Pyrotechnic triggering of thermally activated shape memory materials for selectively changing a structural and/or mechanical property of a vehicle member

摘要

A vehicle member generally comprises a thermally activated shape memory material in operative communication with a pyrotechnic device. The pyrotechnic device is effective to thermally change a dimension, a shape, an orientation change, an elastic modulus property change or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing properties of the shape memory material, which results in a structural and/or mechanical change to the vehicle member.