1. A seat assembly, comprising:
a seat fabric, wherein at least a portion of the seat fabric comprises a yarn comprising a shape memory polymer adapted to undergo a change in a modulus of elasticity at a thermal transition temperature;
a support material upon which the seat fabric is disposed; and
a controller in operative communication with the shape memory polymer, wherein the controller is operable to selectively apply a thermal activation signal to the shape memory polymer to effect a change in the modulus of elasticity of the shape memory polymer, wherein the change in the modulus of elasticity of the shape memory polymer results in a change in a stiffness andor flexibility of the seat fabric.
2. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the change in the stiffness andor flexibility of the seat fabric results in a change in a shape of the seat assembly.
3. The seat assembly of claim 2, wherein the change in the shape of the seat assembly is reversible.
4. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the change in the stiffness andor flexibility of the seat fabric results in a change in a compliance of the seat assembly.
5. The seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the change in the compliance of the seat assembly is reversible.
6. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the yarn comprises a strand, strip, ribbon, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, of the shape memory polymer.
7. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least the portion of the seat fabric comprises a plurality yarns, wherein each of the plurality of yarns comprises a shape memory polymer, wherein each shape memory polymers is adapted to undergo a change in a modulus of elasticity at a thermal transition temperature.
8. The seat assembly of claim 7, wherein each shape memory polymer of each of the plurality of yarns has a different thermal transition temperature.
9. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat assembly is used in a motor vehicle.
10. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the support material comprises a shape memory polymer adapted to undergo a change in a modulus of elasticity at the thermal transition temperature.
11. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein the shape memory polymer of the support material may be a solid, foam, non-foam solid comprising a cavity or hole, a lattice structure, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
12. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein the shape memory polymer of the support material is in operative communication with the controller.
13. The seat assembly of claim 10, wherein thermodynamic heat transfer from the seat fabric to the shape memory polymer of the support material results in the change in the modulus of elasticity of the shape memory polymer of the support material.
14. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat fabric is covered by a layer of leather, vinyl, other fabric, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
15. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat assembly comprises a seat back seat bottom, seat headrest, seat armrest, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.
16. The seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat assembly is a motor vehicle seat assembly.
17. A method, comprising:
contacting a seat user with a seat fabric of a seat assembly, wherein at least a portion of the seat fabric is woven from a yarn comprising a shape memory polymer;
heating the shape memory polymer of the yarn to a thermal transition temperature effective to undergo a change in a modulus of elasticity at the thermal transition temperature, wherein the change in the modulus of elasticity results in a change in the stiffness andor flexibility of the seat fabric; and
cooling the shape memory polymer of the yarn below the thermal transition temperature effective to change a shape of the seat assembly, or maintaining the shape memory polymer of the yarn at or above the thermal transition temperature effective to change a compliance of the seat assembly.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising heating a shape memory polymer of a support material to the thermal transition temperature effective to undergo a change in a modulus of elasticity of the shape memory polymer of the support material at the thermal transition temperature, wherein the change in the modulus of elasticity results in a change in the stiffness andor flexibility of the support material.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising cooling the shape memory polymer of the support material below the thermal transition temperature effective to change the shape of the seat assembly, or maintaining the shape memory polymer of the support material at or above the thermal transition temperature effective to change the compliance of the seat assembly.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the contacting the seat user with the seat fabric of the seat assembly comprises indirect contacting such that a layer of a leather, vinyl, other fabric, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, covers the seat fabric and the seat user directly contacts the layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for suppressing noise dominated by a primary tone from a noise source within a duct housing comprising:
generating an exciting sound wave dominated by a primary frequency generally within an audible range and different from a frequency of the primary tone of the noise, and
modulating the primary tone of the noise using the generated exciting sound wave to excite within the duct housing a fluid medium in which a sound wave of the noise propagates so that sound energy of the noise is re-distributed from the frequency of the primary tone to a broad range of side bands and the amplitude of the primary tone of the noise is reduced.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid medium is air.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the exciting sound wave is generated by a force of a fluid flow acting on a mechanical device.
4. A noise attenuation system for suppressing noise dominated by a primary tone from a noise source comprising:
an elongated housing surrounding the noise source, the housing having a first and second openings on opposite ends, wherein a sound wave from the noise source propagates in air outwardly towards the first and second openings,
an exciting sound wave generator associated with the generator generating an exciting sound wave dominated by primary frequency generally within an audible range and different from a frequency of the primary tone of the noise to excite the air and modulated the primary tone of the noise so that sound energy of the noise is re-distributed from the frequency of the primary tone to a broad range of side bands and the amplitude of the primary tone of the noise is reduced.
5. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the exciting sound wave generator is positioned on an inner wall of the housing.
6. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the exciting sound wave generator comprises a mechanical device excited by a force of air flow to generate the exciting sound wave.
7. A noise attenuation system for suppressing noise dominated by a primary tone from a jet engine comprising:
a nacelle surrounding the jet engine, the nacelle having an inlet and an outlet for receiving and exhausting air flow respectively, wherein a sound wave of the noise produced from the jet engine propagates outwardly towards the inlet and outlet; and
an exciting sound wave generator associated with the nacelle, generating an exciting sound wave dominated by a primary frequency generally within an audible range and different from a frequency of the primary tone of the noise to excite the air flow in the nacelle and modulate the primary tone of the noise so that sound energy of the noise is re-distributed from the frequency of the primary tone to a broad range of side bands and the amplitude of the primary tone of the noise is reduced.
8. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the exciting sound wave generator is positioned on an inner wall of the nacelle at the inlet.
9. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the exciting sound wave generator comprises a mechanical device excited by a force of air flow to generate the exciting sound wave.
10. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the mechanical device comprises a fence member exposed to the air flow entering the inlet of the nacelle.
11. A noise attenuation system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the mechanical device comprises an aperture defined in the inner wall, an air flow jetting from the aperture into the nacelle.