Fender bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399490-B2
Application number	US-201414445719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A fender bracket includes a composite structure having a first flange to operatively connect to a fender, a second flange to operatively connect to a vehicle body structure, and a web connecting the first flange and the second flange. At least one actuator is positioned in at least a portion of the web. The at least one actuator is selected from a piezoelectric actuator, an active material actuator, and a pyrotechnic actuator. The at least one actuator is to cause a fracture or buckling of the web in response to an activation signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fender bracket, comprising:
a composite structure having a first flange to operatively connect to a fender, a second flange to operatively connect to a vehicle body structure, and a web connecting the first flange and the second flange; and
at least one actuator positioned in at least a portion of the web, the at least one actuator being selected from a piezoelectric actuator, an active material actuator, and a pyrotechnic actuator, and the at least one actuator to cause a fracture or buckling of the web in response to an activation signal, wherein the at least one actuator is positioned within a hard zone of the web, and wherein the hard zone has a highest hardness or strength value as compared to an other portion of the web.

2. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the composite structure is selected from the group consisting of a fiber reinforced composite, a non-reinforced thermoplastic, and a reaction injection molded composite.

3. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator extends an entire length of the composite structure.

4. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator includes a plurality of the actuators, each actuator positioned at a respective spaced location in the at least a portion of the web.

5. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the fracture or buckling of the web in response to the activation signal causes the fender bracket to provide a reduced amount of support to the fender in a predetermined location on the fender after the fracture or buckling of the web.

6. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to receiving the activation signal the web has a thickness of about 2.5 mm, and wherein after receiving the activation signal the web has a thickness ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 2.0 mm.

7. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one actuator is capable of completing the fracture or initiating buckling in the web in less than 30 milliseconds from a start of receiving the activation signal.

8. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the active material in the active material actuator is a shape memory alloy (SMA), a shape memory ceramic, or a shape memory polymer (SMP).

9. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a shaped charge.

10. The fender bracket as defined in claim 1 wherein the pyrotechnic actuator includes a detonation cord.

11. A method for making a fender bracket, comprising co-molding a pyrotechnic actuator into a composite structure that forms a web of the fender bracket, the web connecting a first flange that is to operatively connect to a fender and a second flange that is to operatively connect to a vehicle body structure, wherein the pyrotechnic actuator is positioned within a hard zone of the web, and wherein the hard zone has a highest hardness or strength value as compared to an other portion of the web.

12. A method for softening a fender bracket of a vehicle, comprising:
via an in-vehicle sensor, detecting an impact with the vehicle; and
in response to the detecting, transmitting an activation signal to a target actuator positioned in at least a portion of a web of a composite structure of the fender bracket, the web connecting a first and second flange of the composite structure
wherein:
the target actuator is a piezoelectric actuator, an active material actuator, or a pyrotechnic actuator;
the target actuator is positioned within a hard zone of the web;
the hard zone has a highest hardness or strength value as compared to an other portion of the web; and
the first flange is connected to a fender of the vehicle and the second flange is connected to a body structure of the vehicle, thereby causing the target actuator to cause a fracture or buckling of the web of the fender bracket in response to the activation signal.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 , further comprising:
between the detecting and the transmitting, in response to the detecting, selecting a position along the bracket for a localized softening of support renderable to the fender by the fender bracket; and
selecting the target actuator from a plurality of actuators, each actuator of the plurality of actuators positioned at respective spaced locations, based on a location of the target actuator corresponding to the selected position.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Aitharaju Venkat
• Kia Hamid G

Classifications

• B29L2031/30

  Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof {(vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027)} · CPC title

• B29C70/72

  Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components {(B29C70/742 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B62D25/163 Primary

  Mounting devices · CPC title

• B29K2995/0003

  having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric · CPC title