Patents Examined by James J Triggs
  • Patent number: 11970836
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile work machine, in particular to an excavator, that comprises an undercarriage having a tracked chassis, a rail mounting, or a wheeled chassis, a superstructure having an attachment fastened thereto, and a slewing ring that rotatably connects the undercarriage and the superstructure to one another. The work machine is characterized by a decentralized energy supply and/or by a decentralized supply network, preferably a DC supply network, and a slip ring for transferring electrical energy between the superstructure and the undercarriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Liebherr-Hydraulikbagger GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Bayer, Dirk Asam
  • Patent number: 11970066
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electric vehicle comprising a chassis, a front axle and a rear axle spaced apart and coupled to the chassis, and a battery frame assembly coupled to the chassis between the front axle and the rear axle. The battery frame assembly comprises a plurality of transversely extending members and a plurality of longitudinally extending members, wherein the plurality of transversely extending members and the plurality of longitudinally extending members define a matrix of battery pack receptacles configured to receive at least one battery pack. The battery frame assembly is configured to deflect torsionally in response to torsional deflection of the front axle relative to the rear axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Nikola Corporation
    Inventors: Cory Borghi, Saeid Emami, Umran Ashraf, Philipp Konold, Matthias Morath, Cihan Dere, Christian Krug
  • Patent number: 11964588
    Abstract: A battery provided in a vehicle and configured to supply electric power is cooled down by coolant the heat of which is exchanged with the heat of external air by a radiator. The radiator is provided near the battery and performs heat-exchange between the coolant and the external air taken in through introduction holes provided on a bottom face of the vehicle. Thus, even in a case where the radiator is provided in a vehicle floor portion so that the battery is upsized, it is possible to restrain a coolant pipe from being elongated. This accordingly makes it possible to improve mountability to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Watanabe, Keisuke Shibata, Kenta Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11964566
    Abstract: A refuse vehicle including a chassis a body assembly coupled to the chassis, the body assembly defining a refuse compartment, an electric energy system, and an auxiliary power system comprising a reservoir to hold a hydraulic fluid, and a hydraulic pump powered by an electric motor, wherein the hydraulic pump pressurizes the hydraulic fluid to power one or more actuators, and wherein at least one of the electric energy system or the auxiliary power system is configured to provide power to a carry can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua D. Rocholl, Derek A. Wente, John T. Kellander, Cody D. Clifton, Vincent Hoover, Zachary L. Klein, Clinton T. Weckwerth, Skylar A. Wachter, Chad Smith, Mike Bolton, Shawn Naglik
  • Patent number: 11964590
    Abstract: A battery provided in a vehicle and configured to supply electric power is cooled down by coolant the heat of which is exchanged with the heat of external air by a radiator. The radiator is provided near the battery and performs heat-exchange between the coolant and the external air taken in through introduction holes provided on a bottom face of the vehicle. Thus, even in a case where the radiator is provided in a vehicle floor portion so that the battery is upsized, it is possible to restrain a coolant pipe from being elongated. This accordingly makes it possible to improve mountability to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Watanabe, Keisuke Shibata, Kenta Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11961987
    Abstract: Described herein are battery modules and methods of fabricating thereof. In some examples, a battery module comprises an enclosure, separated into two enclosure portions and a thermal portion, positioned between the two enclosure portions. Two enclosure portions are in part defined by side walls, which can be tapered. The thermal portion comprises two thermal walls, which are operable as the bottoms of the two enclosure portions and form a thermal cavity between these thermal walls. In some examples, the enclosure is a monolithically cast component. Alternatively, the enclosure can be partially cast with one thermal wall welded thereafter to a cast subassembly. The battery module also comprises two sets of batteries, each positioned into a corresponding enclosure portion. Each battery set is interconnected with an interconnecting assembly, positioned between the battery set and the corresponding cover, for this enclosure portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Harbinger Motors Inc.
    Inventors: Phil Gow, Kenneth Kawanishi, Phillip John Weicker, Cody Rhebergen, John Henry Harris, III, Vu Phan, Michael Carl Fricke, Daniel McCarron, Deborah Bourke
  • Patent number: 11958350
    Abstract: An electric vehicle battery pack with a reinforced cover to better support vehicle cabin loads such as seat submerge loads, seat pitch loads, and the like. The cover has a number of reinforcing members affixed thereto and positioned over cross members of the battery pack frame. Loads imposed by the cabin are thus transferred to the reinforcing members and then to the rigid cross members. In this manner, battery packs of embodiments of the disclosure better support cabin loads applied thereto, improving their strength and better protecting more delicate components within the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Ajay Korada, Vignesh Sekar, Randy R. Frank, Piyush Khater
  • Patent number: 11958352
    Abstract: A retrofit mining haul truck includes a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell/battery-based powerplant in place of a carbon fuel-based powerplant. The retrofit mining haul truck includes a frame, a tray coupled to the frame, and a deck coupled to the frame forward of at least a portion of the tray. A battery system is mounted to the deck of the retrofit mining haul truck. A hydrogen storage system (HSS) is installed in an engine bay volume of the retrofit mining haul truck. The engine bay was configured to contain a combustion engine (e.g., a diesel engine) prior to retrofitting the retrofit mining haul truck. At least a portion of a fuel cell system is installed in a wheel pocket of the retrofit mining haul truck. The wheel pocket was configured to contain a diesel tank prior to retrofitting the retrofit mining haul truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: First Mode Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Sweere, Spencer M. Anunsen, Larissa Y. Kunz, Harlan Thomas Kuo, Alexis R. HUmann, David T. Gerhardt, Krunal Desai, Peter Illsley, Clara Sekowski, Sarah Balles
  • Patent number: 11958534
    Abstract: An underframe structure for a motor vehicle, the underframe structure comprising a floor (12), and at least two longitudinal side members (14) respectively disposed on each side of the floor (12); the floor (12) is divided into at least one front unit (16) and one rear unit (18) fixed to a transverse heel board (24). The underframe structure also comprises a lateral reinforcement part (26) which comprises at least one elongate body extending from the heel board towards the closest side member, the lateral reinforcement part is fixed on one side to the heel board (24), and on the other side to the front unit (16) of the floor (12) or to a side member (14) in the region of the front unit (16) of the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
    Inventors: Damien Bessette, Raymond Ma
  • Patent number: 11958349
    Abstract: A structure of an electric or hybrid vehicle includes a floor, a battery container secured beneath the floor, and a compressed foam plate arranged between the battery container and the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: RENAULT s.a.s., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sofiane Amaanan, Charles Zhang
  • Patent number: 11962154
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electric power dispatching system and an electric power dispatching method. The electric power dispatching system has a plurality of accommodating spaces, a DC bus, an AC/DC power conversion device, and an energy control center. The swappable battery pack in each accommodating space is coupled to the DC bus, and the AC/DC power conversion device is coupled between the DC bus and a power grid. The electric power dispatching method includes centrally storing a plurality of swappable battery packs from different electric vehicles; and controlling the AC/DC power conversion device and each swappable battery pack located in each accommodating space by an energy control center to designate a part of the swappable battery packs located in the accommodating spaces to participate in a first power dispatch task so as to provide power dispatch to the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Chih-Chan Ger
  • Patent number: 11951822
    Abstract: A battery carrier having a trough formed from shaped sheet metal, which has at least one trough side wall and a trough bottom connected to the trough side wall, a plurality of support profiles provided in the trough and affixed to the trough, at least one battery pack, which is affixed to at least two support profiles extending adjacent to the battery pack, a lid, which is detachably connected to said trough, and a heat exchanger, which is thermally connected to the battery pack and has at least one flow channel for a liquid. In order to enable a simple design and simple assembly and maintenance, it is proposed for the lid to form the heat exchanger, wherein the battery pack is arranged at a distance from the trough bottom and the trough bottom is permanently connected to the trough side wall or embodied of one piece with it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: voestalpine Metal Forming GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Wiemann, Michael Haslmayr, Matthias Stumvoll, Claudio Canalini
  • Patent number: 11951872
    Abstract: A battery provided in a vehicle and configured to supply electric power is cooled down by coolant the heat of which is exchanged with the heat of external air by a radiator. The radiator is provided near the battery and performs heat-exchange between the coolant and the external air taken in through introduction holes provided on a bottom face of the vehicle. Thus, even in a case where the radiator is provided in a vehicle floor portion so that the battery is upsized, it is possible to restrain a coolant pipe from being elongated. This accordingly makes it possible to improve mountability to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Watanabe, Keisuke Shibata, Kenta Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11955650
    Abstract: An embodiment battery-mounting structure includes a side sill, a mounting bracket connected to the side sill, the mounting bracket being deformable by external force, a connecting member coupled to the mounting bracket and spaced apart from the side sill by a predetermined distance, and a battery assembly including a side flange coupled to the connecting member, the battery assembly being configured to receive a high-voltage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seung Won An
  • Patent number: 11951847
    Abstract: A battery box for an electric vehicle includes an Al casting that extends between and joins to a BIW or chassis rails of the electric vehicle. The Al casting includes a bottom wall, a side wall with a pair of rails that are securely attached to the BIW or chassis rails of the vehicle, and a plurality of cross members. The bottom wall, the side wall, and the plurality of cross members define a structural enclosure with a plurality of battery compartments and at least one crush zone, and the structural enclosure is load bearing member of the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rohit Telukunta, Steven Frank, Adam Weyrauch, Michael J. Gardynik
  • Patent number: 11955651
    Abstract: A power battery pack includes: a pack body; a plurality of cells, disposed in the pack body; the cell having a length L0, a width H0, and a thickness D0, where at least one cell meets: L0>H0?D0, a length direction of the cell is arranged along a width direction of a vehicle body of the electric vehicle, and in the width direction of the electric vehicle, the length L0 of the cell and a size W of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle in the width direction meet: 46%?L0/W?76%; or at least one cell meets: L0>H0?D0, a length direction of the cell is arranged along a length direction of a vehicle body of the electric vehicle, and in the length direction of the electric vehicle, the length L0 of the cell and a size X of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle in the length direction meet: 40%?L0/W?76%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Long He, Huajun Sun, Wenfeng Jiang, Zhipei Lu, Weixin Zheng, Jianglong Tang, Yan Zhu, Xinyue Wang, Kefeng He
  • Patent number: 11952039
    Abstract: An electric-vehicle frame includes a mid-section and an end section. The mid-section has first and second frame rails spaced from each other by a first distance along a cross-vehicle axis defining a battery compartment therebetween. The end-section has first and second frame rails spaced from each other by a second distance along the cross-vehicle axis smaller than the first distance. A first connector is fixed to the first frame rail of the mid-section and to the first frame rail of the end-section. A second connector is fixed to the second frame rail of the mid-section and to the second frame rail of the end-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ajay Kumar Gupta, Leonard Anthony Shaner, Yu Liu, John Wesley Stanley, Yu-Kan Hu, Fungtai Charles Ko, Petros Frantzeskakis
  • Patent number: 11949080
    Abstract: Described herein are battery packs and electric vehicles using these packs. In some examples, a battery pack comprises two portions/covers and a set of battery modules positioned within the enclosed cavity formed by these portions. A battery pack may comprise a set of pressure-relief valves positioned in and protruding through a wall of at least one portion. Each valve can be coaxial with a corresponding gap provided between two adjacent modules. The valve is configured to provide a fluid path (to the exterior of the battery pack) when the pressure inside the pack exceeds a set threshold. In some examples, the battery pack comprises an inlet tube fluidically coupled to the inlet port of each module and an outlet tube fluidically coupled to the outlet port of each module. A set of specially configured orifices or controllable valves is positioned on the fluid path through each module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Harbinger Motors Inc.
    Inventors: Phil Gow, Kenneth Kawanishi, Phillip John Weicker, Cody Rhebergen, John Henry Harris, III, Vu Phan, Michael Carl Fricke, Daniel McCarron, Deborah Bourke
  • Patent number: 11944577
    Abstract: A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a floor surface. The patient transport apparatus comprises a support structure and support wheels coupled to the support structure. An auxiliary wheel is coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient transport apparatus over the floor surface to assist users. An actuator is operatively coupled to the auxiliary wheel and operable to move the auxiliary wheel relative to the support structure from a retracted position to a deployed position. A user interface sensor is operatively connected to the actuator and configured to generate signals responsive to the user touching the user interface. A controller is operatively coupled to the user interface sensor and the actuator to operate the actuator in response to detection of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Anish Paul, Richard A. Derenne, Fanqi Meng, Krishna Sandeep Bhimavarapu, Jeffrey Alan Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11945339
    Abstract: An energy management system for a towed vehicle includes an energy harvesting system for harvesting electrical energy from the energy of the towed vehicle, an energy storage system for storing the harvested electrical energy, and a computer controller for controlling the release of the stored electrical energy to one or more components of the towed vehicle for operating the towed vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventors: Andrew Huett, Senoll Kaptan