Patents by Inventor Michael W. Degner

Michael W. Degner 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).

  • Publication number: 20240162519
    Abstract: A power module, such as a power module of a traction powertrain of an electrified vehicle, includes a power module cell arranged in a stack that defines a coolant supply manifold and a coolant return manifold. The power module cell includes a power stage having a substrate. The substrate includes first microchannels configured to input coolant from the supply manifold and impeded from outputting coolant to the return manifold, second microchannels configured to output coolant to the return manifold and impeded from inputting coolant from the supply manifold, and third microchannels crisscrossing and connecting the first and second microchannels in fluid communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Man Prakash Gupta, Alfredo R. Munoz, Michael W. Degner, Zhuxian Xu
  • Publication number: 20240155817
    Abstract: A vehicle power module assembly including first and second power modules is provided. The first power module may include a first lock feature extending from a lower portion of a first minor side at a first central axis. The second power module may include a second lock feature at an upper portion of a second minor side at a second central axis. The lock features may be sized for interlock with one another to secure the power modules to one another. The first lock feature may be a loop element defining a through-hole and the second lock feature may be a wedge. The through-hole may be sized for the wedge to extend therein and to interlock the first power module and the second power module to one another. The first lock feature may be a flexible hook element and the second lock feature may be a slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2024
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Akash Changarankumarath Pradeepkumar, Alfredo R. Munoz, Michael W. Degner, Edward Chan-Jiun Jih, Guangyin Lei
  • Publication number: 20240149700
    Abstract: A controller, while parameters are indicative of electromagnetic interference exceeding a predetermined value, generates voltage reference vectors or duty cycle commands such that differences between switching times of any two phases of an inverter are always greater than a threshold, and while the parameters are indicative of the electromagnetic interference being less than the predetermined value, generates the voltage reference vectors or duty cycle commands such that the differences are sometimes greater than the threshold and other times less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Yue Nie, Christopher Wolf, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11979068
    Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor core lamination. The rotor core lamination includes a first metal alloy that at least partially defines adjacent magnet pockets proximate an outer periphery of the rotor core lamination. The rotor core lamination further includes a second metal alloy different than the first metal alloy that forms at least a portion of a bridge that extends between the magnet pockets. The rotor core lamination further includes permanent magnets disposed in the magnet pockets at opposing sides of the second metal alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Leyi Zhu, Michael W. Degner, Feng Liang
  • Publication number: 20240143043
    Abstract: A desktop computing system having at least a central core surrounded by housing having a shape that defines a volume in which the central core resides is described. The housing includes a first opening and a second opening axially displaced from the first opening. The first opening having a size and shape in accordance with an amount of airflow used as a heat transfer medium for cooling internal components, the second opening defined by a lip that engages a portion of the airflow in such a way that at least some of the heat transferred to the air flow from the internal components is passed to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Eugene A. Whang, Christopher J. Stringer, Brett W. Degner, David H. Narajowski, Patrick Kessler, Eric R. Prather, Caitlin Elizabeth Kalinowski, Adam T. Stagnaro, Daniel L. McBroom, Matthew P. Casebolt, Michael D. McBroom
  • Patent number: 11971759
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing that defines an internal volume. The electronic device can also include a component within the internal volume that divides the internal volume into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume and second volume can be fluidically isolated except at an aperture defined by the component. An air-moving system can produce a positive air pressure in the first volume and a negative air pressure in the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Eric R. Prather, Michael E. Leclerc
  • Publication number: 20240127642
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory, and the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive time-series data from sensors of a vehicle, determine an efficiency of the vehicle, and determine a probability of a fault occurring in the vehicle based on the time-series data and on the efficiency. The efficiency is energy consumption by the vehicle per distance traveled by the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Wolf, Nicholas B. Chase, Michael W. Degner
  • Publication number: 20240128907
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an electric drive system for an electric or hybrid vehicle is described. In one example, the drive system is operated by suppling a pulsed torque current command while supplying a zero flux current command. The torque current command and the flux current command make up winding current commands for an electric machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Yingfeng Ji, Yang Xu, Michael W. Degner, Jiyao Wang
  • Publication number: 20240116377
    Abstract: An electric drive system is actively controlled while an electrified vehicle is being towed. The inverter switches are manipulated to preclude exceeding a maximum voltage of a DC bus and also to preclude exceeding a maximum phase current magnitude. During a transition from an inverter off state to a short-circuit state, field-oriented control is utilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Ji Wu, Yang Xu, Michael W. Degner, Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 11955851
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core defining slots and a first hairpin assembly installed in the stator core. The first hairpin assembly includes first and second same hairpins, each having first and second ends and separately coated to have first and second outer coating surfaces, respectively. The hairpin assembly is in first and second ones of the slots such that the first and second outer surfaces are touching. A weld material joins the first ends and another weld material joins the second ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Feng Liang, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11951865
    Abstract: A method for managing energy for a building includes connecting a power line of the building to a battery of a vehicle via a charger; responsive to occurrence of a power outage, supplying electric energy to the building from the battery and from an energy storage separate from the vehicle; and instructing the vehicle to recharge the battery and return to the building at a predefined time before stored energy of the energy storage falls below a predefined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11948733
    Abstract: A method of processing an anisotropic permanent magnet includes forming anisotropic flakes from a hulk magnet alloy, each of the anisotropic flakes having an easy magnetization direction with respect to a surface of the flake and combining the anisotropic flakes with a binder to form a mixture. The method further includes extruding or rolling the mixture without applying a magnetic field such that the easy magnetization directions of the anisotropic flakes align to form one or more layers having a magnetization direction aligned with the easy magnetization directions of the anisotropic flakes, and producing the anisotropic permanent magnet from the layers having the magnetization direction such that the anisotropic permanent magnet has a magnetization with a specific orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Wanfeng Li, Chuanbing Rong, Franco Leonardi, Michael W. Degner
  • Publication number: 20240100984
    Abstract: An energy facility, such as a charge station operable for charging electrified vehicles, includes a controller. The controller selects from a group of energy management solutions which achieve favorable energy management activities with a same price of operation of the energy facility, an energy management solution resulting in favorable energy management results soonest. The controller controls the energy facility according to the selected energy management solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lan Yu, Michael W. Degner
  • Publication number: 20240094024
    Abstract: Location-synchronous averaging of connected vehicle data is provided. Connected vehicle data, including events occurring to a plurality of vehicles driving along roadways and location coordinates at which the respective events occurred, is aggregated. A kernel density estimation is performed to smoothly aggregate neighboring event counts. The locations of conditions along the roadways are indicated as being where the aggregate neighboring event counts have a value over a predefined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher WOLF, Michael W. DEGNER
  • Patent number: 11923738
    Abstract: A vehicle electric machine includes a stator core having an inner diameter defining a plurality of slots, an outer diameter, and a plurality of mounting ears disposed radially outboard of the outer diameter. At least one of the mounting ears defines a cooling channel extending in an axial direction of the stator core. A radial distance between a center of the stator core and the cooling channel is greater than a radial distance between the center and the outer diameter. The machine further includes windings having portions disposed in the slots and end windings adjacent to an end face of the stator core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Franco Leonardi, Michael W. Degner, Prasad Dev Hanumalagutti
  • Patent number: 11920224
    Abstract: A magnet structure includes columnar grains of rare earth permanent magnet phase aligned in a same direction and arranged to form bulk anisotropic rare earth alloy magnet having a boundary defined by opposite ends of the columnar grains and lacking triple junction regions, and rare earth alloy diffused onto opposite ends of the bulk anisotropic rare earth alloy magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wanfeng Li, Feng Liang, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11923133
    Abstract: Permanent magnets and method of making the same are provided. The magnets include a magnetic layer having an insulation layer disposed thereon. The insulation layer is formed via additive manufacturing techniques such as laser melting such that that it has discrete phases including a magnetic phase and an insulating phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wanfeng Li, Franco Leonardi, Michael W. Degner
  • Publication number: 20240071666
    Abstract: Permanent magnets and method of making the same are provided. The magnets include a magnetic layer having an insulation layer disposed thereon. The insulation layer is formed via additive manufacturing techniques such as laser melting such that that it has discrete phases including a magnetic phase and an insulating phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Wanfeng Li, Franco Leonardi, Michael W. Degner
  • Publication number: 20240055168
    Abstract: Magnets having various portions of different densities and resistivities are disclosed. In a refinement, the various portions may have the same composition but different physical structures. Unique dies may be used to during processing, such as during sintering to manufacture the magnets. The die may include conductive and non-conductive surfaces that contact the green magnetic powder mixture during sintering such that the electrical current applied to the magnetic powder mixture is managed by the conductive and non-conductive surfaces to provide unique and complex magnets. Methods of manufacturing the magnets with the dies such as field assisted sintering, i.e., spark plasma sintering, are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Wanfeng Li, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11889667
    Abstract: A vehicle power module assembly including first and second power modules is provided. The first power module may include a first lock feature extending from a lower portion of a first minor side at a first central axis. The second power module may include a second lock feature at an upper portion of a second minor side at a second central axis. The lock features may be sized for interlock with one another to secure the power modules to one another. The first lock feature may be a loop element defining a through-hole and the second lock feature may be a wedge. The through-hole may be sized for the wedge to extend therein and to interlock the first power module and the second power module to one another. The first lock feature may be a flexible hook element and the second lock feature may be a slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Akash Changarankumarath Pradeepkumar, Alfredo R. Munoz, Michael W. Degner, Edward Chan-Jiun Jih, Guangyin Lei