Patent ID: 6786508
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising:a housing; a bladder mounted relative to said housing, said bladder having at least a portion defining a non-rigid deformable flexible wall, said bladder defining a chamber having an electrorheological or magnetorheological fluid disposed therein; and a device for creating an electrical or magnetic field about a volume of said fluid to alter the effective viscosity of said fluid when said flexible wall is moved relative to said housing, thereby altering the acceleration rate of said flexible wall relative to said housing; wherein said device alters the strength of the electrical or magnetic field based on information from a sensor selected from the group of: a sensor detecting the speed of the vehicle; a sensor detecting the weight of an occupant seated in the vehicle; a sensor and microprocessor detecting and calculating the acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle.