US 11,835,109 B2
Shear thickening fluid based object control method and mechanism
Timothy John Boundy, Deer Park, IL (US); Steven Michael Barger, Bartlett, IL (US); Terence Michael Lydon, Westmont, IL (US); Richard Michael Lang, Howey In The Hills, FL (US); Wilfredo Gonzalez, Jr., Plainfield, IL (US); Darren Michael Boundy, Long Grove, IL (US); Eric McHugh, Naperville, IL (US); David Schuda, Wheaton, IL (US); George L. Wilson, IV, Kalamazoo, MI (US); Gary W. Grube, Barrington Hills, IL (US); Jason K. Resch, Warwick, RI (US); Mario F. DeRango, Cary, IL (US); John Edward Buchalo, South Barrington, IL (US); Richard A. Herbst, Clarendon Hills, IL (US); Kurt Estes, Lake Zurich, IL (US); and Evan Anderson, Naples, FL (US)
Assigned to Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed by Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed on Dec. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/564,548.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/273,230, filed on Oct. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0137799 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. F16F 9/53 (2006.01); F16F 9/30 (2006.01); F16F 9/516 (2006.01); F16F 9/19 (2006.01); F16F 9/32 (2006.01)
CPC F16F 9/53 (2013.01) [F16F 9/19 (2013.01); F16F 9/30 (2013.01); F16F 9/3292 (2013.01); F16F 9/516 (2013.01); F16F 2222/12 (2013.01); F16F 2224/04 (2013.01); F16F 2224/041 (2013.01); F16F 2228/066 (2013.01); F16F 2230/08 (2013.01); F16F 2232/08 (2013.01); F16F 2236/103 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A head unit system for controlling motion of an object, comprising:
a secondary object sensor, wherein a secondary object is associated with the object; and
a head unit device, wherein the head unit device includes:
a shear thickening fluid (STF), wherein the STF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a second range of shear rates, wherein the second range of shear rates are greater than the first range of shear rates;
an alternative shear thickening fluid (ASTF), wherein the ASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to a third range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to a fourth range of shear rates, wherein the fourth range of shear rates are greater than the third range of shear rates;
a chamber, the chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF and a portion of the ASTF, wherein the chamber includes a piston compartment and an alternative reservoir;
a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, wherein the reservoir injector couples the piston compartment and the alternative reservoir controlling flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment;
a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment of the chamber, the piston configured to exert pressure against one or more of the STF and the ASTF in response to movement of the piston from a force applied to the piston from the object, wherein the movement of the piston includes one of traveling through the piston compartment of the chamber in an inward direction or traveling through the piston compartment of the chamber in an outward direction, wherein the piston travels toward the alternative reservoir and away from a front channel of the piston compartment when traveling in the inward direction, wherein the piston travels toward the front channel and away from the alternative reservoir when traveling in the outward direction;
a set of fluid flow sensors positioned proximal to the chamber, wherein the set of fluid flow sensors provide a fluid response from the STF; and
a set of fluid manipulation emitters positioned proximal to the chamber, wherein the set of fluid manipulation emitters provide a fluid activation to the one or more of the STF and the ASTF such that one of the first range of shear rates, the second range of shear rates, a modified first range of shear rates, or a modified second range of shear rates is selected for the one or more of STF and the ASTF within the piston compartment, wherein the fluid activation further includes controlling the reservoir injector, wherein a mixture of the STF and the ASTF is configured to have a decreasing viscosity in response to the modified first range of shear rates and an increasing viscosity in response to the modified second range of shear rates, wherein the modified second range of shear rates are greater than the modified first range of shear rates.