Volume-filling mechanical assemblies and methods of operating the same

• US 7,637,559 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US11/384,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 296/187.02, 296/187.03, 296/187.09, 296/187.11, 296/187.12, 296/193.05, 296/193.06, 296/203.01, 296/203.2, 296/204, 296/205, 296/209, 188/377
• US Class Current: 296/187.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/40 in the direction of an obstacle before a collision , or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper inflatable bumpers B60R19/20
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/15 having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/00 Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof B62D33/044, B62D33/048 take precedence

Abstract

A volume-filling mechanical structure comprising a honeycomb celled material expandable from a compact state to an expanded state and methods for operating the same.

Claims

1. A volume filling mechanical assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

an open celled material expandable from a non-expanded state to an expanded state, wherein at least a portion of the open celled material comprises a shape memory alloy; and

an activation mechanism regulating expansion of the open celled material from the non-expanded state to the expanded state in response to an activation signal.

2. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy of the open celled material is configured to facilitate expansion of the open celled material from the non-expanded state to the expanded state, compression of the open celled material from the expanded state to the non-expanded state, a thermally activatable increase in the stiffness/energy absorption of the cellular structure, repair of the open celled material from a crushed state to a non-crushed state, or a combination comprising at least one of the forgoing.

3. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy of the open celled material is configured to increase a stiffness of the open celled material.

4. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein expansion of the open celled material is in a plane perpendicular to a cellular axis of the open celled material'"'"'s cells.

5. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein an impact crush of the open celled material is in a plane parallel or at an acute angle with respect to the cellular axis of the open celled material'"'"'s cells.

6. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation mechanism comprises a superelastic property of the shape memory alloy, a shape memory effect of the shape memory alloy, a pyrotechnic device, a pneumatic device, an electromechanical device, an electrohydraulic device, a mechanical device, a vacuum device, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing activation mechanisms.

7. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, further comprising an active material actuator adapted to selectively provide the activation signal.

8. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises a thermal activation signal, an electrical activation signal, a magnetic activation signal, a mechanical activation signal, a pneumatic activation signal, a vacuum activation signal, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing activation signals.

9. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sensor in operative communication with the activation mechanism.

10. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, wherein the open celled material comprises a honeycomb structure.

11. The volume filling mechanical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first rigid end cap connected to one end of the open celled material;

and a second rigid end cap connected to an other end of the open celled material.

12. A method of operating a volume filling structure, comprising:

sensing an impact event;

producing an activation signal; and

expanding the volume filling structure from a non-expanded state to an expanded state upon the sensed impact event, wherein the volume filling structure comprises an open celled material, wherein at least a portion of the open celled material comprises a shape memory alloy, and an activation mechanism regulating expansion of the volume filling structure from the non-expanded state to the expanded state in response to the activation signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising resetting the volume filling structure from the expanded state to the non-expanded state after the sensed impact event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein resetting the volume filling structure comprises thermally activating the shape memory alloy of the open celled material.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising increasing a stiffness of the open celled material by heating the shape memory alloy of the expanded volume filling structure.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the expanding occurs in a plane perpendicular to or at an acute angle to a cellular axis of the open celled material'"'"'s cells.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising crushing the open celled material in a plane parallel or at an acute angle with respect to the cellular axis of the open celled material'"'"'s cells.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising repairing the open celled material from a crushed state to a non-crushed state.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the activation mechanism comprises a superelastic property of the shape memory alloy, a shape memory effect of the shape memory alloy, a pyrotechnic device, a pneumatic device, an electromechanical device, an electrohydraulic device, a mechanical device, a vacuum device, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing activation mechanisms.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein expanding the open celled material from the non-expanded state to the expanded state comprises an expansion ratio of about 1:

10 to about 1;

60.