Patents Assigned to Proterra Inc.
  • Patent number: 10538231
    Abstract: The vehicle includes a powertrain having an axle having a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. A first gearbox may couple a first power source to the first drive wheel, and a second gearbox may independently couple a second power source to the second drive wheel. And, a controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the first gearbox and the second gearbox at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Simonini, Jarred Vallbracht
  • Patent number: 10518656
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Morris, Dale Hill, John Horth, Reuben Sarkar, Teresa J. Abbott, William Joseph Lord Reeves, Ryan Thomas Wiens
  • Patent number: 10505164
    Abstract: The invention provides for a high occupancy or heavy-duty vehicle with a battery propulsion power source, which may include lithium titanate batteries. The vehicle may be all-battery or may be a hybrid, and may have a composite body. The vehicle battery system may be housed within the floor of the vehicle and may have different groupings and arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Hill, Michael Walker, Shaun Onorato, Donald Morris, Stephen Misencik, John Winkel
  • Publication number: 20190351777
    Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Reuben SARKAR, Michael Alan FINNERN, Michael WALKER
  • Publication number: 20190319448
    Abstract: A battery system may include a controller and multiple parallel connected battery strings, with each string including at least one battery, a passive overcurrent protection device and an active overcurrent protection device. The passive overcurrent protection device may be configured to disconnect the string from the battery system when an electrical current in the string exceeds a first threshold value, and the active overcurrent protection device may be configured to disconnect the string from the battery system upon activation by the controller. The controller may be configured to (a) activate a first active overcurrent protection device of a first string of the multiple strings at a first time, and (b) activate a second active overcurrent protection device of a second string of the multiple strings at a second time different from the first time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventor: Brian PEVEAR
  • Patent number: 10442301
    Abstract: A method of charging an electric vehicle at a charging station includes electrically connecting the charging station to the vehicle. The charging station may be configured to charge the vehicle using a charging station charge protocol and the vehicle may be configured to receive the charge using a vehicle charge protocol. The vehicle receives a signal indicative of the charging station charge protocol and selects the vehicle charge protocol based on this signal. The vehicle is then charged using the selected vehicle charge protocol. While selecting, the vehicle may select one charge protocol from multiple charge protocols supported by the vehicle to match the charging station charge protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Gerber, Seamus T. McGrath, Roger A. Innes, Timothy J. McCartney, Keyur M. Shah
  • Patent number: 10384553
    Abstract: Systems and methods for charging an electric bus having a charging interface on its roof may include determining that an approaching bus is supposed to be charged at the charging station, lowering the charging head of the charging station to land on the roof of the bus, and moving the bus with the charge head on its roof to engage the charging head with the charging interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Reuben Sarkar, Michael Alan Finnern, Michael Walker
  • Patent number: 10377251
    Abstract: An electric vehicle charging system includes a charging interface positioned on an external surface of the electric vehicle and one or more electrodes positioned on the charging interface. The charging system may also include a heating system positioned on the charging interface. The heating system may be configured to heat at least a portion of the charging interface. The charging system may also include a control system configured to selectively activate the heating system based at least on one or more ambient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Seamus McGrath, Samuel Shartzer, Neeraj Chirmulay, Gordon Dollar, Keyur Shah
  • Publication number: 20190210585
    Abstract: The vehicle includes a powertrain having an axle having a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. A first gearbox may couple a first power source to the first drive wheel, and a second gearbox may independently couple a second power source to the second drive wheel. And, a controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the first gearbox and the second gearbox at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew SIMONINI, Jarred VALLBRACHT
  • Publication number: 20190210443
    Abstract: A battery system for an electric vehicle includes a first battery module with a first heater and a second battery module with a second heater. The battery system also includes a control system configured to selectively activate the first or the second heater to dissipate energy from the first or the second battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin GRACE, Brian PEVEAR
  • Publication number: 20190168623
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Donald MORRIS, Dale HILL, John HORTH, Reuben SARKAR, Teresa J. ABBOTT, William Joseph Lord REEVES, Ryan Thomas WIENS
  • Patent number: 10272758
    Abstract: A method of operating an electric vehicle having a battery system with a first battery module and a second battery module includes sending a triggering signal. And, in response to the triggering signal, selectively dissipating energy from the first battery module without dissipating energy from the second battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Grace, Brian Pevear
  • Patent number: 10272899
    Abstract: The vehicle includes a powertrain having an axle having a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. A first gearbox may couple a first power source to the first drive wheel, and a second gearbox may independently couple a second power source to the second drive wheel. And, a controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the first gearbox and the second gearbox at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Simonini, Jarred Vallbracht
  • Publication number: 20190106112
    Abstract: The power train of an electric vehicle includes an electric motor and a gearbox coupling the electric motor to a drive wheel. A controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the gearbox, and activate one or both of (a) a torque jog in electric motor, or (b) a burst of a pressurized fluid in an actuator to assist with the gear shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew SIMONINI, Jarred VALLBRACHT
  • Publication number: 20190084435
    Abstract: A method for charging an electric vehicle using charge current from a charging source. The charge current is determined based at least on the state of charge of the electric vehicle and a chemistry or type of the battery system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin GRACE, Seamus T. McGRATH
  • Patent number: 10232724
    Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Morris, Dale Hill, John Horth, Reuben Sarkar, Teresa J. Abbott, William Joseph Lord Reeves, Ryan Thomas Wiens
  • Publication number: 20190081489
    Abstract: A method of charging an electric vehicle includes receiving data indicative of the power source system voltage during charging, determining a maximum voltage limit of the power source, and setting the maximum voltage limit as the limiting voltage of the power source. The maximum voltage limit may be the maximum permissible value of the system voltage during the charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Gerber, Seamus T. McGrath, Kevin J. Siniard, Roger A. Innes
  • Publication number: 20190039592
    Abstract: The vehicle includes a powertrain having an axle having a first drive wheel and a second drive wheel. A first gearbox may couple a first power source to the first drive wheel, and a second gearbox may independently couple a second power source to the second drive wheel. And, a controller may be configured to initiate a gear shift in the first gearbox and the second gearbox at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew SIMONINI, Jarred VALLBRACHT
  • Publication number: 20190039479
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for charging a vehicle. A vehicle and charging station can be designed such that an electric or hybrid vehicle can operate in a fashion similar to a conventional vehicle by being opportunity charged throughout a known route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale Hill, Michael Walker, Joshua Goldman, John Horth
  • Publication number: 20190023153
    Abstract: A method of operating an electric vehicle having multiple electric traction motors include receiving a signal indicative of a driver requested torque, and determining portions of the torque request to produce from each traction motor based on efficiency maps of the motors. The method may also include producing the determined portions of torque from each motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Jarred VALLBRACHT, Matthew SIMONINI