Patents by Inventor Alan Paul Clarke
Alan Paul Clarke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11938796Abstract: A vehicle having an exoskeleton exterior panel that provides crash resistance is described. The exterior panel may be formed from a monolithic metal sheet and attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle frame, and the exterior panel does not comprise an additional support structure. At least one component may be directly attached to the exterior panel, and the exterior panel may bear the load of the at least one component. Methods of manufacturing the vehicle are also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2020Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Tesla, Inc.Inventors: Alan Paul Clarke, Xiaoping Cai, Lars Moravy, Ted Antony
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Publication number: 20210155086Abstract: A truck bed cover integrated in a vehicle (e.g., a truck), configured to move through an opening formed between a cab and a truck bed, and along a set of channels on the truck bed. The vehicle includes a motor engaged with the truck bed cover and configured to enable an automated movement of the truck bed cover along the set of channels. The vehicle in one embodiment is an electric truck configured to run off a battery pack stored within the electric truck. The truck bed cover includes a plurality of movable portions, the plurality of movable portions linked together in a flexible format.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: Arvind Pattabhiraman, Jared Migdal, Paul Venhovens, Greg Peer, Dhruv Kapoor, Alan Paul Clarke
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Publication number: 20210155292Abstract: A vehicle having an exoskeleton exterior panel that provides crash resistance is described. The exterior panel may be formed from a monolithic metal sheet and attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle frame, and the exterior panel does not comprise an additional support structure. At least one component may be directly attached to the exterior panel, and the exterior panel may bear the load of the at least one component. Methods of manufacturing the vehicle are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Inventors: Alan Paul Clarke, Stanley Lai, Lars Moravy
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Patent number: 9103143Abstract: A door handle assembly extends a door handle in parallel from an outer surface of a vehicle door and retracts the door handle until it is flush with the outer surface. The door handle assembly includes a door handle formed from a planar handle member and a handle base member. The planar handle member is coupled to the handle base member and a swing arm coupled to the backside of the handle base member extends and retracts the door handle. A first upper fork is rotably coupled to a backside of the handle base member near the distal portion of a first post portion and a second upper fork is rotably coupled to the backside of the handle base member near the distal portion of a second post portion. The lower dual fork portion of the swing arm pivots about a shaft mounted to an inner door surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: David Wheeler, Adam S. Kilgore, Scott P Cromwell, Daryl J. Zalan, Robert E. Mooney, Peter Dore Rawlinson, Alan Paul Clarke
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Patent number: 9045030Abstract: An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure and absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. The battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, vehicle structural members (e.g., rocker panels) located on either side of the vehicle. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2014Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Alan Paul Clarke, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Robert David Sumpf, Jr., Bruce Philip Edwards
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Publication number: 20140182958Abstract: An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure and absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. The battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, vehicle structural members (e.g., rocker panels) located on either side of the vehicle. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2014Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore RAWLINSON, Alan Paul CLARKE, Hitendra Laxmidas GADHIYA, Robert David SUMPF, Bruce Philip EDWARDS
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Patent number: 8702161Abstract: An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. A battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure also help to absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. In this configuration the battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, the side sill assemblies. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Alexi Charbonneau, Malcolm Burgess, Vivek Attaluri, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alan Paul Clarke, Peter Dore Rawlinson, Robert David Sumpf, Jr., Bruce Philip Edwards
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Patent number: 8336658Abstract: A vehicle seat mounting assembly is provided in which the seat mounts are attached to body cross-members that are, in turn, mechanically coupled to battery pack cross-members contained within a battery pack enclosure mounted under the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Alan Paul Clarke
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Patent number: 8268469Abstract: A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack. The system is comprised of a multi-sided, substantially airtight battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, where at least one side of the battery pack enclosure includes at least one cavity. An inner wall of the enclosure includes a plurality of perforations configured to pass gas from within the enclosure to the cavity within the at least one side member. The system is further comprised of at least one gas exhaust port integrated into an outer wall of the enclosure and configured to pass gas from within the cavity of the enclosure side member to the ambient environment when one or more batteries contained within the battery pack undergo thermal runaway.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2011Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Weston Arthur Hermann, Alan Paul Clarke
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Publication number: 20120161429Abstract: A vehicle seat mounting assembly is provided in which the seat mounts are attached to body cross-members that are, in turn, mechanically coupled to battery pack cross-members contained within a battery pack enclosure mounted under the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Alan Paul Clarke
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Publication number: 20120161472Abstract: An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure and absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. The battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, vehicle structural members (e.g., rocker panels) located on either side of the vehicle. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Alan Paul Clarke, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya
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Publication number: 20110174556Abstract: A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack. The system is comprised of a multi-sided, substantially airtight battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, where at least one side of the battery pack enclosure includes at least one cavity. An inner wall of the enclosure includes a plurality of perforations configured to pass gas from within the enclosure to the cavity within the at least one side member. The system is further comprised of at least one gas exhaust port integrated into an outer wall of the enclosure and configured to pass gas from within the cavity of the enclosure side member to the ambient environment when one or more batteries contained within the battery pack undergo thermal runaway.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2011Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Weston Arthur Hermann, Alan Paul Clarke