Alcoa Fujikura Limited

Flextronics International Kft.

Alcoa Inc.

Robert F Gutman

Weiping Zhao

Nathan Like

Michael Timothy York

Robert J Young

Robert S Migrin

Christopher Coulter

Michael T York

An energy storage device for storing energy for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes a DC-DC converter, a plurality of capacitors connected electrically to the DC-DC converter, and a housing for containing the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The DC-DC converter converts a voltage provided by the motor vehicle's battery to a second voltage stored by the capacitors. During an engine start cycle, energy discharges from the capacitors to the starter motor of the engine, wherein the stored voltage of the capacitors provides energy to start the engine. The capacitors are recharged by the vehicle's battery. A thermally insulated barrier separates the DC-DC converter and the capacitors. The housing may be sized and shaped substantially as that of a standard motor vehicle battery, enabling the energy storage device to be installed within the motor vehicle as a substitute for one or more of the vehicle's batteries.

Energy storage device for starting engines of motor vehicles and other transportation systems

Energy storage device

The present invention provides a battery module system including a plurality of battery modules in a series electrical connection through a specified sequence, each battery module having a male connector and a female connector, the female connector of each battery module in electrical engagement into the male connector of an adjacent battery module, wherein the male connector and female connector are positioned along the sidewall of each battery module and have insulating structures that protect handlers of the battery modules from high voltage electrocution. The present invention also provides a battery module system in which the male and female connectors are attached to a top surface of each battery module.

Integrated module connection for HEV battery

The present invention relates generally to male to female contact terminals, particularly those in use with associated wire harnesses or cables involved in higher voltage and current carrying vehicle applications. More specifically, the present invention discloses an improved female terminal design for interengaging with a projecting blade of a male terminal and which in particular provides the combined features of improved contact area and controlled blade insertion. Additional features of the present design include the female terminal exhibiting one or more initial (sacrificial) contact points at the blade insertion end and which functions, with or without the application of a magnetic field inducing Lorentz force, to provide a controlled location at which voltage induced arcing will occur along the female terminal and without compromising the electrical interface created between the male terminal blade and the female terminal beams.

Box terminal with extended contact surfaces and controlled damage location during high voltage arcing with and without suppression under a magnetic field

A bussed electrical center for providing customizable current flow to electrical output components. An upper insulating layer has a first and second faces and exhibits a plurality of apertures through which are engaged male terminals pins, these further in operative communication with the electrical output components. A lower insulating layer has first and second faces exhibiting an apertured pattern according to a first specified configuration. A conductive grid overlays the first face of the lower insulating layer, an apertured pattern being defined in the grid according to a second specified configuration and further defined by interconnecting web portions, exposed by the apertured pattern in the lower insulating layer. Upon assembly of the insulating layers, with the grid stacked together, exposed web portions of the grid capable of being sectioned through the apertured pattern in the lower insulating layer and to establish a selected current flow direction across the grid.

Bussed electrical center incorporating modularized components and sectionable conductor grid for establishing preferred high current flow applications

A terminal socket assembly for electrically connecting a male input blade with an output cable. The socket assembly includes a spring cage exhibiting a three dimensional rectangular and arcuate cross sectional shape having a plurality of angled and torsioned beams. A sleeve exhibits a similar rectangular configuration and receives the configured spring cage in axially inserting and interference fitting fashion and so that the assembled sleeve and spring cage is capable of biasingly receiving and engaging the male blade. Gripping portions are integrally secured to the rectangular sleeve and fixedly engage an extending end of a cable to electrically communicate the cable to the blade. A sealed connector housing encases the terminal socket assembly and extending connector cables and encloses the assembled spring cage and sleeve. Other elements of the housing including a seating terminal position assurance element, seals and retainer elements engageable with opposite open ends of the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Fraser, MI, United States of America

Robert F Gutman