Patent ID: 7182191
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: B60N,B60P,B60R,F15B,F16F

Abstract:
1. A dampened actuator, comprising: a first wall having a first end; at least two first stages, each first stage being flexibly attached to at least one adjacent first stage, one of the first stages being flexibly attached to the first end of the first wall, wherein the first wall and first stages are of successively smaller size and wherein the first wall and first stages define an interior chamber; a fluid generator in fluid communication with the interior chamber, wherein upon deployment of the fluid generator, at least one of the first stages expands such that at least one of the first stages is accelerated; a second wall having a first end; at least two second stages, each second stage being flexibly attached to at least one adjacent second stage, one of the second stages being flexibly attached to the first end of the second wall, wherein the second wall and second stages are of a successively smaller size, wherein the acceleration of the at least one of the first stages causes the inertial movement of the second wall and subsequently at least one of the second stages deploys to decelerate the inertial movement of the second wall, thereby controlling the direction and velocity of the dampened actuator.