On demand morphable automotive body moldings and surfaces
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAlan L. Browne, Nancy L. Johnson, Ivan G. Sears
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A morphable vehicle member utilizing at least one active material to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The change in at least one attribute is a change in a shape dimension, a shape orientation, an expansion, a contraction, a morphing, a yield strength property, a flexural modulus or a combination. Preferably, the change in at least one attribute in the morphable vehicle member is reversible. Also disclosed herein are methods for the morphable vehicle member utilizing at least one active material to change at least one attribute on demand in response to an activation signal.
Claims7
A morphable vehicle member, comprising:
- a non-active material based portion coupled to an active material based portion, wherein the active material based portion comprises an active material adapted to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein the change in the at least one attribute changes a modulus property, a shape orientation, or a combination of the modulus property change and the shape orientation change to the active material based portion;
- an activation device in operative communication with the active material adapted to provide the activation signal;
- and
- a controller in operative communication with the activation device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.