Tesla Motors, Inc.

Tesla, Inc.

Telsa Motors, Inc.

Scott Ira Kohn

Weston Arthur Hermann

Kurt Russell Kelty

Jeffrey Brian Straubel

Vineet Haresh Mehta

Clay Hajime Kishiyama

Eugene Michael Berdichevsky

Sarah Stewart

Alex Prilutsky

Francisco LePort

Martin F Eberhard

Anil Paryani

Ernest Matthew Villanueva

Christopher David Gadda

Paul Bryan Kreiner

Craig Bruce Carlson

Dorian Watkins West

David Frederick Lyons

Peng Zhou

Andrew David Baglino

Andrew Gregory Simpson

Alexander Thomas Jacobs

Nicholas Robert Kalayjian

Bruce P Edwards

Troy Adam Nergaard

Noel Jason Mendez

Christopher Dangler

Vincent George Johnston

Peter Thomas Tennessen

Ian Casimir Dimen

David G Beck

Joshua Willard Ferguson

David Elias Hegeman

Jonathan Hall

Curt Raymond O'Donnell

Joseph Mardall

Daryl Zalan

Philip David Cole

Paul DeWitt Frey

Brian Charles Hewett

Andrew Titus

Malcolm Sloan Smith

Grant Dufresne Cutler

Orion Andrew King

Bennett Sprague

Jeffrey G Reichbach

Gregory Michael Goetchius

Ganesh Ramanarayan Singh

Garland Dughi

Satvik Vipin Batavia

Andrew Dai

Dustin Grace

Andrew H Leutheuser

Roy Goldman

Jeffrey Weintraub

Marc E Tarpenning

Peter How

Robert David Sumpf, Jr

Christopher Hugo Van Dyke

Brennan Boblett

Kevin Hsieh

Brian Stuart Boggs

Arthur Joseph Hebert

Daniel Nicholas Brncic

Nalinichandra Penke

William Vucich Beecher

Hugh Burnett Ross

Wulfer Adrijan De Bruijn

Miriam Vu

Thorsten Hayer

Adam Maser

Nicholas Hayden Herron

Jayesh Bharat Gorasia

Christopher Grimmer

Nicolas Verzeni

Jason Haer

Wulfer Adrijn De Bruijn

Gene Berdichevsky

Ryan Teixeira

Robert D Sumpf

Martin Forest Eberhard

Curt Raymond O'donnell

Wulfur Adrijan De Bruijn

Kurt Russel Kelty

An electromagnetic switch including a first stationary electric contact, a second stationary electric contact, a mechanical contact, and a moveable contact. The electromagnetic switch is configured for reciprocal motion of the moveable contact into and out of contact with the first stationary electric contact and the second stationary electric contact, wherein the moveable contact remains in contact with the mechanical contact (e.g., a non-conducting contact) throughout the reciprocal motion. In various embodiments, the moveable contact is configured so that at the end of the reciprocal motion three contact points occur, and a triangle defined by the three contact points encloses a center of force of the reciprocal motion.

Electromagnetic switch with stable moveable contact

An apparatus and method for identifying a presence of a short circuit in a battery pack. A fault-detection apparatus for a charging system that rapidly charges a collection of interconnected lithium ion battery cells, the safety system includes a data-acquisition system for receiving a set of data parameters from the collection while the charging system is actively charging the collection; a monitoring system evaluating the set of data parameters to identify a set of anomalous conditions; and a controller comparing the set of anomalous conditions against a set of predetermined profiles indicative of an internal short in one or more cells of the collection, the controller establishing an internal-short state for the collection when the comparing has a predetermined relationship to the set of predetermined profiles.

Methodology for charging batteries safely

A computer-implemented method to respond to an exceptional charge event including an overdischarge in an energy storage system having a plurality of series-connected battery elements. The method includes monitoring, using the microprocessor, the energy storage system for a charge imbalance using a first detection modality; initiating a reduction of said charge imbalance using a first response modality; monitoring, using the microprocessor, the energy storage system for the overdischarge of a particular one battery element of the plurality of battery elements using a second detection modality different from said first detection modality; and initiating a response to said exceptional charge event using a second response modality different from said first response modality, said response decreasing a risk associated with said overdischarge.

Response to detection of an overdischarge event in a series connected battery element

An electromagnetic switch includes: at least two stationary electric contacts; and a moveable contact, wherein the electromagnetic switch is configured for reciprocal motion of the moveable contact into and out of contact with the stationary electric contacts, wherein the moveable contact is configured so that at least three contact points occur in the reciprocal motion, and so that a triangle defined by the at least three contact points encloses a center of force of the movement.

An energy storage pack includes a coolant inlet manifold, a coolant outlet manifold, and a plurality of thermal-exchange tubes extending between the coolant inlet manifold and the coolant outlet manifold to exchange heat between coolant passing through the plurality of thermal-exchange tubes and a plurality of battery cells mounted adjacent to and among the plurality of thermal-exchange tubes within the energy storage pack. In one embodiment, at least one of coolant inlet manifold and the coolant outlet manifold includes a plurality of thermal-exchange tube terminating structures and a plurality of hose segments intercoupling the plurality of thermal-exchange tube terminating structures. The energy storage pack may further include a coolant inlet opening located on the coolant inlet manifold and a coolant outlet opening located on the coolant outlet manifold.

Energy storage pack

A vortex separator includes: a housing having a cylindrical chamber therein; an inlet through a mantle of the cylindrical chamber, the inlet positioned at a proximal end of the housing; a pipe that enters the housing at the proximal end and extends axially through the cylindrical chamber toward a distal end of the housing which is closed; an outlet through the mantle, the outlet positioned at the distal end; and a catch basin at the outlet.

Energy storage container with vortex separator

A battery cell design is disclosed that provides a predictable pathway through a portion of the cell (e.g., the cell cap assembly) for the efficient release of the thermal energy that occurs during thermal runaway, thereby reducing the chances of a rupture in an undesirable location. Furthermore the disclosed design maintains the functionality of the cell cap as the positive terminal of the cell, thereby having minimal impact on the manufacturability of the cell as well as its use in a variety of applications.

Battery cap assembly with high efficiency vent

A method for automatically charging the battery pack of an electric vehicle in accordance with a set of location sensitive charging instructions is provided. Exemplary location sensitive charging instructions include preset charging schedules and preset charge level limits. Different charging schedules and different charge level limits may be preset for different charging stations and locations, thus allowing the user to preset the charging instructions for each of multiple locations where the user routinely charges their car. Default charging instructions are used at those charging stations and locations where a set of location sensitive charging instructions has not been preset.

Location based charging control of electric vehicle

A method includes: assembling a thermal-exchange tube in a module housing for an energy storage pack; assembling cells in the module housing, wherein the thermal-exchange tube runs between rows of the cells; applying an adhesive that affixes the cells and the thermal-exchange tube to the module housing; curing a first portion of the adhesive by radiation, wherein a second portion of the adhesive is shielded from the radiation by the cells or the thermal-exchange tube; and curing at least the second portion of the adhesive by a chemical cure mechanism.

Cell module assemblies

A system and method for identifying and responding to exceptional charge events of series-connected energy storage elements.

Transient detection of an exceptional charge event in a series connected battery element

A method for charging at least one lithium ion cell the method includes: (a) applying, to the lithium ion cell, a constant first stage charging current until a first stage charging voltage is about equal to a first stage complete voltage less than a maximum cell voltage, the constant first stage charging current greater than about 1C; and thereafter (b) applying multiple constant second stage charging currents to the lithium ion cell at different current levels, wherein the constant second stage charging currents are applied based on accessing a lookup table that relates at least current, temperature and open source voltage to each other; and thereafter (c) applying, to the lithium ion cell, a constant third stage charging voltage about equal to a complete voltage from the multiple constant second stage charging currents.

Fast charging of battery using adjustable voltage control

A system and method for identifying and responding to exceptional charge events of series-connected energy storage elements can include: a first charge imbalance detection system monitoring, using the microprocessor, the energy storage system for a charge imbalance using a first detection modality, said first charge imbalance detection system initiating a reduction of said charge imbalance using a first response modality; a second charge imbalance detection system monitoring, using the microprocessor, the energy storage system for an exceptional charge event of a particular one battery element of the plurality of battery elements using a second detection modality different from said first detection modality; and a remediation system initiating a response to said exceptional charge event using a second response modality different from said first response modality, said response decreasing a risk associated with said exceptional charge event.

Response to detection of an overcharge event in a series connected battery element

A controller identifies a condition of a hazardous internal short by comparing patterns of series element voltages to the last known balance condition of the series elements. If the loaded or resting voltage of one or more contiguous series elements uniformly drop from the previously known condition by an amount consistent with an over-current condition, an over-current internal short circuit fault is registered. The desired response is to prevent the affected series elements from heating to a hazardous temperature by summoning the maximum heat rejection capability of the system until the short ceases and the affected elements cool, the cooling function is no longer able to operate due to low voltage, or the affected series string has drained all of its energy through the short. Also includes are responses that allow the battery pack to continue to power the cooling system even though it may enter an over-discharged state.

Response to over-current in a battery pack

Growing community of inventors

Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Scott Ira Kohn