Shape memory alloy active hatch vent

• US 9,346,345 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynalloy, Inc., GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Alexander, Paul W., Gao, Xiujie, Browne, Alan L., Voss, Mark A., Patterson, Derek L., Hao, Lei, Namuduri, Chandra S., Brown, James Holbrook, Zolno, Aragorn, Owens, John N., Millerman, Alexander, Rober, Kevin B., Gopalakrishnan, Suresh, Naik, Sanjeev M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): COTOV, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US14/328,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/241 characterised by the location of ventilation devices in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/249 using one-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 9/04 Air curtains in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/085 with adjustable shutters or blinds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

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.

Claims

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;

wherein the vent assembly includes a plurality of vanes moveable between the open position and the closed position, and a shape memory alloy member having a first end coupled to a geared lever and a second end coupled to a casing, with the geared lever in meshing engagement with a vane gear such that linear movement of the shape memory alloy member rotates the geared lever and the vane gear, which in turn moves the plurality of vanes between the open position and the closed position, and wherein signaling the vent assembly to move into the open position includes heating the shape memory alloy member to contract the shape memory alloy member, thereby rotating the geared lever and the vane gear in a first direction to move the plurality of vanes into the open position;

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;

wherein the vent assembly includes a spring operable to urge the plurality of vanes into the closed position, and wherein signaling the vent assembly to move into the closed position includes cooling the shape memory alloy member to elongate the shape memory alloy member, thereby allowing the spring to rotate the geared lever and the vane gear in a second direction to move the plurality of vanes into the closed position.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising sensing a position of the plurality of vanes.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 further comprising sensing if movement of the plurality of vanes between the open position and the closed position is partially blocked by a blockage.

4. The method set forth in claim 3 further comprising moving the plurality of vanes into a partially open position, disposed between the closed position and the open position, when the plurality of vanes are blocked from fully moving into the open position by the blockage.

5. The method set forth in claim 4 wherein moving the plurality of vanes into the partially open position is further defined as moving the plurality of vanes toward the open position until the plurality of vanes encounter the blockage preventing further movement of the plurality of vanes into the open position.

6. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising monitoring at least one operating condition of the vehicle.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein the at least one operating condition of the vehicle is a speed of the vehicle or an ambient air temperature of the vehicle adjacent the hatch.

8. The method set forth in claim 6 further comprising 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.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein automatically signaling the vent assembly with the vehicle controller to move into the open position in response to the opening of the hatch is further defined as automatically signaling the vent assembly with the 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.

10. The method set forth in claim 1 further comprising signaling the vent assembly to move into the closed position in response to the hatch being positioned in the open position for a pre-determined period of time.

11. 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:

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;

wherein the vent assembly includes a plurality of vanes moveable between the open position and the closed position, and a shape memory alloy member having a first end coupled to a geared lever and a second end coupled to a casing, with the geared lever in meshing engagement with a vane gear such that linear movement of the shape memory alloy member rotates the geared lever and the vane gear, which in turn moves the plurality of vanes between the open position and the closed position, and wherein automatically signaling the vent assembly to move into the open position includes heating the shape memory alloy member to contract the shape memory alloy member, thereby rotating the geared lever and the vane gear in a first direction to move the plurality of vanes into the open position;

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;

wherein the vent assembly includes a spring operable to urge the plurality of vanes into the closed position, and wherein automatically signaling the vent assembly to move into the closed position includes cooling the shape memory alloy member to elongate the shape memory alloy member, thereby allowing the spring to rotate the geared lever and the vane gear in a second direction to move the plurality of vanes into the closed position.

12. The method set forth in claim 11 further comprising not signaling the vent assembly to move into the open position in response to the opening of the hatch when at least one of the at least one operating condition of the vehicle is not within its respective allowable range.

13. The method set forth in claim 11 further comprising sensing if movement of the plurality of vanes between the open position and the closed position is partially blocked by a blockage.

14. The method set forth in claim 13 further comprising moving the plurality of vanes into a partially open position, disposed between the closed position and the open position, when the plurality of vanes are blocked from fully moving into the open position by the blockage.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 wherein moving the plurality of vanes into the partially open position is further defined as moving the plurality of vanes toward the open position until the plurality of vanes encounter the blockage preventing further movement of the plurality of vanes into the open position.