Patents by Inventor Alexi Charbonneau
Alexi Charbonneau 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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Publication number: 20200369140Abstract: Vehicle platforms, and systems, subsystems, and components thereof are described. A self-contained vehicle platform or chassis incorporating substantially all of the functional systems, subsystems and components (e.g., mechanical, electrical, structural, etc.) necessary for an operative vehicle. Functional components may include at least energy storage/conversion, propulsion, suspension and wheels, steering, crash protection, and braking systems. Functional components are standardized such that vehicle platforms may be interconnected with a variety of vehicle body designs (also referred to in the art as “top hats”) with minimal or no modification to the functional linkages (e.g., mechanical, structural, electrical, etc.) therebetween. Configurations of functional components are incorporated within the vehicle platform such that there is minimal or no physical overlap between the functional components and the area defined by the vehicle body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: Canoo Inc.Inventors: Daniel McCarron, Alexi Charbonneau, William Rohr, Charles Garmel, Felix Haeusler, Nathaniel Rosso, John Mason, Mayurkumar Agrawal, Phillip Weicker, Sohel Merchant, Naesung Lyu, Michael Ang, Jeffrey Walsh
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Patent number: 8960781Abstract: A vehicle rocker panel is provided that is extruded as a single piece. As extruded, the rocker panel may include one or more interior reinforcing walls as well as interior and exterior design features.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2011Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Michael John Baldwin, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau
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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: 8696051Abstract: An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill assembly 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. The collapsible side sill assembly includes a side sill insert, the insert divided into a collapsible portion designed to absorb impact energy and a reacting portion designed to distribute the impact energy to the vehicle cross-members.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Alexi Charbonneau, Malcolm Burgess, Vivek Attaluri, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya
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Patent number: 8585131Abstract: A rear structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of single piece rear torque boxes; (ii) a pair of rocker panels mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; (iii) a pair of rear rails mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; and (iv) at least one cross-member interposed between and mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau
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Patent number: 8573683Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails (i.e., front left hand rail and front right hand rail) spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, where one end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to the vehicle's bumper and the other end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to a torque box, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel, and where the upper and lower channels share a common wall; and (ii) a pair of rail reinforcement members, where one rail reinforcement member is mechanically mounted within each front rail, and where a plurality of features corresponding to each reinforcement member determines how the rails react to front impact loads.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau, Nils Petter Winberg
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Patent number: 8567855Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails (i.e., front left hand rail and front right hand rail) spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel with the upper and lower channels sharing a common wall; and (ii) a pair of bumper mounting plates, where one bumper mounting plate is interposed between the end portion of each channel of each rail and the vehicle's bumper, and where each bumper mounting plate aligns the upper rail channels with the vehicle's bumper while transferring impact loads to both the upper and lower rail channels.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau, Nils Petter Winberg
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Patent number: 8448966Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including a single piece shock tower and an upper control arm, where the front coupling of the upper control arm is attached to the shock tower at a location directly above a corresponding surface of the shock tower such that the front coupling is exposed from above, and where the rear coupling of the upper control arm is attached to the shock tower at a location directly below a corresponding surface of the shock tower such that the rear coupling is unexposed from above.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau
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Publication number: 20120175899Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails (i.e., front left hand rail and front right hand rail) spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, where one end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to the vehicle's bumper and the other end portion of each rail is mechanically coupled to a torque box, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel, and where the upper and lower channels share a common wall; and (ii) a pair of rail reinforcement members, where one rail reinforcement member is mechanically mounted within each front rail, and where a plurality of features corresponding to each reinforcement member determines how the rails react to front impact loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2011Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Nils Petter Winberg, Alexi Charbonneau
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Publication number: 20120175898Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of front rails (i.e., front left hand rail and front right hand rail) spaced apart in a widthwise direction with each rail extending lengthwise, and where each rail is comprised of a polygonal-shaped upper hollow channel and a polygonal-shaped lower hollow channel with the upper and lower channels sharing a common wall; and (ii) a pair of bumper mounting plates, where one bumper mounting plate is interposed between the end portion of each channel of each rail and the vehicle's bumper, and where each bumper mounting plate aligns the upper rail channels with the vehicle's bumper while transferring impact loads to both the upper and lower rail channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2011Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau, Nils Petter Winberg
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Publication number: 20120169023Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including a single piece shock tower and an upper control arm, where the front coupling of the upper control arm is attached to the shock tower at a location directly above a corresponding surface of the shock tower such that the front coupling is exposed from above, and where the rear coupling of the upper control arm is attached to the shock tower at a location directly below a corresponding surface of the shock tower such that the rear coupling is unexposed from above.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau
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Publication number: 20120169089Abstract: A rear structure for a vehicle is provided, the structure including (i) a pair of single piece rear torque boxes; (ii) a pair of rocker panels mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; (iii) a pair of rear rails mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes; and (iv) at least one cross-member interposed between and mechanically coupled to the rear torque boxes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau
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Publication number: 20120153682Abstract: A vehicle rocker panel is provided that is extruded as a single piece. As extruded, the rocker panel may include one or more interior reinforcing walls as well as interior and exterior design features.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Michael John Baldwin, Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya, Alexi Charbonneau