Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Hrl Laboratories, LLC

The Boeing Company

General Motors LLC

William B Barvosa-Carter

Nancy L Johnson

Alan L Browne

Cameron G Massey

Guillermo A Herrera

Geoffrey P McKnight

Leslie Momoda

Andrew C Keefe

Geoffrey P Mc Knight

Alan Jon Jacobsen

Christopher Paul Henry

Thomas B Stanford

Ping Liu

Adam Franklin Gross

Robert W Cumberland

Nilesh D Mankame

Gary Lee Jones

Kevin W Kirby

Bob Ross Powell

David Kisailus

Pablo D Zavattieri

Michael Nolan

Norman K Bucknor

Christopher Stephen Roper

Tobias A Schaedler

John C Ulicny

Bahram Khalighi

John Huntley Belk

William R Rodgers

Charles W Wampler, Ii

Hans W Bruesselbach

Elena M Sherman

Jan Henning Aase

Mark A Golden

James Ping Huang

Louis G Hector, Jr

Andrew Mark Mance

Ketao Liu

Edward D Moss

John Anthony Cafeo

Robert E Doty

Russell Mistretta Abbott

Harlan W Charles

Bruce Lee Drolen

James Y Khoury

Tadge J Juechter

Thomas H Froling

Jeffrey M Pleune

David A Okonski

Constantinos A Koromilas

Lawrence E Peruski

David J Nakamura

Kevin J Rooney

Artie J Martin

Brian R Foy

Franz K Schenkel

A method of forming a three-dimensional (3D) composite structure includes: securing a mask between a collimated light source and a volume of a photo-monomer; directing a collimated light beam from the collimated light source to the mask for a period of exposure time such that a portion of the collimated light beam passes through the mask and is guided by a plurality of apertures into the photo-monomer to form a plurality of waveguides through a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer; removing any uncured photo-monomer to leave behind a three-dimensional ordered open-cellular microstructure to define an open volume and a structure of a first continuous material of the three-dimensional composite material; and placing a second continuous material in the open volume, wherein the second continuous material and the first continuous material share an interface between each other, and wherein the interface is everywhere continuous.

Composite structures with ordered three-dimensional (3D) continuous interpenetrating phases

Various implementations and embodiments relate to three-dimensional open cellular diamond micro-truss structures and methods.

Three-dimensional ordered diamond cellular structures and method of making the same

A device for selectively controlling and varying a frictional force level at an interface between two bodies, includes a first contact body having at least one surface, a second contact body having at least one surface in physical communication with the first contact body, and an active material in operative communication with a selected one or both of the first contact body and the second contact body, wherein the active material is configured to undergo a change in a property upon receipt of an activation signal wherein the change in a property is effective to change the frictional force level at the interface between the at least one surface of the first contact body and the at least one surface of the second contact body.

Active material based bodies for varying frictional force levels at the interface between two surfaces

A three-dimensional (3D) composite structure and a method of making the same. In one embodiment, the 3D composite structure includes a 3D ordered microstructure and a second continuous material. The 3D ordered microstructure includes first truss elements defined by first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction, second truss elements defined by second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction, and third truss elements defined by third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at nodes to form a first continuous material with the three-dimensional ordered microstructure. In addition, the second continuous material has different physical properties than the first continuous material and shares an interface with the three-dimensional ordered microstructure, and wherein the interface is everywhere continuous.

Active seal assemblies employing active materials that can be controlled and remotely changed to alter the seal effectiveness, wherein the active seal assemblies actively change modulus properties such as stiffness, shape orientation, and the like. In this manner, in seal applications tailored for vehicles such as in a vehicle door application, door opening and closing efforts can be minimized yet seal effectiveness can be maximized.

Active material based seal assemblies

A three-dimensional ordered open-cellular structure. In one embodiment, the structure includes: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material, and the three-dimensional structure is self-supporting.

Three-dimensional ordered open-cellular structures

Systems for detecting animate objects in a vehicle compartment include active materials based sensors for detecting the presence of an animate object in the compartment. The systems produce a response if the sensors detect the presence of an animate object in the compartment and at least one other predetermined condition exists.

Systems for detecting animate objects in a vehicle compartment

Methods for varying seal force in active seal assemblies for doors employ active materials that can be controlled and remotely changed to alter the seal effectiveness, wherein the active materials actively change modulus properties such as stiffness, or a combination of modulus and shape in response to an activation signal. In this manner, in seal applications such as a vehicle door application, door opening and closing efforts can be minimized yet seal effectiveness can be maximized.

Methods for varying seal force in active seal assemblies for doors

Mechanically interlocking releasable fastener systems include a reinforced shape memory polymer for forming one of the interlocking components. The reinforced shape memory polymer includes a filler material in the form of a fiber and/or platelet. The filler can include an electrically conductive filler, a thermally conductive filler, a dielectric fillers, and mixtures thereof. Also disclosed herein are processes for using the releasable fastener systems.

Reversible attachment mechanisms process

Methods for improving adhesion between a shape memory alloy and a polymeric material include functionalizing a surface of the shape memory polymer with a phosphorous containing compound or an organosilane coupling agent. Other methods include surface texturing the shape memory alloy surface, independently or in combination with the functionalization.

Method for improving adhesion between a shape memory alloy and a polymer

In some embodiments, an actuator assembly is provided which includes actuators, having a storage material, a volume changing material comprising a metal capable of changing volume in response to species insertion and removal, an ion transport material between the storage material and the volume changing material, and electrodes connected so as to be capable of providing an actuation voltage to the plurality of actuators. The actuators are configured such that the actuator assembly provides substantially anisotropic movement. In some embodiments, the actuator assembly includes actuators arranged in a stacked configuration. In some embodiments, the volume changing material includes spaced apart elongated structures which may be recessed within the storage material.

Actuator assembly

In one embodiment, a solid state actuator is provided which includes a pair of electrodes and a solid state storage material having a plating material. A solid state ion transport material is adjacent the solid state storage material such that the solid state storage material is located between an anode of the pair of electrodes and the solid state ion transport material. The pair of electrodes are connected so as to be capable of providing an actuation voltage across the solid state storage material to provide transport of plating material cations through the solid state ion transport material between the solid state storage material and a cathode electrode of the pair of electrodes.

Solid state actuator capable of plating and plating material storage

In some embodiments, a variable stiffness structure is provided having constant stiffness material layers and variable modulus material layers arranged in alternating layers. The variable modulus material layers have a material with a changeable elastic modulus in response to an applied energy field so as to allow reversible coupling and decoupling of stress transfer between successive layers of the constant stiffness material layers to provide a change in a bending stiffness of the variable stiffness structure. The constant stiffness material layers may include segmented portions. The constant stiffness material layers may have segmented portions arranged such that successive layers of the plurality of constant stiffness material layers have overlapping segmented portions. The variable modulus material layers may have shaped structures, for example, corrugation, pillars, striations, tubular, or honeycomb configurations.

Variable stiffness structure

An airflow control device comprises a body and an active material in operative communication with the body. The active material, such as shape memory material, is operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The active material can change its shape, dimensions and/or stiffness producing a change in at least one feature of the airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and/or stiffness to control vehicle airflow to better suit changes in driving conditions such as weather, ground clearance and speed, while reducing maintenance and the level of failure modes. As such, the device reduces vehicle damage due to inadequate ground clearance, while increasing vehicle stability and fuel economy. An activation device, controller and sensors may be employed to further control the change in at least one feature of the airflow control device such as shape, dimension, location, orientation, and/or stiffness of the device. A method for controlling vehicle airflow selectively introduces an activation signal to initiate a change of at least one feature of the device that can be reversed upon discontinuation of the activation signal.

Airflow control devices based on active materials

Active seal assemblies employing active materials that can be controlled and remotely changed to alter the seal effectiveness, wherein the active seal assemblies actively change modulus properties such as stiffness, shape orientation, and the like. In this manner, in seal applications such as a vehicle door application, door opening and closing efforts can be minimized yet seal effectiveness can be maximized.

Discrete active seal assemblies

Growing community of inventors

Malibu, CA, United States of America

William B Barvosa-Carter