Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Teijin Limited

Ingrid A Rousseau

Hamid Ghavami Kia

John Neal Owens

Elisabeth Jane Berger

Tao Xie

Mark William Verbrugge

William R Rodgers

Nancy L Johnson

Alan L Browne

Pei-chung Wang

Nilesh D Mankame

Anil Kumar Sachdev

Xingcheng Xiao

Paul Edward Krajewski

Michael P Balogh

John C Ulicny

Zhongyi Liu

Chen-Shih Wang

Frederick E Pinkerton

Selina X Zhao

Bhavesh Shah

Teresa J Rinker

Kestutis A Sonta

Thomas C Pederson

Yutaka Yagi

Anil Bika

Howard W Cox

Jessica A Schroeder

Megan E McGovern

Yuhei Konagai

Paula Diane Fasulo

Jeffrey Jose Calderas

A method of fabricating a curvilinear magnet includes forming at least one slot in a material billet. The slotted material billet is inserted into a mold having a curvilinear pocket. The mold is closed around the slotted material billet such that the slotted material billet conforms to the curvilinear pocket and forms a curvilinear billet. The curvilinear billet is arranged in a structure. The curvilinear billet arranged in the structure is then magnetized.

Method of fabrication of a curvilinear magnet

A lap belt pretensioner for a lap belt configured to secure an occupant of a vehicle seat includes a pyrotechnic device. The pyrotechnic device is configured to generate a force directed to tension the lap belt around the occupant and emit an exhaust gas including particulates at high pressure and high temperature as a byproduct of the generated force. The lap belt pretensioner also includes a housing configured to retain the pyrotechnic device and defining an exhaust passage configured to expel the exhaust gas from the lap belt pretensioner. The lap belt pretensioner additionally includes a shield arranged over the exhaust passage and configured to collect and/or deflect the emitted particulates and dissipate heat energy thereof. A vehicle having the vehicle seat mounted to the vehicle structure and employing the seatbelt system is also provided.

Seatbelt pretensioner shield and heat energy dissipator

A number of variations may include a product that may include a final part that may include a first part that may include a first face and may define at least one through hole and a second part that may include a second face, at least one stake, and at least one energy director that may be disposed between the first face and the second face wherein the first face and the second face may be abutted against one another and the at least one stake may be passed through the at least one through-hole and the first part and the second part have been ultrasonically staked and ultrasonically welded such that an ultrasonically welded interface may be formed between the first part and the second part.

Joint design for improved strength of plastic and composite joints

An assembly includes a sensor configured to obtain a data scan of a joint. A controller is operatively connected to the sensor. The controller includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for automated quality assessment of the joint. Execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to: obtain the data scan of the joint (via the sensor) and generate a first image based on the data scan. The first image is divided into a plurality of pixels having respective numeric values. The controller is programmed to identify a region of interest as the plurality of pixels from the first image with a respective numeric value greater than a threshold value (I). The controller is programmed to assess joint quality based on a porosity factor (PF) determined at least partially from the data scan.

Automated quality determination of joints

A lithium ion battery includes an electrolyte maintained in a separator, the separator having two sides; a negative electrode of lithium titanate (LiTiO) disposed on one side of the separator; a negative current collector associated with the negative electrode; a positive electrode disposed on an opposite side of the separator; and a positive current collector associated with the positive electrode. The lithium ion battery further includes gas traps to trap gases in the battery, wherein the gas traps include titanium diboride (TiB) nanotubes. A method includes providing the titanium diboride nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, and/or graphene as gas traps in a lithium ion battery having a negative electrode of lithium titanate.

Titanium diboride nanotubes for trapping gases in lithium ion batteries

A horn for an ultrasonic welding apparatus includes a body having an outer diameter surface and a convex welding tip having a first curved surface and a second curved surface. A peak curvature point is defined by the second curved surface. A base curvature point is defined at an intersection between the outer diameter surface and the first curved surface. An inner diameter is defined at an intersection between the first curved surface and the second curved surface.

Horn for an ultrasonic welding process

Friction-weld assemblies and methods of spin-welding are provided, where the components being joined are polymeric components. Designs provided for the polymeric components enable the use of relatively low speeds and pressures to achieve superior friction weld joints between the components. Further, large surface area polymeric components can be successfully friction welded with such designs. In certain variations, at least one polymeric component has a weld surface with a plurality of surface features that are concave (e.g., grooves) or convex. In other variations, the first component in the weld region has a distinct non-complementary shape from the second component, thus creating a progressive advancing weld line that avoids high temperatures that might incur damage to the polymeric component and weld joint. Such component designs additionally provide for improved flash management at the weld joint.

Spin-welding of polymeric components having large surface area or non-complementary weld interfaces

One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate. One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate during building or reconfiguring a product.

Applications of a reversible dry adhesive system

The present disclosure relates a rivet body, including a rivet head and a rivet shank, composed of a different material than a mandrel used for insertion into a workpiece(s), the mandrel including a mandrel shaft and a mandrel cap. The rivet body receives the mandrel shaft, including the mandrel cap, through the rivet shank. The mandrel shaft is received by the installation tool, which rotates the rivet body, and the mandrel cap locally deforms workpieces(s) through friction riveting to install the rivet body. During the friction riveting, the fast-rotating rivet body is pushed into the workpiece(s) causing local deformation/melting where the mandrel cap contacts the workpiece(s). The mandrel cap creates a cavity which progresses through an upper surface and a lower surface of the workpiece(s).

Apparatus and methods for reducing corrosion of joining composite workpieces

Methods of compression molding polymeric parts for improved impact resistance are provided. The components are particularly suitable for use in a vehicle or an automobile. The compression molded polymeric component comprises a central region or core comprising integrally formed foam, e.g., a foam core, that can sustain high impact load and does not lead to visible surface cracking or material cracking. The polymeric component may be a reinforced plastic composite (FRP). Such methods can produce lightweight, impact resistant, FRP components that may be used in various structural applications, including in automobiles.

Methods for increasing impact resistance of reinforced polymeric composites

A product, and a method for forming a product, that includes a composite material having a polymeric carrier resin and a shape memory polymer material capable of transformation between a temporary shape and a permanent shape in the presence of an external stimuli, wherein said transformation from said temporary shape to said permanent shape changes at least one property of said composite material.

Shape memory polymer containing composite materials

One embodiment includes a rechargeable charge storage device including a microcapsule disposed within said rechargeable charge storage device; and a thermal retardant chemical species contained within said microcapsule, wherein said microcapsule is adapted to release said chemical species upon being exposed to a triggering event either prior to or during an unstable rise in temperature of said charge storage device.

Materials and methods for retarding or preventing thermal runaway in batteries

A method disclosed herein includes packaging and de-packaging a part. The part is packaged by placing the part adjacent to a shape memory polymer (SMP) while the SMP is in a permanent shape. The SMP is heated to a temperature above a switching temperature of the SMP, and a force is applied to the heated SMP such that it conforms to i) a shape of the part and/or ii) a desired shape for packing the part, thereby changing the SMP from the permanent shape into a temporary shape. The SMP is cooled to a temperature below the switching temperature to set the SMP into the temporary shape. The part is de-packaged by heating the SMP to a temperature above its switching temperature, thereby reverting the SMP from the temporary shape into the permanent shape and releasing the part. The part is removed from the SMP in the permanent shape.

Packaging and de-packaging methods using shape memory polymers

A polymer includes a reaction product of an epoxy resin, a first crosslinking agent, and a second crosslinking agent. The first crosslinking agent is reactive with the epoxy resin and has a first molecular weight. The second crosslinking agent is reactive with the epoxy resin and has a second molecular weight of at least 2.5 times greater than the first molecular weight. The polymer has a first phase having a first glass transition temperature at which the polymer is transformable between a first shape and a second shape. The second crosslinking agent is crystallizable within the polymer and thereby has a melting temperature that is detectable within the polymer.

Self-repairing polymer

A method of forming a part with a feature having a die-locked geometry is disclosed herein. A molding tool used in the method includes at least one die having a cavity defined in a surface thereof, and a protrusion formed in the cavity. The method includes disposing a shape memory polymer insert on the protrusion, where the shape memory polymer insert has i) the die-locked geometry as its temporary shape, and ii) a geometry that is removable from the die-locked geometry as its permanent shape. A material is established in the cavity such that at least a portion of the material conforms to the die-locked geometry, thereby forming the part having the feature with the at least one die-locked geometry.

Growing community of inventors

Clinton Township, MI, United States of America

Ingrid A Rousseau