Self-regulating vents for vehicles
AssigneeNissan North America, Inc.
InventorsNanzhu Zhao, Nilesh Dale, Takafumi Fukumoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle is disclosed that includes a hood defining at least one opening, and a vent that is positioned within the at least one opening. The vent is reconfigurable between a closed configuration, in which the vent substantially (if not entirely) prevents air flow through the at least one opening in the hood, and at least one open configuration, in which the vent allows air flow through the at least one opening in the hood. The vent includes an integrated shape memory material such that, upon actuation, the shape memory material deforms to thereby reconfigure the vent.
Claims19
A vehicle, comprising:
- a hood defining at least one opening;
- and
- a vent positioned within the at least one opening, the vent including at least one movable vane such that the vent is reconfigurable between a closed configuration, in which the at least one vane substantially prevents air flow through the at least one opening in the hood, and at least one open configuration, in which the at least one vane allows air flow through the at least one opening in the hood, the vent including a shape memory material integrated into the at least one vane such that, upon actuation, the shape memory material deforms to thereby move the at least one vane and reconfigure the vent.
A vent configured for connection to a hood of a vehicle, the vent comprising:
- a body;
- at least one vane movable in relation to the body such that the vent is reconfigurable between a first configuration, in which the vent substantially prevents air flow therethrough, and a second configuration, in which the vent allows air flow therethrough;
- and
- a thermal bridge extending from the body, the thermal bridge being configured to transfer heat from a heat source in the vehicle to the at least one vane.
A method of varying airflow through an opening in a hood of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- reconfiguring a vent positioned within the opening in the hood via thermal activation of a shape memory material integrated into at least one vane of the vent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.