Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.

Julien Rea

Cedric Ketels

Tristan J Vanfossen

Louis Thomas

Justin Landowne

Ryan L Clark

Michael J Twork

Bruno Dinant

Hugo Piccin

Jean-Michel Azevedo

John Marsh

Gaurav Agarwal

Christophe Brunard

Maxime Leclercq

Adrián Balbuena MÉNDEZ

Michael Twork

A vehicle includes a compartment mounted to a frame of the vehicle. The compartment includes a box coupled to the frame in a fixed position relative to the frame and a latch system coupled to the box to allow a user to access the box. The latch system includes a shape-memory alloy wire guided by a pulley during actuation of the latch system.

Actuator for a vehicle compartment

A latch assembly for a vehicle, in applications such as an armrest console or a glove box, includes a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator. The SMA actuator includes an actuator housing, an SMA wire, and an actuator lever arm. The actuator lever arm is configured to pivotably rotate or linearly translate with respect to the actuator housing upon activation of the SMA wire. A connecting link is coupled to the actuator lever arm. The connecting link is configured to translate linearly along a connecting link axis when the actuator lever arm pivotably rotates or linearly translates. A striker is coupled to the connecting link and configured to rotate about a striker axis to engage a closing surface.

Latch assembly

An opening switch for a vehicle having a decorative cover assembly, a sensor housing region, and a microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensor mounted in the sensor housing region. The decorative cover assembly has an inner surface, an outer surface, an anchor portion, and a deflection portion. When contact from a vehicle user occurs at the deflection portion in the decorative cover assembly, a microdeflection occurs. The microdeflection has a microdeflection apex, and the microdeflection apex is spaced from other surfaces in the sensor housing region when the contact from the user occurs at the deflection portion in the decorative cover assembly. The MEMS sensor is configured to generate an output signal that is indicative of a force of the contact from the user. The force integrated switch can include haptic feedback and/or backlighting.

Opening switch for a vehicle

A vehicle includes a compartment mounted to a frame of the vehicle. The compartment includes a box coupled to a vehicle in a fixed position relative to the vehicle and a latch system coupled to the glove to allow a user access to the box. The latch system includes a shape-memory alloy wire and a spring that are used during actuation of the latch system.

A vehicle includes a compartment mounted to a frame of the vehicle. The compartment includes a box coupled to a vehicle in a fixed position relative to the vehicle and a latch system coupled to the glove to allow a user access to the box. The latch system includes a continuous loop of material including at least a portion that is made from shape-memory alloy wire.

A vehicle includes a compartment mounted to a frame of the vehicle. The compartment includes a box coupled to a vehicle in a fixed position relative to the vehicle and a latch system coupled to the glove to allow a user access to the box. The latch system includes a shape-memory alloy wire guided by a pulley during actuation of the latch system.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Julien Rea