Patents by Inventor Yuyang Song
Yuyang Song has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240101875Abstract: A resin for adhesive bonding to fabrics includes between about 80 wt. % and about 90 wt. % of a monomer, between about 10 wt. % and about 20 wt. % of a cross-linking agent with two or more acrylic acid groups separated by a flexible linker, between about 0.5 wt. % and about 1.5 wt. % of a photoinitiator, and between about 10 wt. % and about 15 wt. % of a thickening agent. The monomer as a melting point less than 25° C. and the flexible linker has subunits such as methylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, and combinations thereof. Also, the resin forms a bond with polyurethane coated nylon fabric and the bond exhibits an adhesion strength greater than a tensile strength of the polyurethane coated nylon fabric.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2022Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Yuyang Song, Masato Tanaka, Liang Yue, Hang Qi
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Patent number: 11932736Abstract: A non-woven carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite object is formed by the variable frequency microwave (VFM) irradiation of a mixed fiber sheet of thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers and wavy carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The mixed fiber sheets are prepared from a slurry of the thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers, and wavy CNTs such that the wavy CNTs contact the carbon fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon irradiation with VFM radiation, the wavy CNTs generate heat and transfer the heat to the thermoplastic fibers, causing melting of the thermoplastic to form the matrix of the CFRTP composite object. The mixed fiber sheets can be combined alone or with other sheets to form laminar composites that are molded into objects and heated by VFM irradiation.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Vanderbilt UniversityInventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh N. Gandhi, Piran R. Kidambi
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Publication number: 20240084788Abstract: A soft actuator includes an origami structure with an inflatable hollow body formed from at least one of Dyneema fabric or Kevlar fabric, and a plurality of TCPAs formed from at least one of polyethylene terephthalate, spandex, and nylon. The soft actuator also includes a plurality of heating wires disposed on the plurality of TCPAs and a controller configured to selectively heat the plurality of heating wires such that the plurality of TCPAs are selectively actuated by being heated by the plurality of heating wires.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2022Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuyang Song, Shinnosuke Shimokawa, Danil V. Prokhorov, Umesh N. Gandhi
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Publication number: 20240054985Abstract: A sound absorbing device includes an acoustic resonator with an opening and at least one fabric layer extending across the opening. The at least one fabric layer includes reversible actuatable liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fibers such that an average pore size of the at least one fabric layer increases with decreasing temperature and decreases with increasing temperature. The sound absorbing device also includes at least one of a heater configured to heat the at least one fabric layer such that the average pore size of the at least one fabric decreases and a cooler configured to cool the at least one fabric layer such that the average pore size of the at least one fabric increases. And in some variations a controller configured to command the heater to heat to the at least one fabric layer and command the cooler to cool the at least one fabric layer is included.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuyang Song, Taehwa Lee
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Patent number: 11884222Abstract: A vehicle bumper assembly includes an adaptive energy absorption module operatively connected to a vehicle bumper body. The adaptive energy absorption module includes a primary deformable impact absorber member defining a primary impact chamber having a shape that is structurally adaptive or otherwise conforms to an impact force received by the bumper body. A secondary deformable impact absorber member is arranged in the primary impact chamber and defines a secondary impact chamber containing a shear thickening fluid that exhibits a decreasing viscosity responsive to the impact force. A plurality of fluidically connected tertiary deformable impact absorber members are arranged in an array the primary impact chamber and defines a plurality of tertiary impact chambers containing a volume of fluid, and has a shape that is structurally adaptive to the impact force.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh Gandhi, Danil Prokhorov, Phouvadol Khouphongsy
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Publication number: 20240010148Abstract: A vehicle bumper assembly includes an adaptive energy absorption module operatively connected to a vehicle bumper body. The adaptive energy absorption module includes a primary deformable impact absorber member defining a primary impact chamber having a shape that is structurally adaptive or otherwise conforms to an impact force received by the bumper body. A secondary deformable impact absorber member is arranged in the primary impact chamber and defines a secondary impact chamber containing a shear thickening fluid that exhibits a decreasing viscosity responsive to the impact force. A plurality of fluidically connected tertiary deformable impact absorber members are arranged in an array the primary impact chamber and defines a plurality of tertiary impact chambers containing a volume of fluid, and has a shape that is structurally adaptive to the impact force.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2022Publication date: January 11, 2024Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh Gandhi, Danil Prokhorov, Phouvadol Khouphongsy
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Publication number: 20230419938Abstract: A sound absorbing device includes a chamber with an opening and at least one fabric layer extending across the opening. The at least one fabric layer extending across the opening is at least two fabric layers stacked relative to and in direct contact with each other, at least two fabric layers stacked relative to and spaced apart from each other by a predefined distance, at least one elastic fabric layer configured to vibrate independently from the chamber, or a three dimensional fabric layer. The at least two fabric layers stacked relative to and in direct contact with each other and the at least two fabric layers stacked relative to and spaced apart from each other by a predefined distance are configured to move relative to each other, and the at least one elastic fabric layer is configured to vibrate independently from the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Taehwa Lee, Yuyang Song, Xiaopeng Li, Ziqi Yu
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Publication number: 20230391935Abstract: A resin for grayscale digital light processing 3D printing includes a donor moiety, an acceptor moiety, a rigid moiety, a photoinitiator, and a photoabsorber. The donor moiety is an acrylate monomer with a side group of a free carbonyl, a primary amine on an acrylate, a secondary amine on an acrylate, and/or a tertiary amine on an acrylate. The acceptor moiety is different than the donor moiety and is an acrylate monomer with a side group of a free hydroxy, a primary amine, secondary amine, and/or an imine. And the rigid moiety is acrylate monomer with a side group of a cyclohexyl, a substituted cyclohexyl, or a bicyclic structure. A monolithic structure formed from the resin using grayscale digital light processing 3D printing can have a Young's modulus ranging from 0.1 MPa to 100 MPa.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: December 7, 2023Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Yuyang Song, Masato Tanaka, Liang Yue, Hang Qi
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Patent number: 11732735Abstract: A soft actuator includes an inflation chamber. The inflation chamber has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The inflation chamber is inflatable during an inflation stage, in which the second end rotates toward the first end about a folding axis, and is operable to be loaded during an inflated stage, in which the inflation chamber is inflated. The soft actuator also includes a variable-stiffness hinge located between the first end and the second end along the folding axis. The variable-stiffness hinge has a decreased stiffness in the inflation stage and an increased stiffness in the inflated stage.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuyang Song, Ryohei Tsuruta, Umesh N. Gandhi
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Patent number: 11725635Abstract: An inflatable structure includes an inflatable membrane with an outer surface, and a skin with a textured space-filling Turing pattern disposed on the outer surface of the inflatable membrane. A variable stiffness filament is coupled to the inflatable structure and the variable stiffness filament has a first stiffness at a first temperature and a second stiffness different than the first stiffness at a second temperature different than the first temperature. An electrical energy source is included and in electrical communication with the variable stiffness filament, and the electrical energy source is configured to apply Joule heating to and increase a temperature of the variable stiffness filament from the first temperature to the second temperature such variable stiffness actively controls a stiffness of the inflatable structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuyang Song, Masato Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Danil V. Prokhorov
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Patent number: 11718264Abstract: Systems and methods of a seatbelt with head restraint are provided. A seatbelt assembly for a vehicle may include a plurality of airbags and an electrostatic clutch to control a deployment of the plurality of airbags. The electrostatic clutch may be operable to limit a movement of the plurality of airbags relative to each other to define a deployment shape of the airbags. Associated vehicles including the seatbelt assembly are provided. Associated methods are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2022Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Phouvadol P. Khouphongsy, Umesh Gandhi, Danil Prokhorov, Yuyang Song, Paul Gilmore
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Patent number: 11643202Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a drone having selectively actuated arms. In one embodiment, a drone includes arms connected to a body. Individual ones of the arms have a first end and a second end with the first end forming a connection with the body. The drone further includes rotor units individually including a propeller attached to a motor and mounted to the second end of the individual ones of the arms. Additionally, actuator units are integrated with the arms. Individual ones of the actuator units include electromagnetic cells that when activated induce an electromagnetic motive force that flexes the arms.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuyang Song, Taehwa Lee, Hideo Iizuka, Umesh N. Gandhi
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Publication number: 20230108120Abstract: A method of designing an inflatable structure includes generating a finite element mesh defining a plurality of elements for an inflatable shape-morphing structure, calculating a topology optimization analysis for the inflatable shape-morphing structure having a final shape in an inflated state, wherein the topology optimization analysis determines a plurality of tensors for the plurality of elements of the finite element mesh, converting the plurality of tensors for the plurality of elements into a plurality of diffusion coefficients for the plurality of elements, and generating a space-filling Turing pattern for the inflatable shape-morphing structure as a function of the plurality of diffusion coefficients, wherein the space-filling Turing pattern defines a simulated textured surface for the inflatable shape-morphing structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2021Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Masato Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Nomura, Yuyang Song
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Publication number: 20230088911Abstract: A soft actuator includes an inflation chamber. The inflation chamber has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The inflation chamber is inflatable during an inflation stage, in which the second end rotates toward the first end about a folding axis, and is operable to be loaded during an inflated stage, in which the inflation chamber is inflated. The soft actuator also includes a variable-stiffness hinge located between the first end and the second end along the folding axis. The variable-stiffness hinge has a decreased stiffness in the inflation stage and an increased stiffness in the inflated stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2021Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Yuyang Song, Ryohei Tsuruta, Umesh N. Gandhi
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Patent number: 11602743Abstract: A method of fabricating a carbon nanotube (“CNT”) array includes providing a substrate with a CNT catalyst disposed on a surface of the substrate, heating the CNT catalyst to an annealing temperature, exposing the CNT catalyst to a CNT precursor for an exposure period to pre-load the CNT catalyst, and exposing the pre-loaded CNT catalyst to a carbon source for a growth period to form the CNT array. The formed CNT array comprises a plurality of CNT bundles that are aligned with one another in an alignment direction. At least one of the plurality of bundles comprises an average structural factor of 1.5 or less along an entirety of the length thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Vanderbilt UniversityInventors: Yuyang Song, Shailesh N. Joshi, Piran R. Kidambi, Peifu Cheng
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Patent number: 11591076Abstract: In one embodiment, a drone is provided with several inflatable tubes that each connect a propeller component to a body of the drone. In order to increase the handling of the drone, a patch is placed on the top surface of each inflatable tube that includes some number of shape memory alloy wires. The shape memory alloy wires shrink and become rigid when an electric current is applied to them. The optimal locations on each tube to place the patches, and the shape of the patches, is determined using a topology optimization. Later, the wires in the patches can be selectively activated or deactivated by an operating entity to provide an additional means to control the drone. Additionally, the drone is equipped with several landing arms which may include a shape memory alloy torsion coil spring to help the arm deployment during landing.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh N. Gandhi, Danil V. Prokhorov
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Patent number: 11577471Abstract: Methods for microwave melting of fiber mixtures to form composite materials include placing the fiber mixture in a receptacle located in a microwave oven. The methods further include microwave heating the mixture, causing a heat activated compression mechanism to automatically increase compressive force on the mixture, thereby eliminating air and void volumes. The heat activated compression mechanism can include a shape memory alloy wire connecting first and second compression brackets, or one or more ceramic blocks configured to increase in volume and thereby increase compression on the mixture.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2022Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Umesh N. Gandhi, Michael Paul Rowe, Yuyang Song
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Publication number: 20220356312Abstract: A non-woven carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) composite object is formed by the variable frequency microwave (VFM) irradiation of a mixed fiber sheet of thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers and wavy carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The mixed fiber sheets are prepared from a slurry of the thermoplastic fibers, carbon fibers, and wavy CNTs such that the wavy CNTs contact the carbon fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon irradiation with VFM radiation, the wavy CNTs generate heat and transfer the heat to the thermoplastic fibers, causing melting of the thermoplastic to form the matrix of the CFRTP composite object. The mixed fiber sheets can be combined alone or with other sheets to form laminar composites that are molded into objects and heated by VFM irradiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2021Publication date: November 10, 2022Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Vanderbilt UniversityInventors: Yuyang Song, Umesh N. Gandhi, Piran R. Kidambi
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Publication number: 20220314211Abstract: A method of fabricating a carbon nanotube (“CNT”) array includes providing a substrate with a CNT catalyst disposed on a surface of the substrate, heating the CNT catalyst to an annealing temperature, exposing the CNT catalyst to a CNT precursor for an exposure period to pre-load the CNT catalyst, and exposing the pre-loaded CNT catalyst to a carbon source for a growth period to form the CNT array. The formed CNT array comprises a plurality of CNT bundles that are aligned with one another in an alignment direction. At least one of the plurality of bundles comprises an average structural factor of 1.5 or less along an entirety of the length thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2021Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Vanderbilt UniversityInventors: Yuyang Song, Shailesh N. Joshi, Piran R. Kidambi, Peifu Cheng
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Publication number: 20220143929Abstract: Methods for microwave melting of fiber mixtures to form composite materials include placing the fiber mixture in a receptacle located in a microwave oven. The methods further include microwave heating the mixture, causing a heat activated compression mechanism to automatically increase compressive force on the mixture, thereby eliminating air and void volumes. The heat activated compression mechanism can include a shape memory alloy wire connecting first and second compression brackets, or one or more ceramic blocks configured to increase in volume and thereby increase compression on the mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Umesh N. Gandhi, Michael Paul Rowe, Yuyang Song