Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David W Linden

Steven John Yockey

Kevin Roy Harpenau

Richard Kenneth Harris

Imad Hassan Makki

Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy

Pankaj Kumar

Mark Eifert

Hanyang B Chen

Michael Irby

Fakhreddine Landolsi

Karen Price

Tony Militello

Sheida Malekpour

Methods and systems are provided for reliably providing a prognosis of the life-expectancy of a vehicle battery. A state of degradation of the battery is predicted based on a rate of convergence of a metric, that is derived from a sensed vehicle operating parameter, towards a defined threshold, determined based on past history of the metric. The predicted state of degradation is then converted into an estimate of time or distance remaining before the component needs to serviced, and displayed to the vehicle operator. Vehicle control and communication strategies may be defined with respect to the predicted state of degradation.

Method for predicting battery life

A stop-start vehicle and a method of controlling a stop-start vehicle include a controller configured to, in response to a power-reset event, inhibit an engine auto-stop function. The controller is additionally configured to, in response to a successful key start event subsequent the power-reset event, cease the inhibiting of the engine auto-stop function.

System and method for controlling a stop-start vehicle after jump start or battery replacement

An alternator includes an inner housing and an outer housing. A pair of o-rings positioned therebetween create a sealed flow chamber having a first flow channel, a second flow channel and an axial passageway. The first flow channel is a disk shaped cavity extending diametrically across the alternator. The second flow channel forms an annular jacket extending entirely around the alternator. The axial passageway directs coolant axially from the first flow channel into the second flow channel. An inlet positioned diametrically across from the axial passageway allows coolant to enter the first flow channel, such that coolant entering the inlet must flow diametrically across the alternator to reach the axial passageway. An outlet positioned diametrically across from the axial passageway allows coolant to exit the flow chamber, such that coolant entering the second flow channel must travel annularly around the alternator to reach the outlet.

Flow path for a liquid cooled alternator

An alternator comprising an inner housing, an outer housing mounted over the inner housing and a plurality of o-rings positioned between the inner housing and the outer housing thereby creating a sealed flow chamber having a first plenum, an axial jacket, a second plenum, a first passageway interconnecting the first plenum and the axial jacket, a second passageway interconnecting the axial jacket and the second plenum, an inlet extending from the first plenum, and an outlet extending from the second plenum. The first and second plenums are disk shaped cavities extending diametrically across the alternator, and the axial jacket is an annular jacket extending around the alternator. The first passageway is located diametrically across from the inlet and the second passageway is located diametrically across from the first passageway. The outlet is located diametrically across from the second passageway.

Liquid cooled alternator

An automotive alternator includes an inner housing assembly, an outer housing assembly mounted over the inner housing assembly, and an internal plate mounted within the outer housing assembly. The inner housing assembly, the outer housing assembly, and the internal plate define a sealed flow chamber. The flow chamber includes an inlet reservoir and an outlet reservoir located adjacent a first end, and a cross over reservoir located adjacent a second end. The inner housing assembly includes a plurality of radially extending axial fins. The fins extend outward from the sleeve toward the outer housing to define a plurality of axial flow channels. A first portion of the flow channels interconnects the inlet reservoir to the cross over reservoir and a second portion of the flow channels interconnects the cross over reservoir to the outlet reservoir.

Liquid cooled alternator having finned stator sleeve

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

David W Linden