| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090008844 | Variable Resistance Strut Assemblies and Articles Containing the Same - Disclosed herein is a strut assembly | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090020188 | Active material apparatus with activating thermoelectric device thereon and method of fabrication - An active material assembly is provided having a thermally-activated active material apparatus with an elongated, non-planar shape and a thermoelectric device in thermal contact therewith. The thermoelectric device is characterized by a thermal differential when current flows through the device to activate the thermally-activated active material apparatus, thereby altering at least one dimension thereof. Multiple discrete thermoelectric devices may be in thermal contact with the active material apparatus and electrically in parallel with one another. The active material apparatus, which may be multiple active material components, each with one of the thermoelectric devices thereon, may be encased within a flexible electronic-insulating material to form an articulated active material assembly that can achieve different geometric shapes by separately activating one or more of the different thermoelectric devices. A method of fabricating an articulated active material assembly is also provided. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090032353 | Apparatus with active material surface in contact with pheological fluid and method of enhancing performance thereof - An apparatus is provided having an active material forming a surface thereof in contact with a rheological fluid. The active material is controllable to vary a surface geometry thereof between a rough or nonsmooth surface geometry to increase drag, and achieve an increase in stress transmitted through the fluid, when a field is applied, while allowing a smooth surface geometry and an associated reduction in stress transmitted through the fluid when the field is removed. A method of enhancing performance of an apparatus that includes a rdeological fluid is also provided. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090058130 | Active material based concealment devices for seams - A device for concealing a seam between a first surface and a second surface includes a moveable body fixedly attached to a selected one of the first surface and the second surface, wherein the moveable body is configured to transition between a first position and a second position to conceal and expose the seam, and an active material in operative communication with the moveable body, wherein the active material is configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to transition the moveable body from the first position to the second position. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090058132 | Active material based concealment assemblies - A concealment assembly includes a component, a member configured to have a first form and a second form, wherein the first form is configured to conceal the component and the second form is configured to expose the component, thereby making the component accessible for use, appearance, or function, and an active material in operable communication with the member, wherein the active material is configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in at least one property is effective to transition the member from the first form to the second form. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090061188 | Active Material Based Seam Concealment Devices and Methods of Use Thereof - A device for concealing a seam between a first surface and a second surface, the device includes a seam concealment body fixedly attached to a selected one or both of the first surface and the second surface, wherein the seam concealment body comprises an active material, wherein the active material is configured to transition between a first stiffness and a second stiffness upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the transition permits movement of a selected one or both of the first surface and the second surface such that the seam concealment body deforms with the movement of the surface to maintain concealment of the seam. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090084646 | BI-FOLD VALVE-TYPE MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUID ENERGY ABSORBING DEVICE - An energy absorbing device is provided that includes a damper assembly having inner and outer concentric tubes and a piston movable within the inner tube. The damper assembly is configured to form bi-fold valve-type cavities to operatively connect an inner chamber of the inner tube with an outer chamber formed between the inner and outer tubes. A magnetorheological fluid fills the chambers and the bi-fold valve-type cavities. The magnetorheological fluid preferably contains coated magnetic particles at about 10 to 60 percent by volume. Electrical coils adjacent the bi-fold valves are selectively energizable to such that the energy absorbing device provides a tunable damping force, preferably over the entire range of velocities of the piston, especially in automotive applications. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090260931 | FILLER MATERIAL TO DAMPEN VIBRATING COMPONENTS - A component that carries a filler material. The filler material can convert from a solid state and into a molten state when the filler material is heated. Relative movement between the component and the filler material helps dampen vibrations and other oscillations in the component if and when the component is vibrated or otherwise oscillated. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090260932 | CHAMBER WITH FILLER MATERIAL TO DAMPEN VIBRATING COMPONENTS - A component defines at least one chamber that is confined by the component. The chamber has an inner surface. A filler material is disposed inside the chamber. Relative movement between the inner surface and the filler material helps dampen vibrations and other oscillations if and when the component is vibrated. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090260939 | INSERT WITH FILLER TO DAMPEN VIBRATING COMPONENTS - An insert has a body which defines a cavity with a filler held in the cavity. Relative movement between the body and the filler helps dampen vibrations in a component when the insert is carried in the component and when the component is vibrated. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20100077848 | TIRE AND METHOD OF SELECTIVELY ALTERING OR CONTROLLING PROPERTIES OR CHARACTERISTICS THEREOF UNDER VARYING CONDITIONS - One exemplary embodiment includes a method comprising providing a tire having a component constructed and arranged to cause at least one portion of the tire to have a first stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a first condition and a second stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a second condition and selectively causing the first or second condition to occur. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100102266 | IRON POWDER PHOSPHONATE COATING - A fluid includes a liquid medium having iron particles mixed therein. An organic phosphonate based coating is established on the iron particles. The organic phosphonate based coating does not substantially include phosphonic acid groups at an outer surface thereof, and increases oxidation resistance of the iron particles. A method of making such a liquid medium is also disclosed herein. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100190011 | REMOTE ACTIVATION OF THERMO-REVERSIBLE DRY ADHESIVES - A thermo-reversible dry adhesive, having shape memory polymer characteristics, introduces one or more particles of micro- or nano-particles to at least one layer of the at least one layer of shape memory polymer. These particles may be remotely activated to induct heat sufficient to transform the dry adhesive material from its temporary shape to its permanent shape in the absence of load, which allows the dry adhesive to be reversibly coupled to one or more substrates, wherein the degree of adhesion is greater when the dry adhesive is in the temporary shape than in the permanent shape. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100224820 | MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL COMPOSITIONS INCLUDING NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL - A magnetorheological composition includes a mixture of a carrier medium and a particle component disposed in the carrier medium. The particle component includes a magnetic material and a nonmagnetic material. The nonmagnetic material is present in the particle component in an amount of from about 5 to about 95 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the particle component. The particle component is present in the magnetorheological composition in an amount of from about 20 to about 80 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the magnetorheological composition. The magnetorheological composition has an on-state yield stress at magnetic saturation of from about 0.1 to about 100 kPa. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100236881 | VARIABLE RESISTANCE STRUT ASSEMBLIES AND ARTICLES CONTAINING THE SAME - Disclosed herein is a strut assembly that comprises a piston that is in slideable communication with a housing. The piston comprises a piston head having a channel in operative communication with a fluid that is disposed in the housing. An elastic member and an active element are disposed in the channel. The active element is in operative communication with the elastic member and is operative to change the shape of the elastic member. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100282823 | MAGNETIC PARTICLE CONTAINING MATERIAL FOR FASTENING TOGETHER PARTS OR SUBSTRATES - In one exemplary embodiment, a high melting temperature fastening material may be prepared containing magnetic particles that is used to fasten two or more parts substrates together to form an integrated part. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20110121223 | MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME - One embodiment includes a magnetorheological fluid having an on-state yield stress when a magnetic field is applied thereto and comprising a carrier fluid and magnetizable particles suspended in the carrier fluid, and wherein the suspension of the magnetizable particles in the carrier fluid remains essentially homogenous indefinitely in the absence of the magnetic field, and wherein the on-state yield stress of the magnetorheological fluid is greater than or equal to that of poly(alpha)olefin fluid containing the same concentration of magnetizable particles, and wherein the off-state viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid is between about 0.4 and about 12 Pascal-seconds at 40° C. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110121607 | METHOD OF USING AN ACTIVE MATERIAL BASED CONCEALMENT ASSEMBLY - A method of concealing a component is disclosed. The method includes positioning a member in operable communication with the component, wherein the member is configured to have a first form and a second form, wherein the first form is configured to conceal the component and the second form is configured to expose the component. The method also includes activating an active material in operative communication with the member, wherein the active material is configured to undergo a change in at least one property upon receipt of an activation signal, wherein the change in a property is effective to transition the member from the first form to the second form. | 05-26-2011 |
