Actuatable cushioning elements

• US 8,102,258 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US11/603,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20070144933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 534/50, 534/51, 137/223, 206/522, 229/68.1, 267/116, 340/500, 340/825, 340/540, 340/1.1, 340/3.1, 383/107, 383/109, 383/3, 428/166, 428/178, 700/11, 700/12, 700/14, 700/213, 563/8, 564/4, 565/4, 571/3, 280/728.1, 280/729, 280/741, 280/742, 280/739, 280/743.2, 701/45, 701/36, 180/270, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/018 inflatable automatically
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/05 protecting only a particular body part ear protectors A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/11 Protective face masks, e.g. for surgical use, or for use in foul atmospheres eye-masks A61F9/04 ; hoods affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents A62B17/04
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0036 characterised by a special shape or design
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/32 with shock-absorbing means resilient soles A43B13/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/081 fluid-filled, e.g. air-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/12 for the body or the legs , e.g. for the shoulders A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/052 filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements

Abstract

An apparatus, methods and computer program product, and system are described that enable a first subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a first time period, enable a second subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a second time period, determine an event, and actuate, based on a time the event is determined, at least one of the first and the second subsets of actuatable cushioning elements to provide cushioning support for an object. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period;

determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements; and

actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one first event associated with packing of the at least one container for at least some of the at least one first time period, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container for at least some the at least one second time period, and de-actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving status information associated with at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements that are reusable, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two inflatable gas bags, the at least two inflatable gas bags including at least one first subset of the at least two inflatable gas bags enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two inflatable gas bags enabled to actuate for at least one second time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements made from expandable cushioning material, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements that are unrestrained, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period that does not overlap with the at least one first time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period that is different from the at least one first time period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period comprises:

enabling at least two actuatable cushioning elements, the at least two actuatable cushioning elements including at least one first subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one first time period and at least one different second subset of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements enabled to actuate for at least one second time period.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements comprises:

determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with one or more values of at least one parameter measurable during movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements comprises:

determining, at one or more different times, at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements comprises:

determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with impact or likely impact of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements comprises:

determining, at least partially from user input, at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining at least one first event associated with packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements comprises:

determining, at least partially from one or more event detectors, at least one first event of packing of at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, at least one second event of movement of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements, and at least one third event of unpacking of the at least one container including internally the at least two actuatable cushioning elements.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one first event associated with packing of the at least one container for at least some of the at least one first time period, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container for at least some the at least one second time period, and de-actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container comprises:

actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one first event associated with packing of the at least one container for at least some of the at least one first time period, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container for at least some the at least one second time period, and passively de-actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one first event associated with packing of the at least one container for at least some of the at least one first time period, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container for at least some the at least one second time period, and de-actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container comprises:

at one or more different times, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one first event associated with packing of the at least one container for at least some of the at least one first time period, actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one second event associated with movement of the at least one container for at least some the at least one second time period, and de-actuating at least some of the at least two actuatable cushioning elements in response to the at least one third event associated with unpacking of the at least one container.