US 12,247,434 B2
Shear thickening fluid based door control method and mechanism
John Edward Buchalo, South Barrington, IL (US); Mario F. DeRango, Cary, IL (US); Gary W. Grube, Barrington Hills, IL (US); Jason K. Resch, Warwick, RI (US); Terence Michael Lydon, Westmont, IL (US); Timothy John Boundy, Deer Park, IL (US); Darren Michael Boundy, Long Grove, IL (US); Eric McHugh, Naperville, IL (US); Richard Michael Lang, Howey In The Hills, FL (US); Richard A. Herbst, Clarendon Hills, IL (US); Steven Michael Barger, Bartlett, IL (US); Kurt Estes, Lake Zurich, IL (US); Evan Anderson, Naples, FL (US); Susan Tomilo, New Buffalo, MI (US); Wilfredo Gonzalez, Jr., Plainfield, IL (US); David Schuda, Wheaton, IL (US); George L. Wilson, IV, Kalamazoo, MI (US); and Daniel J. Gardner, Wayne, IL (US)
Assigned to Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed by Moshun, LLC, Oak Brook, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/134,425.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/335,123, filed on Apr. 26, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0340823 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E05F 5/10 (2006.01); E05F 5/02 (2006.01); E05F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC E05F 5/10 (2013.01) [E05F 5/02 (2013.01); E05F 7/00 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/212 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/256 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/264 (2013.01); E05Y 2400/20 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A head unit system for controlling motion of a door, comprising:
a rotary-motion-to-linear-motion conversion device, wherein the rotary-motion-to-linear-motion conversion device is configured to convert rotary motion of a camshaft to linear motion of a piston of a head unit device of the head unit system;
an electric motor coupled to the camshaft, wherein the electric motor is configured to provide one or more of propulsion of the camshaft in a rotary fashion, position control of the camshaft, and energy harvested from the rotary motion of the camshaft when propelled by another entity;
a door hinge coupled to the camshaft and to the door, wherein the door hinge is configured to provide the rotary motion of the camshaft when propelled by the door; and
the head unit device, wherein the head unit device includes:
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,
a chamber, the chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF, wherein the chamber includes a front channel and a back channel,
the piston housed at least partially radially within the chamber and separating the back channel and the front channel, the piston configured to exert pressure against the shear thickening fluid in response to movement of the piston from a force applied to the piston,
wherein the movement of the piston includes one of traveling through the chamber in an inward direction or traveling through the chamber in an outward direction, wherein the piston travels toward the back channel and away from the front channel when traveling in the inward direction, wherein the piston travels toward the front channel and away from the back channel when traveling in the outward direction, wherein the piston includes:
a first piston bypass between opposite sides of the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sides of the piston from the back channel to the front channel when the piston is traveling through the chamber in the inward direction to cause the STF to react with a first shear threshold effect, and
a second piston bypass between the opposite sides of the piston that controls flow of the STF between the opposite sides of the piston from the front channel to the back channel when the piston is traveling through the chamber in the outward direction to cause the STF to react with a second shear threshold effect, and
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 at least one of the STF, the first piston bypass, the electric motor, and the second piston bypass to control the motion of the piston.