Patents by Inventor Steven F. Chorian

Steven F. Chorian 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).

  • Patent number: 9397328
    Abstract: A traction battery assembly is provided including a support member, two battery cells, a busbar, and a segmented busbar holder. The battery cells include adjacent terminals at differing heights relative to the support member. The busbar is attached to the terminals. The segmented busbar holder includes adjacent panels configured to cover and orient the busbar relative to the terminals. The panels are also configured to move relative to one another such that the holder accommodates the differing heights of the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
  • Patent number: 9318751
    Abstract: A traction battery thermal plate assembly may include a structure having edge portions defining a cavity and configured to support a battery cell array, a thermal plate disposed within the cavity and adjacent to the array, and a spring assembly disposed within the cavity between the structure and the plate. The spring assembly may be configured to exert a force against the plate such that plate contacts the array to transfer heat between the array and the plate. The thermal plate disposed within the cavity may be below the array. The spring assembly may include a body defining a plurality of tabs configured to extend outward from a plane defined by the body. The spring assembly may include a base portion and an upper portion configured to support one or more compression springs therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Patrick Daniel Maguire
  • Patent number: 9291405
    Abstract: A cooling system may be operable to cool a battery pack or other device through a heat exchange operation supported, at least in part, with cycling of a coolant relative to a coldplate or other thermally conducting surface of the device and/or attached thereto. The system may include a coldplate operable to exchange heat with a battery pack; and a coolant tank operable to exchange heat with the coldplate, the tank having a channel for directing a coolant flow in a direction from an inlet of the tank to at least one outlet of the tank and an inlet accumulator between the inlet and a beginning of the channel, wherein the inlet accumulator is wider along the coolant flow direction than the channel and the inlet and having a sloped side leading towards the channel configured to pool the coolant flow prior to entry into the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sai K. Pentapati, Bhaskara Boddakayala, Vineeth Seshadri Kallur, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Steven F. Chorian, Josephine S. Lee, Edward Vann Decker
  • Publication number: 20160064783
    Abstract: A vehicle traction battery heat sink includes a first fin having a cell contact portion in thermal contact with a plurality of battery cells. The first fin also includes a connector portion extending from the cell contact portion. The heat sink further includes a thermal plate in thermal contact with the connector portion and a thermal agent circulated within the thermal plate. The heat sink allows heat generated by the plurality of battery cells to be transferred through the fin to the thermal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Steven F. CHORIAN, George Albert GARFINKEL, Dhanunjay VEJALLA, Sai K. PERUMALLA, Steven DROSTE
  • Patent number: 9203068
    Abstract: A battery pack for a vehicle may include a cell array defining an upper surface and a housing defining a raised portion extending along and above a length of the array such that the raised portion and upper surface define a vent manifold therebetween which may be configured to collect gases generated by the array. The housing may define a discharge opening configured to allow gases to exit the manifold. A pair of end plates may be disposed at opposing ends of the array. One of the end plates may define a pass through portion in at least partial registration with the discharge opening. An outlet tube may be configured to facilitate fluid communication between the vent manifold and exterior of the vehicle. The battery pack may also include spacers located between upper edges of adjacent cells and may be configured to prevent cooling gases from entering the vent manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Utley, Saravanan Paramasivam, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Steven F. Chorian, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran, John Peter Bilezikjian, Hari Addanki, Debbi Callicoat
  • Patent number: 9196930
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle battery pack having battery cells with an integral control circuit configured to communicate with a battery energy control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Jeffrey William Miller
  • Publication number: 20150280291
    Abstract: A traction battery thermal plate assembly may include a structure having edge portions defining a cavity and configured to support a battery cell array, a thermal plate disposed within the cavity and adjacent to the array, and a spring assembly disposed within the cavity between the structure and the plate. The spring assembly may be configured to exert a force against the plate such that plate contacts the array to transfer heat between the array and the plate. The thermal plate disposed within the cavity may be below the array. The spring assembly may include a body defining a plurality of tabs configured to extend outward from a plane defined by the body. The spring assembly may include a base portion and an upper portion configured to support one or more compression springs therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Patrick Daniel Maguire
  • Publication number: 20150207126
    Abstract: A traction battery assembly is provided including a support member, two battery cells, a busbar, and a segmented busbar holder. The battery cells include adjacent terminals at differing heights relative to the support member. The busbar is attached to the terminals. The segmented busbar holder includes adjacent panels configured to cover and orient the busbar relative to the terminals. The panels are also configured to move relative to one another such that the holder accommodates the differing heights of the terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
  • Patent number: 9007031
    Abstract: A power source is electrically connected with a battery and an electrical load. The power source has an output voltage and provides current for the battery and electrical load. A charging voltage for the battery is determined based on temperature of the battery. An offset voltage is determined based on the provided current to the battery. The output voltage is determined based on the charging and offset voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Patent number: 8968912
    Abstract: A battery module assembly and method of assembling a battery. The battery module assembly includes a plurality of modules in which a plurality of battery cells are preassembled. The modules are compressed by end plates that are held together under compression by a plurality of linking members. The end plates may include a protrusion that applies pressure to the central portion of the battery cells within the modules. The central portion of the end plates may be partially spherical, partially cylindrical or a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Daniel Maguire, Giriraj Srinivasan, Steven F. Chorian, Kanchana Pentapati
  • Patent number: 8924056
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for balancing a storage battery for an automotive vehicle. The battery is of the type including a plurality of storage cells. The system includes a thermoelectric device and a controller. The thermoelectric device receives thermal energy and converts the thermal energy into electric energy. The controller determines a subset of the storage cells in the battery to be charged based on an amount of electric charge in each of the storage cells. Furthermore, the controller causes the electric energy to be distributed to each storage cell in the subset in an effort to balance the battery in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Jin Wang
  • Publication number: 20140205870
    Abstract: A battery pack for a vehicle may include a cell array defining an upper surface and a housing defining a raised portion extending along and above a length of the array such that the raised portion and upper surface define a vent manifold therebetween which may be configured to collect gases generated by the array. The housing may define a discharge opening configured to allow gases to exit the manifold. A pair of end plates may be disposed at opposing ends of the array. One of the end plates may define a pass through portion in at least partial registration with the discharge opening. An outlet tube may be configured to facilitate fluid communication between the vent manifold and exterior of the vehicle. The battery pack may also include spacers located between upper edges of adjacent cells and may be configured to prevent cooling gases from entering the vent manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brian Utley, Saravanan Paramasivam, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Steven F. Chorian, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran, John Peter Bilezikjian, Hari Addanki, Debbi Callicoat
  • Patent number: 8718862
    Abstract: A method performed by a vehicle computing system includes detecting the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition and determining one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor. The method also includes accessing a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions. The method further includes electronically presenting the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Gwozdek, Matthew Roger DeDona, James A. Lathrop, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran, Karin Lovett, Steven F. Chorian
  • Publication number: 20130164592
    Abstract: A battery module assembly and method of assembling a battery. The battery module assembly includes a plurality of modules in which a plurality of battery cells are preassembled. The modules are compressed by end plates that are held together under compression by a plurality of linking members. The end plates may include a protrusion that applies pressure to the central portion of the battery cells within the modules. The central portion of the end plates may be partially spherical, partially cylindrical or a flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Daniel Maguire, Giriraj Srinivasan, Steven F. Chorian, Kanchana Pentapati
  • Publication number: 20130034767
    Abstract: A cooling system operable to cool a battery pack or other device through a heat exchange operation supported, at least in part, with cycling of a coolant relative to a coldplate or other thermally conducting surface of the device and/or attached thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sai K. Pentapati, Bhaskara Boddakayala, Vineeth Seshadri Kallur, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Steven F. Chorian, Josephine S. Lee, Edward Vann Decker
  • Publication number: 20120242144
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle battery pack having battery cells with an integral control circuit configured to communicate with a battery energy control module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Jeffrey William Miller
  • Patent number: 8259423
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes a charge port integrated with the vehicle. The charge port includes electrical contacts configured to receive electrical power from an electric grid, and a fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Roy Gale, Michael W. Degner, Steven F. Chorian, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Publication number: 20120053782
    Abstract: A method performed by a vehicle computing system includes detecting the triggering of a vehicle sensor indicating an abnormal vehicle condition and determining one or more likely abnormal vehicle conditions associated with the triggering of the sensor. The method also includes accessing a vehicle database to determine one or more pieces of information relating to the one or more abnormal vehicle conditions. The method further includes electronically presenting the one or more pieces of information to a vehicle user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Gwozdek, Matthew Roger DeDona, James A. Lathrop, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran, Karin Lovett, Steven F. Chorian
  • Patent number: 8115446
    Abstract: An energy storage system for an automotive vehicle includes a plurality of energy storage units electrically connected in series and a plurality of bi-directional energy converters each having first and second sides. Each of the first sides is electrically connected with one of the plurality of energy storage units. The system also includes another energy storage unit. The second sides of the plurality of bi-directional energy converters are electrically connected in parallel with the another energy storage unit. Each of the bi-directional energy converters is capable of transferring energy between the first and second sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Piccard, Jin Wang, Bruce Carvell Blakemore, Steven F. Chorian
  • Publication number: 20110082607
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for balancing a storage battery for an automotive vehicle. The battery is of the type including a plurality of storage cells. The system includes a thermoelectric device and a controller. The thermoelectric device receives thermal energy and converts the thermal energy into electric energy. The controller determines a subset of the storage cells in the battery to be charged based on an amount of electric charge in each of the storage cells. Furthermore, the controller causes the electric energy to be distributed to each storage cell in the subset in an effort to balance the battery in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven F. Chorian, Jin Wang