System for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing an integrated battery pack and side sill assembly
Granted: April 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8702161
An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. A battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure also help to absorb and…
System for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing a side sill assembly with a collapsible sill insert
Granted: April 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8696051
An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill assembly along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. The collapsible side sill assembly includes a side sill insert, the insert divided into a collapsible portion designed to absorb…
Power electronics interconnection for electric motor drives
Granted: April 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8686288
The bus bar includes a first bus bar layer formed of a first generally uniform thickness of a first bus bar conductor; a first dielectric layer overlying a top surface of the first bus bar layer; and a second bus bar layer formed of a second generally uniform thickness of a second bus bar conductor overlying a top surface of the first dielectric layer and the top surface of the first bus bar layer wherein: the first bus bar layer includes a first via for receipt of a first electrical…
In-line outer sliding panorama sunroof tracks
Granted: March 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8672398
Continuous cross sectional profile guide tracks in an outer sliding sunroof/moonroof are provided where both the front and rear mechanism or mechanism links travel fore/aft in the same channels as each other and have fore/aft travel that is limited only by vehicle architecture. The guide track channel is partly or entirely outside/outboard of the primary water/wind sealing system of the sunroof.
Fast switching for power inverter
Granted: March 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8664907
An apparatus includes an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, the inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a positive rail voltage, and a negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate the time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of the switches of the inverter; a drive control, coupled to the inverter, to generate the drive control signals…
Battery pack exhaust nozzle utilizing an SMA seal retainer
Granted: March 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8663824
A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway. The system includes a sealed battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries and at least one exhaust nozzle assembly. The exhaust nozzle assembly includes an exhaust nozzle that passes and directs the flow of hot gas from within the battery pack to the ambient environment during a thermal runaway event, a nozzle seal mounted within the exhaust nozzle that seals the exhaust nozzle…
Battery pack overcharge protection system
Granted: February 25, 2014
Patent Number:
8659270
An overcharge protection device (OPD) is provided that may be used alone, or in combination with conventional charging protection systems, to protect a battery pack from the occurrence of a potentially damaging overcharging event. The OPD is designed to be coupled to, and interposed between, the terminals of the battery pack. During normal system operation, the OPD has no effect on the operation of the charging system or the battery pack. During an overcharging event, if overcharging is…
Electromechanical pawl for controlling vehicle charge inlet access
Granted: February 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8651875
A charge connector latching mechanism integrated into a vehicle's charge inlet is provided, where the latching mechanism includes a retractable latching pawl. The retractable pawl is configured to be positioned in at least a first, default position where the pawl extends through an inlet surface of the charge inlet, and a second position where the pawl is retracted and does not extend through the inlet surface. In the first position the retractable pawl prevents insertion of a charge…
Battery coolant jacket
Granted: February 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8647763
A battery coolant jacket for use with a plurality of cells is provided, the jacket comprised of a hollow enclosure configured to permit a liquid coolant to flow through the enclosure, entering via a coolant inlet and exiting via a coolant outlet; a plurality of cell apertures that extend completely through the hollow enclosure, where each cell aperture is sized to fit a cell; and a plurality of coolant segregation walls that are integrated into the hollow enclosure and separate the cells…
Fast charging with negative ramped current profile
Granted: February 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8643342
A battery cell charging system, including a charger and a controller, for rapidly charging a lithium ion battery cell, the battery cell charging system having a circuit for charging the battery cell using an adjustable voltage charging-profile to apply a charging voltage and a charging current to the battery cell wherein the adjustable voltage charging-profile includes: a first charging stage with a constant first stage charging current and an increasing battery cell voltage with the…
Method of operating a multiport vehicle charging system
Granted: February 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8643330
A method of distributing charging power among a plurality of charge ports of a battery charging station is provided, where the battery charging station includes a plurality of power stages where each power stage includes an AC to DC converter and provides a portion of the charging station's maximum available charging power, the method comprising the steps of (i) monitoring battery charging station conditions and operating conditions for each charging port; (ii) determining current…
AC current control of mobile battery chargers
Granted: January 28, 2014
Patent Number:
8638063
A charging system and method that improves utilization of available AC power during onboard charging of energy storage systems of electric vehicles. An onboard charging method for an energy storage system of an electric vehicle, the method using an AC power source, includes a) establishing a maximum DC charging current for the energy storage system responsive to a control signal indicating real-time available current/power from the AC source; and b) controlling a charging system to…
State of charge range
Granted: January 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8629657
A management system for a battery cell pack, the management system including a controller determining an adjustable charge profile for the battery cell pack wherein the adjustable charge profile includes an operational parameter identifying a next operation drive range mode from a set of drive range modes for the battery cell pack wherein each the drive range mode includes a state of charge (SOC) window between a charge SOC and a discharge SOC, with the set of drive range modes including…
Fuel coupler with wireless port door unlatching actuator
Granted: January 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8627860
A fuel delivery system and method of use are provided that may be used to open the door covering the charge port of an electric vehicle, or the door covering the fuel filler port of a conventional vehicle. The system includes a fuel coupler (e.g., a charging connector or a gas nozzle) designed to transfer fuel from the source to the vehicle via the vehicle's fuel port. The fuel coupler includes a switch that when toggled, causes a control signal to be wirelessly transmitted over a short…
Cleaning feature for electric charging connector
Granted: January 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8627534
A contamination cleaner for a socket of a charging connector used with a charging station for an electric vehicle wherein the charging connector mates to a charging coupler of the electric vehicle during charging includes a housing mechanically configured generally similarly to the charging coupler enabling the housing to mechanically mate to the charging connector; and a cleaning contact, coupled to the housing and complementary to the socket, for engaging the socket and removing…
Charge rate modulation of metal-air cells as a function of ambient oxygen concentration
Granted: January 7, 2014
Patent Number:
8626369
A system and method for charging a metal-air battery pack at the maximum possible rate while maintaining an ambient oxygen concentration below a preset concentration is provided, thereby minimizing the risks associated with generating oxygen during the charging cycle.
Detection of over-current shorts in a battery pack using pattern recognition
Granted: December 31, 2013
Patent Number:
8618775
A controller identifies a condition of a hazardous internal short by comparing patterns of series element voltages to the last known balance condition of the series elements. If the loaded or resting voltage of one or more contiguous series elements uniformly drop from the previously known condition by an amount consistent with an over-current condition, an over-current internal short circuit fault is registered. The desired response is to prevent the affected series elements from…
Vehicle charge connector
Granted: November 26, 2013
Patent Number:
D694188
Rear vehicle torque box
Granted: November 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8585131
A rear structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of single piece rear torque boxes; (ii) a pair of rocker panels mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; (iii) a pair of rear rails mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; and (iv) at least one cross-member interposed between and mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes.
Funnel shaped charge inlet
Granted: November 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8579635
A vehicle charge inlet integrated into a port assembly surface is provided. The charge inlet includes an inlet housing with a perimeter that is curvilinear, non-cylindrical and shaped so that only a single orientation of a complementary sized and shaped electrical connector may be inserted into the inlet. A plurality of electrical contacts, a latching mechanism and a divider are also integrated into the charge inlet housing, the divider extending from the bottom surface of the inlet…
