Active air vent utilizing smart material actuation

An active air intake adapted for use with an internal combustion engine, said intake comprising:

• a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with an ambient environment and the engine;
• at least one covering member translatable, so as to be caused to move between opened and closed conditions, relative to the opening, wherein the member covers at least a portion of the opening in the closed condition, and does not obstruct the portion, so as to allow an increase in fluid flow between the environment and the engine in the opened condition;
• at least one actuator drivenly coupled to the member, and including an active material element operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to an activation signal, said actuator being configured such that the change is operable to cause or enable the member to move to one of the opened and closed conditions;
• and
• a latching mechanism coupled to and configured to selectively engage the member, so as to retain the member in said one of the opened and closed conditions when the change is reversed;
• wherein the latching mechanism includes a biasing spring configured to cause the mechanism to engage the member, and a second active material element presenting as activation force greater than the spring modulus of the spring, so as to be operable to cause the mechanism to disengage and release the member, when the mechanism is engaged with the member and the second element is activated.

An active air intake adapted for use with an internal combustion engine, said intake comprising:

• a housing defining an opening in fluid communication with an ambient environment and the engine;
• at least one covering member translatable, so as to be caused to move between opened and closed conditions, relative to the opening, wherein the member covers at least a portion of the opening in the closed condition, and does not obstruct the portion, so as to allow an increase in fluid flow between the environment and the engine in the opened condition;
• at least one actuator drivenly coupled to the member, and including an active material element operable to undergo a reversible change in fundamental property when exposed to an activation signal, said actuator being configured such that the change is operable to cause or enable the member to move to one of the opened and closed conditions;
• and
• a load limit protector coupled to and configured to present a secondary output path for the element, when the element is exposed to the signal and the member is prevented from motion to said one of the open and closed conditions.