Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc.

A123 Systems LLC

Trw Limited

Kelsey-hayes Company

Timothy E Hughes

Dennis W Burnard

Steven J Anderson

Arfan Ahmad

Steven Kmenta

James Gregory Stanley

Mike Blossfeld

Jason Davis

James A Campbell

Brian T Seymour

Robert Dickie

Dion Parker

Paolo Rea

David E Collins

David Allen

Kevin Martus

Douglas Lewin

Michael Shenberger

Lingchang Wang

R Mark Uzel

Jerry Gohl

The following description relates to systems and methods for a vehicle battery. The vehicle battery may be a Lithium-ion battery, and may comprise a plurality of prismatic shaped battery cells, arranged and stacked to form a series of battery cell groups, and where protective casings or partitioned chambers of a protective casing enclose each battery cell group. The protective casings, or component segments of a protective casing, may be coupled to one another by a series of ridges and mating grooves. A protective casing may alternatively comprise of a monolithic extrusion comprising a plurality of partitioned chambers. The protective casing may be configured to absorb a threshold compressive force without resulting in deformation of the battery cell groups.

Battery crush protection system

A starter battery is provided comprising a plurality of pouch-type prismatic cells stacked to form an array and configured to output a voltage sufficient to start a vehicle engine. The starter battery further includes a housing configured to contain the array wherein the housing includes a tray and a lid attached with the tray such that the housing provides a compressive force sufficient to prevent cell delamination and to constrain expansion or swelling of the cells during operation.

Vehicle starter battery

A battery is provided comprising a plurality of cylindrical type cells. Three cylindrical cells may be arranged in a triangular configuration with an electrical isolation spacer positioned between the three cylindrical cells, and a casing may be wrapped around the cells to restrict relative movement of the cells forming a cell group. Multiple cells groups, separated by electrical isolation spacers, may be electrically coupled via bus bars and arranged to form a cell module, where multiple cell modules may be included in the battery, and where the cell modules may be electrically coupled via inter-module connectors.

Battery module system

A control unit having a circuit substrate mounted within a housing that is adapted to be mounted upon a hydraulic valve body with a coil spacer mounted upon said substrate. The coil spacer including at least one coil support ring having resilient member extending in a radial direction from the edge of the ring into the center of the ring. The control unit also including a solenoid coil and flux casing assembly mounted upon the coil spacer ring with the solenoid coil and flux casing assembly flexing the resilient member such that the resilient member urges flux casing away from the coil spacer.

Control unit for vehicle brake system

The apparatus ( ) includes a depressible member ( ), a first membrane ( ), and a second membrane ( ). The depressible member ( ) has an unactuated condition and an actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) is connected with the depressible member ( ). The first membrane ( ) resists movement of the depressible member ( ) from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) further provides an increasing return force ( ) urging the depressible member ( ) to the unactuated condition as the operator moves the depressible member from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The second membrane ( ) resists movement of the depressible member ( ) to the actuated condition. The second membrane ( ) further provides an increasing return force ( ) to the depressible member ( ) as the operator moves the depressible member from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) initially acts alone and then acts simultaneously with the second membrane ( ), and the membranes ( ) provide a tactile sensation to the operator due to a reduction in the combined forces applied to the depressible member ( ) by the first and second membranes.

Multi-stage push button switch apparatus

A manually movable switch selector (,) includes a rotary knob (,) and a thumb wheel (,). The rotary knob (,) is configured for rotation about a first axis (,). The thumb wheel (,) is supported on the rotary knob (,) for rotation relative to the rotary knob (,) about a second axis (,) perpendicular to the first axis (,).

Manually movable switch selector including both a rotary knob and a thumb wheel

A variable resistance weight sensor incorporates a plurality of force sensitive resistance elements disposed between a pair of force distributing plates. One of the force distributing plates incorporates an associated plurality of protrusions for transferring, in cooperation with the second force distributing plate, an associated component of the compressive load to the associated force sensitive resistive element, whereby the resulting resistance of the force sensitive resistive element is inversely related to the magnitude of the associated compressive load component. The force sensitive resistive elements are interconnected in series, whereby a signal processor measures the applied load from the associated series resistance. A diode connected in parallel with the series combination of force sensitive resistive elements provides a means for diagnosing the sensor.

Seat weight sensor

An inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a plastic housing encased in fiber windings that is rupturable upon the production of a predetermined combustion gas pressure internally of the housing to effect venting of the gases into the air bag and inflation thereof.

Rupturable plastic housing for an air bag inflator

An inflator for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system comprises a housing with an arcuate stress concentration groove therein of reduced cross section relative to the remainder of the housing whereby the groove ruptures upon the occurrence of a predetermined pressure internally of the housing.

Overpressure regulating airbag inflator

A system for mounting an airbag and airbag inflator comprises an airbag inflator having a plurality of clips that are engagable with a mounting plate. The airbag is interposed between the inflator and the mounting plate when the clips on the inflator are engaged with the mounting plate so as to support the airbag and seal the interface between the inflator and mounting plate. Gas flow incident to deflation of the airbag is vented through the mounting plate.

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Timothy E Hughes