Patents by Inventor Bernd Brinkmann

Bernd Brinkmann 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: 11456495
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems/arrangements and methods for controlling a temperature of a battery and of other electric components of a vehicle, and of a vehicle that includes such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze, Christian Jolk, Bernhard Gralka
  • Patent number: 11447038
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle with a cooling system for cooling a traction battery may include receiving trip data representative of a planned route, reading in operating parameters of the traction battery, evaluating the trip data and the operating parameters to determine a set of data representative of a forecast temperature profile of the battery temperature, evaluating the set of data for the forecast temperature profile of the battery temperature to determine a phase of particularly high demand for cooling output while completing the route, buffer-storing (reducing) thermal energy while traveling the planned route by operating or increasing operation of the cooling system in anticipation of the high battery load to utilize heat storage capacity of the traction battery before the phase of particularly high cooling output demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Thomas Nitsche, Christian Jolk, Johann Wegers
  • Patent number: 11338792
    Abstract: A vehicle and method for controlling a vehicle having a traction battery and an internal combustion engine include adapting a power limitation of the internal combustion engine by sensing a currently supplied power level of the internal combustion engine and a current velocity of the vehicle, sensing an ambient temperature of the vehicle and determining an associated ambient-temperature-related weighting factor, sensing an ambient air pressure and determining an associated air-pressure-related weighting factor, determining a thermal load indicator as a function of a ratio of the sensed currently supplied power and the sensed current velocity as well as of the ambient-temperature-related weighting factor, the air-pressure-related weighting factor, and a vehicle-bodywork-related weighting factor, and limiting a maximum supplied power level of the internal combustion engine as a function of the determined thermal load indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Nicholas Dashwood Crisp
  • Patent number: 11167635
    Abstract: An apparatus, for controlling a temperature of a vehicle component, such as of an internal combustion engine, by way of a cooling apparatus of the vehicle, includes a displaceable air guide, an actuator, a temperature sensor and a control unit. The control device is adapted so that a partially open air guide protection position is set at least temporarily below an external temperature threshold value for providing a frost warning. A related method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Johann Wegers, Helmut Hoyer, Christian Jolk, Thomas Nitsche
  • Publication number: 20210086584
    Abstract: A method controls a temperature control device of an accumulator of a motor vehicle feeding an electric motor. The method includes a check for the presence of an interaction with a communication input of the motor vehicle 1 and, in the presence of an interaction, outputs a control signal to a temperature control device designed for controlling the temperature of the accumulator to a target temperature in a predetermined temperature range. The control signal causes a change of the temperature control of the accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Christian Jolk, Thomas Nitsche, Johann Hendrik Wegers
  • Patent number: 10957951
    Abstract: There is provided a temperature control device for a battery of a vehicle which has a battery housing having a battery which is arranged therein and which is intended to have its temperature controlled, and a battery heat transmission device, which are arranged with spacing from each other so as to form an intermediate space, wherein a temperature control medium can be introduced into the intermediate space. The temperature control device further has a delimitation device, an air chamber which is arranged between the battery heat transmission device and the delimitation device, an air inlet opening for supplying ambient air to the air chamber and an air outlet opening for discharging air from the air chamber. In order to increase the efficiency of the battery cooling, it is proposed to construct the air inlet opening so as to be able to be closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Thomas Nitsche, Christian Jolk
  • Patent number: 10934926
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a coolant, a liquid/gas heat exchanger, a coolant-temperature-dependent control element, an equalizing tank, fluidic connections between the components, and a coolant pump. At least one direct or at least one activation-dependent fluidic connection or at least one force-transmitting connection is set up between a medium in the equalizing tank and a medium of at least one other media path or media circuit of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring, Helmut Hans Ruhland, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20200339102
    Abstract: A vehicle and method for controlling a vehicle having a traction battery and an internal combustion engine include adapting a power limitation of the internal combustion engine by sensing a currently supplied power level of the internal combustion engine and a current velocity of the vehicle, sensing an ambient temperature of the vehicle and determining an associated ambient-temperature-related weighting factor, sensing an ambient air pressure and determining an associated air-pressure-related weighting factor, determining a thermal load indicator as a function of a ratio of the sensed currently supplied power and the sensed current velocity as well as of the ambient-temperature-related weighting factor, the air-pressure-related weighting factor, and a vehicle-bodywork-related weighting factor, and limiting a maximum supplied power level of the internal combustion engine as a function of the determined thermal load indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd BRINKMANN, Nicholas Dashwood CRISP
  • Publication number: 20200317087
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle with a cooling system for cooling a traction battery may include receiving trip data representative of a planned route, reading in operating parameters of the traction battery, evaluating the trip data and the operating parameters to determine a set of data representative of a forecast temperature profile of the battery temperature, evaluating the set of data for the forecast temperature profile of the battery temperature to determine a phase of particularly high demand for cooling output while completing the route, buffer-storing (reducing) thermal energy while traveling the planned route by operating or increasing operation of the cooling system in anticipation of the high battery load to utilize heat storage capacity of the traction battery before the phase of particularly high cooling output demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd BRINKMANN, Thomas NITSCHE, Christian JOLK, Johann WEGERS
  • Patent number: 10777793
    Abstract: A vehicle battery insulating system includes an inner wall and outer wall forming an insulating cavity filled with a microporous material such as microporous silica. A vacuum pump is coupled to a first connection of the cavity and a valve is coupled to a second connection of the cavity. A controller operates the vacuum pump and the valve to lower/raise pressure within the cavity to decrease/increase thermal conductivity, respectively, of the insulating layer to influence temperature of a vehicle battery. A battery housing may include inlet and outlet ports coupled to a pump to circulate a heat exchanging fluid. The controller may monitor temperatures from sensors and/or receive wireless information relative to traffic, ambient temperature, weather forecasts, and similar information for use in controlling the insulating system in an attempt to keep the vehicle battery within a desired operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze
  • Patent number: 10697351
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a vehicle component, in particular of an internal combustion engine, by way of a cooling apparatus of the vehicle using at least one moving air guide which controls a cooling air stream. The apparatus has an anti-icing unblocking unit which is designed in such a way that it can release the air guide which has been blocked by ice and/or snow, so that the slats or the like which serve as the air guide are fully operational again. To this end, the anti-icing unblocking unit is designed to melt the ice and/or the snow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Jolk, Johann Wegers, Helmut Hoyer, Thomas Nitsche, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20200072119
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a coolant, a liquid/gas heat exchanger, a coolant-temperature-dependent control element, an equalizing tank, fluidic connections between the components, and a coolant pump. At least one direct or at least one activation-dependent fluidic connection or at least one force-transmitting connection is set up between a medium in the equalizing tank and a medium of at least one other media path or media circuit of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring, Helmut Hans Ruhland, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20190245170
    Abstract: A vehicle battery insulating system includes an inner wall and outer wall forming an insulating cavity filled with a microporous material such as microporous silica. A vacuum pump is coupled to a first connection of the cavity and a valve is coupled to a second connection of the cavity. A controller operates the vacuum pump and the valve to lower/raise pressure within the cavity to decrease/increase thermal conductivity, respectively, of the insulating layer to influence temperature of a vehicle battery. A battery housing may include inlet and outlet ports coupled to a pump to circulate a heat exchanging fluid. The controller may monitor temperatures from sensors and/or receive wireless information relative to traffic, ambient temperature, weather forecasts, and similar information for use in controlling the insulating system in an attempt to keep the vehicle battery within a desired operating temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd BRINKMANN, Thomas NITSCHE, Julian TIETZE
  • Publication number: 20190226386
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a vehicle component, in particular of an internal combustion engine, by way of a cooling apparatus of the vehicle using at least one moving air guide which controls a cooling air stream. The apparatus has an anti-icing unblocking unit which is designed in such a way that it can release the air guide which has been blocked by ice and/or snow, so that the slats or the like which serve as the air guide are fully operational again. To this end, the anti-icing unblocking unit is designed to melt the ice and/or the snow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Christian Jolk, Johann Wegers, Helmut Hoyer, Thomas Nitsche, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20190225077
    Abstract: An apparatus, for controlling a temperature of a vehicle component, such as of an internal combustion engine, by way of a cooling apparatus of the vehicle, includes a displaceable air guide, an actuator, a temperature sensor and a control unit. The control device is adapted so that a partially open air guide protection position is set at least temporarily below an external temperature threshold value for providing a frost warning. A related method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Johann Wegers, Helmut Hoyer, Christian Jolk, Thomas Nitsche
  • Patent number: 10358970
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cooling assembly configured to control a temperature of a vehicle component relying on cooling from a cooling air stream. In one example the cooling assembly may include a plurality of blades fixed to a surface of a cooling device. The cooling assembly may be bimetallic so that a position of the blades is self-regulatory and automatically adjusted based on heat conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Johann Wegers, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze
  • Publication number: 20190020078
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems/arrangements and methods for controlling a temperature of a battery and of other electric components of a vehicle, and of a vehicle that includes such a system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze, Christian Jolk, Bernhard Gralka
  • Publication number: 20180287230
    Abstract: There is provided a temperature control device for a battery of a vehicle which has a battery housing having a battery which is arranged therein and which is intended to have its temperature controlled, and a battery heat transmission device, which are arranged with spacing from each other so as to form an intermediate space, wherein a temperature control medium can be introduced into the intermediate space. The temperature control device further has a delimitation device, an air chamber which is arranged between the battery heat transmission device and the delimitation device, an air inlet opening for supplying ambient air to the air chamber and an air outlet opening for discharging air from the air chamber. In order to increase the efficiency of the battery cooling, it is proposed to construct the air inlet opening so as to be able to be closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd BRINKMANN, Thomas NITSCHE, Christian JOLK
  • Publication number: 20180202347
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cooling assembly configured to control a temperature of a vehicle component relying on cooling from a cooling air stream. In one example the cooling assembly may include a plurality of blades fixed to a surface of a cooling device. The cooling assembly may be bimetallic so that a position of the blades is self-regulatory and automatically adjusted based on heat conduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Johann Wegers, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze
  • Patent number: 9938914
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting engine operating parameters to regulate condensate formation in a charge air cooler. Based on conditions conducive to condensate formation, one or more of throttle valve position, active grille shutter opening and compressor speed may be regulated in order to decrease dew point temperature and condensation at the charge air cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Bernhard Gralka, Thomas Nitsche, Christian Jolk, Helmut Hoyer, Julian Tietze