1. An air deflector for a vehicle comprising: an active portion comprising an elongated body of active material fixedly attached at each end to an elastic component, wherein the active material is disposed off a neutral axis of the elastic component and is operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal; and a rigid flap fixedly attached to the active portion, wherein an airflow across the air deflector changes with the change in the at least one attribute of the active material.
2. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy, an electroactive polymer, magnetorheological elastomer, piezoelectric material or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.
3. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises a plurality of strips andor wires of the active material embedded into the elastic component.
4. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the active material changes at least one attribute in response to the activation signal.
5. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the active material contracts in response to the activation signal to change a shape of the active portion from a substantially straight shape to a curvilinear shape.
6. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the activation signal comprises a thermal activation signal, a magnetic activation signal, an electrical activation signal, chemical activation signal or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing signals.
7. The air deflector of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor and a controller in operative communication with the active material.
8. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the activation signal is triggered by a predetermined speed of the vehicle, wherein the active material changes at least one attribute when a speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed, and wherein the active material returns to an original state of the at least one attribute when the speed of the vehicle is below the predetermined speed.
9. The air deflector of claim 1, further comprising a spacer component disposed between the active material and the elastic component.
10. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the elastic component comprises a linearly elastic material.
11. The air deflector of claim 1, wherein the active portion further comprises a second elastic component disposed on the active material and a spacer layer intermediate the active material and the elastic component, wherein the spacer layer is slidably engaged with the elastic component and the active material.
12. A vehicle airflow control system comprising: a stationary surface of a vehicle; an air deflector fixedly attached to the stationary surface, the air deflector comprising an active portion coupled to a rigid portion, wherein a free end of the active portion is fixedly attached to the stationary surface, the active portion comprising an active material fixedly attached at each end to an elastic component, wherein the active material is disposed off a neutral axis of the elastic component; and an activation device in operative communication with the active material, the activation device being operable to selectively provide an activation signal to the active material and change at least one attribute of the active material, wherein the change in at least one attribute of the active material changes a deflection angle of the rigid portion relative to the stationary surface.
13. The vehicle airflow control system of claim 12, further comprising: a sensor in operative communication with the air deflector, wherein the sensor is adapted to transmit sensor signals indicative of at least one vehicle condition; and a controller operatively connected to the sensor and the activation device, wherein the controller is programmed and configured to cause the activation device to provide the activation signal to the active material when the sensor signals indicate a predetermined vehicle condition.
14. The vehicle airflow control system of claim 12, wherein the activation signal is triggered by a predetermined speed of the vehicle, wherein the active material changes at least one attribute when a speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed, and wherein the active material returns to an original state of the at least one attribute when the speed of the vehicle is below the predetermined speed.
15. The vehicle airflow control system of claim 12, wherein the active material comprises a shape memory alloy, an electroactive polymer, magnetorheological elastomer, piezoelectric material or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.
16. The vehicle airflow control system of claim 12, further comprising a latch in operative communication with the air deflector, wherein the latch maintains the change in at least one attribute upon discontinuation of the activation signal.
17. A method of controlling airflow about a vehicle comprising: positioning an airflow controlling device on a stationary surface of the vehicle, the airflow controlling device comprising an active portion coupled to a rigid portion, wherein a free end of the active portion is fixedly attached to the stationary surface, the active portion comprising an active material fixedly attached at each end to an elastic component, wherein the active material is disposed off a neutral axis of the elastic component; selectively introducing the activation signal upon meeting andor exceeding a predetermined vehicle condition; and changing the at least one attribute of the active material to cause a deflection angle change in the rigid portion relative to the stationary surface.
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 device, in particular a smart label, comprising:
at least one textile backing, which is a woven fabric;
at least one flexible wire-like andor thread-like electrical conductor arranged on or in the textile backing; and
at least one electronic component, which is electrically connected to a connection point of the conductor;
wherein the woven fabric has at least one electrically conductive weft and warp thread and the conductor comprises at least one electrically conductive weft and warp thread of the woven fabric, which are connected electrically conductively at their crossing point in such a way that the conductor forms an electrically conductive coil.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor comprises a multiplicity of electrically conductive weft and warp threads, some of which are connected electrically conductively at their crossing points such that the conductor forms an electrically conductive coil.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conductor has two connection points, which form coil connections and are electrically connected to the electronic component.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive weft andor warp thread is an electrically conductive yarn which comprises electrically insulating fibers and at least one metal wire embedded therein.
5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the metal wire has an electrically insulating sheathing.
6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor has at least one metal wire.
7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the metal wire has an electrically insulating sheathing.
8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductor is an electrically conductive yarn which comprises electrically insulating fibers and at least one metal wire embedded therein.
9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductor is connected to the textile backing by an adhesive bond.
10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the textile backing is coated with an adhesive.
11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive.
12. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the electrically conductive yarn is provided with an adhesive.
13. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the conductor forms an electrically conductive coil.
14. The device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a second textile backing arranged on the first textile backing in such a way that the conductor is embedded between the backings.
15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic component is an integrated circuit.
16. The device as claims in claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit is a transponder integrated circuit.
17. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic component is embedded in an insulator and arranged on the textile backing.
18. A method for producing a device comprising the steps of:
providing at least one textile backing, on or in which at least one flexible wire-like andor thread-like electrical conductor is arranged;
electrically connecting a connection point of the conductor to at least one electronic component;
wherein the textile backing is a woven fabric and the conductor has in each case at least one electrically conductive weft and warp thread; and
electrically connecting at least one weft thread to a warp thread at their crossing point, so that the conductor forms an electrically conductive coil.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the conductor has a plurality of electrically conductive weft and warp threads, and the method further comprises the step of electrically connecting at least a portion of the weft and warp threads at their crossing points, so that the conductor forms an electrically conductive coil.
20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the conductor is connected to the textile backing by an adhesive bond.