Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Michael G Leffert

Thomas K Lockwood

Jonathan R Schwarz

Ian L Hanna

Steven K Mackenzie

Eric R Tucker

Jason W Guenzel

John P Person

Michael E Nishek

Darren Lee Bohne

Michael J Readwin

Richard E Bartos

Eric L Mayberry

Kevin J Dunn

Hugo Figueroa Rosas

Rajneesh K Singh

Tyler J Pilgeram

Bradley S Thomson

A rechargeable energy storage system, includes a housing. A plurality of battery cells are disposed in the housing. A discharge vent passage is in communication with the housing, the discharge vent passage including a one-way valve and a nozzle. A chamber is in communication with the nozzle and including an air inlet passage with a one-way valve. An outlet pipe is connected to the chamber. According to an aspect, the air inlet passage of the thermal vent management system is arranged as a Venturi opening adjacent to the nozzle.

Rechargeable energy storage system high flow thermal vent management system

An air induction system includes a housing defining an inner cavity. The housing has a first wall with a first air inlet, a second wall with a second air inlet, and an air outlet for directing air to the vehicle engine. A panel filter is mounted within the housing and divides the inner cavity so that the first inlet and the second inlet are upstream of the panel filter and the outlet is downstream of the panel filter when air flows through the housing from either of the air inlets to the air outlet and through the panel filter from a first side of the filter to a second side of the filter. The first air inlet, the second air inlet, and the panel filter are positioned so that the first side is lower than the second side when the housing is installed in the vehicle.

Dual inlet air induction system with panel filter for vehicle engine

A method of controlling airflow through a grille on a front end of a vehicle comprising the steps of: detecting vehicle operating conditions; determining a desired percentage of airflow through the grille based on the desired operating conditions; actuating grille airflow shutters to an open position for the determined desired percentage of a predetermined time interval; and actuating the grille airflow shutter to a closed position for a remaining percentage of the predetermined time interval.

Grille airflow shutter system with discrete shutter control

A thermal conditioning system for the energy storage system of a hybrid vehicle. At least one auxiliary air source, other than a permanently open air source, has a selectively operable actuator door which either connects or disconnects the auxiliary air source to the energy storage system blower, the air flow being selected to optimally temperature condition the energy storage system. The auxiliary air source preferably includes the HVAC ducting.

Air-based hybrid battery thermal conditioning system

An air duct for a vehicle includes a housing and a ductile member. The housing is formed from a first extrudable material having a first elastic modulus, and a second extrudable material having a second elastic modulus that is different from the first. The housing has a central longitudinal axis, defines a cavity therethrough along the axis, and is transitionable from a preform configuration in which the axis is substantially straight, to an installation configuration in which the axis is tortuous. The ductile member is embedded within the housing and is formed from a third extrudable material having a third elastic modulus that is greater than each of the first and second. The ductile member is bendable to transition the housing from the preform configuration to the installation configuration and is configured for retaining the housing in the installation configuration. A vehicle includes the air duct.

Air ducts for vehicles

A method of powertrain thermal control in a vehicle having grille airflow shutters. The method comprises the steps of: detecting vehicle operating conditions including at least a temperature condition for an engine cooling loop and engine load; pumping engine coolant through the engine cooling loop including pumping the engine coolant through a radiator under all temperature conditions of the engine cooling loop; and adjusting the grille airflow shutters relative to a grille to selectively block a portion, none or all airflow through the grille to thereby control airflow through the radiator based upon the detected vehicle operating conditions.

Powertrain thermal control with grille airflow shutters

Growing community of inventors

Howell, MI, United States of America

Michael G Leffert