Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Other

John Peter Bilezikjian

Patrick Daniel Maguire

Debbi Callicoat

Allan Roy Gale

Saravanan Paramasivam

Kenneth John Jackson

Eric Myers

Thomas Joseph Cusumano

Valerie Anne Nelson

Elmer Sidney Foster

Benjamin A Tabatowski-Bush

Suriyaprakash Ayyangar Janarthanam

Brian Utley

Bruce Carvell Blakemore

George Albert Garfinkel

Paul Theodore Momcilovich

Richard William Kautz

Venkateswa Anand Sankaran

Hari Krishna Addanki

Jason C Marcath

Steven F Chorian

Dhanunjay Vejalla

Justin Eugene Negrete

Jeffery Scott Patterson

A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first cell stack including a plurality of battery cells and a structural assembly including a first pocket sized and shaped to receive the first cell stack. The structural assembly is configured to assert a compressive load on the first cell stack and at least partially enclose the first cell stack.

Battery assembly with multi-function structural assembly

This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs, such as those designed for use within electrified vehicles. Exemplary battery packs may include an enclosure assembly and a plurality of battery arrays housed inside the enclosure assembly. The enclosure assembly may include a mid-tray that is configured for supporting, cooling/heating, and sealing second tier battery arrays. The configuration of the mid-tray allows coolant joints to be eliminated inside of the battery pack.

Traction battery packs with second tier integrated supporting, thermal, and sealing structures

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a vortex tube configured to generate hot and cold airstreams and a valve having hot and cold air inlets connected to the vortex tube to receive the hot and cold airstreams, respectively. The valve further has a vent and a valve outlet. A high-voltage electrical component is connected to the valve outlet by conduit to receive one of the hot and cold airstreams to thermally regulate the component.

Vehicle thermal management system with vortex tube

A thermal fin according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a body, a leg that extends from the body and a thickened region of the body including a first thickness that is greater than a second thickness of another region of the body.

Battery cooling fin

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a vortex tube having hot and cold air outlets. A heat exchanger is selectively in fluid communication with one of the hot and cold outlets. A coolant loop is in thermal communication with an electrical component and is arranged to pass coolant through the heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy between the coolant and an airstream of the one of the hot and cold outlets.

A cooling system for a vehicular fuel cell utilizes packet pumps to electrically isolate the fuel from a grounded radiator. Fluid in a packet pump is transported from an inlet port to an outlet port in discrete packets. Because these packets are physically separated from one another, electricity does not flow through the fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port. Packet pumps include peristaltic pumps and external gear pumps.

Vehicular fuel cell cooling system

A battery system includes a battery cover, a battery access panel removably connected to the battery cover, and a service disconnect switch. The service disconnect switch includes an electrical interlock switch. The service disconnect switch has a first position cooperating with the battery access panel to prevent removal of the access panel from the battery cover. In the first position, the service disconnect connects a traction battery to circuitry. The service disconnect also has a second position, the second position being displaced from the access panel and disconnecting the battery.

Hybrid electric vehicle battery cover with electrical disconnect

A system includes an isolation detection unit (IDU) having a first leakage detection circuit and being configured to determine an isolation characteristic for a voltage bus; and a circuit detection and response unit (CDRU) configured to determine whether the first leakage detection circuit is coupled to a second leakage detection circuit by a common ground. The CDRU can use a change in isolation characteristic of the voltage bus to determine whether a second detection circuit is coupled, and can characterize a coupled circuit. IDU operation and fault detection thresholds can be altered to mitigate confounding effects caused by simultaneous operation of both circuits. A system can be disposed at an electric vehicle to detect coupling of a detection circuit at a charging apparatus, or disposed at a charging apparatus to detect coupling of a leakage detection circuit at an electric vehicle.

Detection of and response to second leakage detection circuit

A battery management system includes a switching element configured to selectively couple a resistive network in parallel with a capacitor that couples a voltage bus and a ground reference. A controller is programmed to, in response to activating the switching element for a predetermined time, output a diagnostic according to a leakage resistance that is based on a time associated with a predetermined change in a voltage across the capacitor. A time constant is derived from the voltage response and the leakage resistance is derived from the time constant.

Circuit and method for battery leakage detection

An exemplary cooling system includes, among other things, a first pump to supply coolant to a cylinder head or cylinder block of an engine, a second pump to supply coolant to a cylinder block or cylinder head of the engine. A control unit governs the first pump and second pump. Fluid return channels recirculate coolant to the pumps. The first and second pumps are arranged to backflow coolant through the engine.

Cooling system and method for a vehicle engine

A low cost charger circuit with pre-charge functionality can include a DC/DC converter arranged in parallel with a charger device. When used for electrified vehicle applications, the DC/DC converter can be configured to operate during vehicle propulsion, restorable energy storage system (RESS) recharging, and while only the DC/DC converter needs to be energized. A DC/DC converter can be coupled to a first high voltage bus on a load side of a primary contactor, and to a second high voltage bus on an energy side of a primary contactor. A pre-charge circuit can controllably charge a voltage bus and protect a DC/DC converter against high inrush current. An auxiliary contactor can controllably couple a DC/DC converter to a load portion of a high voltage bus. It can also couple a charger thereto. A charger contactor can controllably couple a charger device to an energy portion of a high voltage bus.

Low cost charger circuit with precharge

A battery pack for a vehicle may include a cell array defining an upper surface and a housing defining a raised portion extending along and above a length of the array such that the raised portion and upper surface define a vent manifold therebetween which may be configured to collect gases generated by the array. The housing may define a discharge opening configured to allow gases to exit the manifold. A pair of end plates may be disposed at opposing ends of the array. One of the end plates may define a pass through portion in at least partial registration with the discharge opening. An outlet tube may be configured to facilitate fluid communication between the vent manifold and exterior of the vehicle. The battery pack may also include spacers located between upper edges of adjacent cells and may be configured to prevent cooling gases from entering the vent manifold.

Battery pack

The present invention relates to a cooling system for an internal combustion engine. The cooling system can be used in a hybrid electric vehicle. The system includes electric pumps in fluid communication with the engine and a control unit that governs the pumps. The pumps can be configured to supply fluid to either a cylinder block or cylinder head and backflow fluid through either the cylinder block or cylinder heads. Various arrangements of electrical and mechanical pumps are disclosed to control fluid flow and pressure.

An electrical connector assembly is disclosed, the assembly comprising: A first connector member having a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion, the second terminal portion movable relative to the first terminal portion; and a second connector member having first and second terminal portions adapted for mating engagement with the first and second terminal portions, respectively, of the first connector member. A lever, preferably an assist lever for drawing the first and second connector members into a fully mated condition, is provided on the first connector member, the lever defining a first position wherein the lever blocks the second terminal portion of the first connector member from movement into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member, and a second position, wherein the second terminal portion of the first connector member is movable into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member. The second terminal portion of the first connector member is further cooperative with the lever to secure the lever in a locked position when the second terminal portion of the first connector member is moved into mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member, such that the first and second connector members cannot be separated until the second terminal portion of the first connector member is moved out of mating engagement with the second terminal portion of the second connector member.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

John Peter Bilezikjian