The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 11, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 01, 2004
William Barvosa-carter, Ventura, CA (US);
Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US);
Alan L. Browne, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Guillermo A. Herrera, Winnetka, CA (US);
Geoffrey P. MC Knight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Cameron Massey, Hawthorne, CA (US);
William Barvosa-Carter, Ventura, CA (US);
Nancy L. Johnson, Northville, MI (US);
Alan L. Browne, Grosse Pointe, MI (US);
Guillermo A. Herrera, Winnetka, CA (US);
Geoffrey P. Mc Knight, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Cameron Massey, Hawthorne, CA (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A reversible energy absorbing assembly including a shape memory foam disposed within an interior region, wherein the shape memory foam is adapted to expand to an expanded configuration in response to fluid communication with a fluid source. The shape memory foam is a material selected from the group consisting of shape memory alloys and shape memory polymers. Once expanded, the assembly effectively absorbs kinetic energy of an object upon impact with the assembly. The shape memory foam can be thermally activated to restore the original configuration of the energy absorbing assembly. Methods of operating the energy absorbing assembly are also disclosed.