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. 08, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2013
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Bernd Brinkmann, Dormagen, DE;
Harald Kaufeld, Pulheim, DE;
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A fluid-carrying conduit achieves variable resistance to flow. An elongate, hollow body casing has at least one chamber containing either a dilatant fluid or an electroactive polymer. In the case of the dilatant fluid, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line. In the case of the electroactive polymer, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an electric current being applied to the body casing. The conduit may be configured for use as a degassing line in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine. The conduit may have a reinforcement encircling the electroactive polymer. The conduit may have an electrically conductive connecting surface adjacent to the electroactive polymer. The electroactive polymer may be an ionic electroactive polymer.