Rate-responsive, stretchable devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303717-B2
Application number	US-201313927985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Rate-dependent, elastically-deformable devices according to various embodiments can be stretched and recovered at low elongation rates. Yet they become stiff and resistive to stretching at high elongation rates. In one embodiment, a rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device includes an elastically-deformable confinement member; one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member; and a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member. The resistance force to extension of the device is designed to increase as the extension rate of the device increases. At low elongation rates the filaments can readily slide past each other. At high elongation rates, the fluid transforms to a less flowable material that greatly increases the force and energy required for elongation; or transforms to a non-flowable material that resists elongation. The devices thus can be stretched and recovered at low elongation rates, but become extremely stiff and resistive to stretching at high elongation rates.

First claim

We claim:

1. A rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device comprising:
an elastically-deformable confinement member;
one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member;
a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member; and
one or more barbed plugs inserted into the ends of the elastically-deformable confinement member to contain the fluid and which are mechanically attached to at least one end of one filament,
wherein the resistance force to extension of the device increases as the extension rate of the device increases.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastically-deformable confinement member is formed of rubber, silicone, elastomer, fluoroelastomer, urethane, natural latex, synthetic latex, polymer, or thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastically-deformable confinement member comprises a stretchable tube.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastically-deformable confinement member comprises spiral wound material or folded material in order to facilitate elastic deformation.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastically-deformable confinement member comprises material or one or more layers or additives to prevent puncturing by the enclosed filaments.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is contained inside the elastically-deformable confinement member by crimps, plugs, melted ends, heat-crimped ends, glue and/or adhesives.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein ends of the elastically-deformable confinement member comprise an end effector for attaching to an object external to the device.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the end effector comprises: a crimp, clamp, spring clip, threaded fastener, snap-on fastener, glue and/or adhesive.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more filaments are monofilament or multifilament, twisted, untwisted or braided.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more filaments are flat, flexible elements.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more filaments include a helical shape; a wavy shape; a square shape; a triangular shape; a sawtooth shape; or a sinusoidal shape; and/or at least one crimp, barb, bump, or ridge, to further encourage interaction during shear.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ends of the one or more filaments are modified to inhibit puncturing through the confinement member.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the filament end modifications include rigid, smooth balls; compression sleeves; soft coatings; filament loops; low-friction coatings; and guide bushings or washers.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one end of the one or more filaments is attached to the confinement member.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a non-Newtonian fluid.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is a shear thickening fluid (STF).

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the fluid comprises a suspension including solid particles in a liquid.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the particles are composed of polymers, ceramics, metals, silica, alumina, titania, clay, or calcium carbonate.

19. The device of claim 17 , wherein the liquid comprises water, an oil, a polymeric liquid, a glycol, a fluorofluid, or glycerin.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a Newtonian fluid.

21. An apparatus comprising: one or more of rate-dependent, elastically-deformable devices of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of rate-dependent, elastically-deformable devices mechanically couple the head and shoulders of an individual wearing the apparatus.

22. A rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device comprising:
an elastically-deformable confinement member;
one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member; and
a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member, wherein the fluid comprises an electrorheological fluid, and the device is configured to provide an electric field to the fluid,
wherein the resistance force to extension of the device increases as the extension rate of the device increases.

23. A rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device comprising:
an elastically-deformable confinement member;
one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member; and
a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member, wherein the fluid comprises a magnetorheological fluid, and the device is configured to provide a magnetic field to the fluid,
wherein the resistance force to extension of the device increases as the extension rate of the device increases.

24. A rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device comprising:
an elastically-deformable confinement member;
one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member, wherein the one or more filaments are unattached to the confinement member; and
a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member,
wherein the resistance force to extension of the device increases as the extension rate of the device increases.

25. A rate-dependent, elastically-deformable device comprising:
an elastically-deformable confinement member;
one or more filaments placed inside the elastically-deformable confinement member; and
a fluid that substantially fills the remaining volume inside the elastically-deformable confinement member, wherein the fluid comprises a non-Newtonian, shear thickening fluid (STF) comprising a suspension including solid particles in a liquid, wherein the solid particles are non-spherical,
wherein the resistance force to extension of the device increases as the extension rate of the device increases.

Assignees

• Us Army Res Lab
• Us Army

Inventors

• Wetzel Eric D
• Nenno Paul T

Classifications

• A61F5/0123 Primary

  for the knees (A61F5/0106 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16F13/08

  the plastics spring forming at least a part of the wall of the fluid chamber of the damper (F16F13/20 - F16F13/24 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F13/002 Primary

  comprising at least one fluid spring (F16F13/005, F16F13/02, F16F13/04 take precedence) · CPC title