Active lashing materials and eyelets
View Patent ↗A securing assembly adapted for promoting a more secure relationship through active material actuation, facilitating lashing, attenuating tension, reducing slack, and/or facilitating unlashing, include selectively or passively modified lashing material and/or eyelets comprising active material elements.
1. A securing assembly comprising:
a lashing material including:
a non-active member having a constant lashing diameter;
an active material element drivenly coupled and longitudinally connected to the non-active member, the active material element having a normal diameter greater than the lashing diameter and an activated diameter less than the normal diameter; and
a compressible core enveloped by the active material element, the compressible core being an elastomeric material, a natural rubber, or a fluid gel;
wherein the active material element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, electroactive polymers, and baroplastics; and
at least one eyelet having a fixed geometry that defines an inside diameter that precludes the active material element and the compressible core from being pulled therethrough when the active material element has the normal diameter and that enables the active material element and the compressible core to be pulled therethrough when the active material element has the activated diameter.
2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compressible core presents a bead, disk, or ring formed of a shape memory alloy configured to make a stress-induced Austentite to Martensite transformation.
3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active material element is a superelastic shape memory alloy in its Austenitic shape, and is activated by stress induced through engagement with one of said at least one eyelet.
4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active material element comprises the shape memory alloy in a normally Austenitic state.
5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lashing material presents a structure selected from the group consisting of an anchoring cable, a tie strap, a shoe lace, a cargo net, and a tether.
6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active material element is thermally activated, and the lashing material further includes a heating or cooling element thermally coupled to the active material element.
7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active material element is formed of a two-way shape memory alloy.
8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an actuation force of the active material element compresses the compressible core to enable the lashing material to be pulled through the at least one eyelet.
9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one eyelet serves as a holding mechanism that retains the lashing material in a secured relationship though the at least one eyelet when the active material element is deactivated.