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US 8,540,297 B2Granted
Manipulating center console components utilizing active material actuation
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsAlan L. Browne, Matthew Edward Gedris, Nancy L. Johnson, Paul W. Alexander, John Thomas Goscicki, James Holbrook Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A center console comprising a manipulable structural component, such as a pivotal lid, sliding armrest, tambour door, or pivotal cup holder, and at least one active material actuator including an active material element operable to undergo a reversible change, drivenly coupled to the component, and configured to autonomously cause and/or enable the component to be manipulated as a result of the change.
Claims7
A manipulable center console adapted for use in a vehicle, said console comprising:
- a manipulable structural center console component;
- a one-way shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuator operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to or occluded from an activation signal, so as to be activated and deactivated respectively, and operatively coupled to the component;
- a spring-biased pawl intermediately coupled to the component and the one-way SMA wire actuator;
- and
- a catch defined in a compartment coupled to the component, the catch to lockingly engage the spring-biased pawl when the component is in a closed condition;
- wherein when the one-way SMA wire actuator is activated, the one-way SMA wire actuator disengages the spring-biased pawl from the catch to manipulate the component into an open condition.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.