US 12,403,836 B2
Storage compartment assemblies having artificial muscles and methods of operating storage compartment assemblies
Michael P. Rowe, Pinckney, MI (US)
Assigned to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Pl.ano, TX (US)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/685,927.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/253,361, filed on Oct. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0115462 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 7/04 (2006.01); B60P 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 7/04 (2013.01) [B60P 7/065 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage compartment assembly comprising:
a storage compartment comprising at least one inside surface and defining an opening for receiving an object;
a proximity sensor configured to detect an object within the storage compartment;
one or more artificial muscles disposed within the storage compartment along the inside surface, each artificial muscle comprising:
a housing comprising an electrode region and an expandable fluid region;
a dielectric fluid housed within the housing; and
an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing, the electrode pair comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the electrode pair configured to actuate between a non-actuated position and an actuated position such that actuation from the non-actuated position to the actuated position directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region to expand the expandable fluid region into the storage compartment; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the proximity sensor and configured to, in response to receiving a signal from the proximity sensor indicative of the object being within the storage compartment, actuating the one or more artificial muscles to the actuated position.