Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Kevin Mackenzie

Jonathan Barker

Kyle Gary Mattinson

Liam West

Jude Berthault

Sunil Katragadda

Ronald Richard Semel

Ari Garo Caliskan

Theodore Joseph Filippi

Thomas J Coupar

William Arthur Paxton

Steven Anatole Frait

Christopher W Bell

Stanley Larue Bower

Thomas Joseph Ciccone

Keith A Devereaux

Jonathan Sullivan

Mark Thomas Weston

Gregory Dean Ognjanovski

James William Dunham

John Marshall Penney

Adam Deibler

Integrated frame and battery pack structure for electric vehicles are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a battery pack structure including a flange to be coupled to a surface of a longitudinal rail of a frame of a vehicle, a first wall, and a second wall, the first wall and the second wall defining an interior, a battery disposed within the interior, a cross member disposed within the interior.

Integrated frame and battery pack structure for electric vehicles

A traction battery assembly includes, among other things, battery cells configured to be positioned between a first frame rail of an electrified vehicle and an opposite, second frame rail of the electrified vehicle. The battery cells are arranged to transfer a load from the first frame rail to the second frame rail. A method of securing battery cells includes, among other things, positioning battery cells between a first frame of an electrified vehicle and an opposite, second frame rail of the electrified vehicle. The battery cells are positioned to transfer a load from the first frame rail to the second frame rail.

Load transferring battery cell arrangement for traction battery pack

An electrified vehicle includes a wireless charger that wirelessly receives power from an external source, cameras, LEDs, a speaker, and at least one controller programmed individually or in combination to, when the wireless charger is receiving power from the external source, process images from at least one of the cameras and operate the LEDs and the speaker based on detection of an object within the images. The controller may change the color of the LEDs and/or sound emitted by the speaker in response to whether the object is detected within a first zone farther from the vehicle or a second zone nearer the vehicle. The LEDs and cameras may be positioned on external side mirrors, front, rear, and/or underbody portions of the vehicle. The speaker may be external to the vehicle cabin and provide an audible signal when operating the vehicle in electric mode at low speeds.

Electrified vehicle wireless charging system

A thermal management system for an electrified vehicle and a method for managing such a system, includes a coolant subsystem to cool a battery pack and a refrigerant subsystem. The coolant subsystem includes a battery chiller in fluid communication with a cooling system inlet to the battery pack. The refrigerant subsystem includes a chiller cooling subsystem to cool the battery chiller and a cabin cooling subsystem to cool a passenger cabin, wherein the chiller cooling subsystem and the cabin cooling subsystem are completely separate from each other.

Thermal management for electrified vehicle

This disclosure describes charging systems for electrified vehicles. Exemplary charging systems may employ a multi-voltage charging circuit that supports charging of a traction battery pack at both a first voltage level during a first charging condition and a second, different voltage level during a second charging condition. Higher voltage levels may be experienced during the second charging condition as compared to the first charging condition.

Multi-voltage electrical architectures for electrified vehicles

Exemplary battery cell designs, such as those for use within electrified vehicle traction battery packs, for example, may include an electrode assembly that includes a plurality of current collector tabs. The current collector tabs may be arranged in one or more tab groupings when the electrode assembly is positioned in a folded configuration. The current collector tabs of the one or more tab groupings may be joined together to establish an enlarged current collector tab that is larger than any individual one of the current collector tabs of the one or more tab groupings. The enlarged current collector tab is an optimized tab configured to reduce internal resistance, reduce heat buildup, and increase the power capability of the battery cell.

Multi-tab battery cells for improved performance

This disclosure relates to electrified vehicle charging systems that are equipped with multiple charging interfaces. An exemplary charging system may include a first charging interface, a second charging interface, an on-board charger module operably coupled to the first and second charging interfaces, and a control module configured to command the second charging interface to be isolated from the on-board charger module in response to a status change of a door of the first charging interface. The status of the door may be monitored by a sensor system of the charging system for determining whether or not to disable the second charging interface.

Multiple charge interface monitoring and protection system for electrified vehicles

Integrated frame and battery pack structure for electric vehicles are disclosed. An example electric vehicle includes a frame of the electric vehicle to which a body of the electric vehicle is coupled, the frame including longitudinal frame rails, a mid-section of the frame not including frame cross-members. The example electric vehicle includes a battery pack mounted in the mid-section of the frame, the battery pack including battery pack cross-members, each of the battery pack cross-members connected to a top surface of the longitudinal frame rails and a bottom surface of the longitudinal frame rails.

An automotive controller drives a plurality of relays to a first position or a second position depending on which of a first port and second port, that are both arranged to provide electrical power, has greater electrical power such that a traction battery receives current from the one of the first port and second port delivering the greater electrical power but not the other of the first port and second port.

Isolation charging for multiple AC charging inputs

A vehicle charging method includes, among other things, electrically connecting a first vehicle to a grid source, electrically connecting the first vehicle to a second vehicle, and charging a traction battery of the first vehicle using electricity from the second vehicle and electricity from the grid source. A vehicle charging system includes, among other things, a traction battery of a first vehicle, and a charger that is used to charge the traction battery using electricity from a grid source, electricity from a second vehicle, or both.

Electrified vehicle charging method and system

An electrified vehicle, system, and method include an electric machine, a traction battery coupled to the electric machine, and a controller programmed to control wheel slip to provide high wheel slip to traverse deformable terrain, such as sand or loose soil, and lower wheel slip to avoid excessive soil removal beneath the wheels after detecting a vertical acceleration or heave event, such as after landing when driving over a jump or bump. When vehicle vertical acceleration exceeds a first threshold, and a ratio of a wheel angular acceleration to vehicle longitudinal acceleration exceeds a second threshold, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a lower value that provides sufficient tractive force to maintain some forward motion. Otherwise, the electric machine is controlled to limit wheel slip to a higher value to accommodate higher vehicle speeds over the deformable terrain.

Electrified vehicle wheel speed control using heave when traversing deformable terrain

This disclosure describes electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) connectors for synchronizing and controlling charging between multiple electric vehicle supply equipment and an electrified vehicle. An exemplary EVSE connector is connectable to a charge port assembly of an electrified vehicle and includes a first port configured to receive a first charger coupler of a first EVSE and a second port configured to receive a second charger coupler of a second EVSE. The EVSE connector further includes a control system for coordinating charging operations between the first and second EVSE and the electrified vehicle.

Electric vehicle supply equipment synchronization and charging connector devices

This disclosure details thermal management systems for thermally managing battery packs and other electric drive components of electrified vehicles. An exemplary thermal management system may include a battery cooling circuit and an e-drive cooling circuit. The e-drive cooling circuit may be fluidly connected to the battery cooling circuit by a combination of valves and coolant lines during or in anticipation of certain vehicle conditions, such as high load operating conditions, to augment cooling of electric drive components during the high load operating conditions.

Electrified vehicle thermal management systems with combinable battery pack and electric drive component cooling circuits

An electrified vehicle includes a traction battery and a battery thermal control system. A controller is configured to receive an initial regenerative braking capability and operation the battery thermal control system to precondition the traction battery during a charge event to a temperature that corresponds to the initial regenerative braking capability such that, during a subsequent drive cycle, the regenerative braking capability is at least equal to the initial regenerative braking capability for at least a predetermined duration into the subsequent drive cycle.

System and method for battery preconditioning based on selected regenerative braking amount

A thermal management system for an electrified vehicle and a method for managing such a system, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first cooling circuit, a second cooling circuit, and a third cooling circuit. The first cooling circuit cools a battery pack and includes a battery chiller in fluid communication with a cooling system inlet to the battery pack. The second cooling circuit cools the battery chiller and includes at least a first compressor and a first condenser in fluid communication with the battery chiller. The third cooling circuit cools a passenger cabin and includes at least a second compressor and a second condenser, and wherein the third cooling circuit is independent of the second cooling circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Kevin Mackenzie