, a temperature, a gas concentration, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing atmospheric conditions.

11. The active pressure relief valve of claim 9, wherein the active material comprises shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological elastomers, piezoelectric materials, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.