Active impact protection mechanism
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for cushioning an object against impact, comprising:
- a sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object;
an electromechanical actuator having a first member affixed to a portion of the object, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position, wherein the first and second members are magnets, and wherein at least one of the magnets comprises an electromagnet; and
a controller that is electrically coupled to the actuator and that is responsive to the sensor for activating the actuator by driving current through the at least one of the magnets that is an electromagnet to move the second member from the first position to the second position.
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Abstract
Active cushioning mechanisms that detect imminent impact and activate a damper by driving power from an onboard power supply into an electromagnetic actuator. The electromagnetic actuator transforms the stored electric power into an electromechanical damping force. The actuators may be arranged about the exterior surface of the device, and may be selectively activated to provide protection at different points on the surface depending on the location of expected impact.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for cushioning an object against impact, comprising:
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a sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object; an electromechanical actuator having a first member affixed to a portion of the object, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position, wherein the first and second members are magnets, and wherein at least one of the magnets comprises an electromagnet; and a controller that is electrically coupled to the actuator and that is responsive to the sensor for activating the actuator by driving current through the at least one of the magnets that is an electromagnet to move the second member from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:
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an exterior sidewall defining an interior cavity; a sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the device; an electromechanical actuator having a first member affixed to a portion of the sidewall, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; and a controller coupled to the actuator and responsive to the sensor for activating the actuator, wherein, when activated, the actuator creates an electromagnetic force to move the second member from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for cushioning an object against impact, the method comprising:
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mounting an electromechanical actuator to a surface of the object, the actuator having a first member adjacent a portion of the surface, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object; and responsive to detection of the unrestrained change in position, activating the actuator to apply an electromagnetic force to move the second member from the first position to the second position, whereby the electromagnetic force damps force of an impact. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A method for cushioning an object against impact, the method comprising:
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detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object; responsive to detection of the unrestrained change in position, detecting at least one of an orientation of the object and a proximity of the object to an impact surface; and responsive to detection of the at least one of the orientation of the object and the proximity of the object to an impact surface, selectively activating only certain actuators of a plurality of actuators, wherein; each actuator of the plurality of actuators comprises a first member affixed to a portion of the object, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; and the activating of each actuator of the certain actuators comprises moving the second member from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. Apparatus for cushioning an object against impact, comprising:
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a first sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object; a second sensor for detecting at least one of an orientation of the object and a proximity of the object to an impact surface; a plurality of electromechanical actuators, wherein each actuator comprises a first member affixed to a portion of the object, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; and a controller coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, and each actuator of the plurality of actuators, wherein; the controller activates only certain actuators of the plurality of actuators in response to information detected by the first sensor and in response to information detected by the second sensor; and activation of each actuator of the certain actuators moves the second member of each actuator of the certain actuators from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification