Patents by Inventor Christopher M. Bonin
Christopher M. Bonin 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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Patent number: 10199631Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module having a housing and a stack of battery cells disposed in a receptacle area of the housing, where each battery cell has a top having a battery cell terminal and a bottom, where the top of the battery cells face outwardly away from the receptacle area. The battery module includes an integrated sensing and bus bar subassembly positioned against the stack of battery cells and has a carrier, a bus bar integrated onto the carrier, and a biasing member integrated onto the carrier. The bus bar electrically couples battery cells in an electrical arrangement, and the biasing member is between the top of each battery cell and the carrier, where the biasing member has a first material, more compliant than a second material of the carrier, and the biasing member biases the stack of battery cells inwardly toward the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Robert J. Mack, Richard M. DeKeuster, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Ken Nakayama, Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, Xugang Zhang, Dale B. Trester, Jason D. Fuhr
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Publication number: 20180277820Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing with a cell receptacle region defined by walls of the housing and configured to enable passage of electrochemical cells therethrough. The battery module also includes a bus bar carrier sealed in the cell receptacle region. The bus bar carrier includes a perimeter having flexible ribs extending along at least a majority of the perimeter and configured to enable intimate contact between the walls of the housing and the perimeter of the bus bar carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, John P. Dinkelman, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester
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Patent number: 10062931Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a stack of battery cells disposed in a housing, where each battery cell of the stack of battery cells has a terminal, and a bus bar having a body and an indicator disposed on the body, where the bus bar is configured to couple a first terminal of a first battery cell of the stack of battery cells to a second terminal of a second battery cell of the stack of battery cells. The battery module also includes a sensing component disposed on the indicator and configured to monitor a condition of at least one battery cell of the stack of battery cells and a weld physically and electrically coupling the sensing component to the bus bar.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Christopher M. Bonin
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Patent number: 9985265Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing with a cell receptacle region defined by walls of the housing and configured to enable passage of electrochemical cells therethrough. The battery module also includes a bus bar carrier sealed in the cell receptacle region. The bus bar carrier includes a perimeter having flexible ribs extending along at least a majority of the perimeter and configured to enable intimate contact between the walls of the housing and the perimeter of the bus bar carrier.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, John P. Dinkelman, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester
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Publication number: 20180047953Abstract: A lead-acid battery includes a handle assembly coupled to a polymer packaging of the battery. The handle assembly includes a woven fabric strap capable of laying substantially flat over a cover of the battery when the handle assembly is not in use. The handle assembly includes a first tab overmolded about a first end of the woven fabric strap, wherein the first tab is loaded into a first slot inset into a first end portion of the polymer packaging of the battery. The handle assembly also includes a second tab overmolded about a second end of the woven fabric strap, wherein the second tab is loaded into a second slot inset into a second end portion of the polymer packaging of the battery, and wherein a length of the first and second tabs is at least twice a width of the woven fabric strap.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Nicholas E. Elison, Christopher M. Bonin
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Publication number: 20170229687Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to the field of lead-acid batteries. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to handle retention features that are integrated into the packaging of lead-acid batteries. A disclosed lead-acid battery includes a battery handle assembly having a woven fabric strap with a pair of tabs, wherein each tab includes polymer overmolded about a respective end of the strap. The battery also includes a polymer packaging having a cover, wherein a top portion of the cover defines a pair of slots. Each slot is engaged with a respective tab of the battery handle assembly, and wherein each slot includes a respective retention feature that blocks the respective tab from disengaging from the slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2016Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Nicholas E. Elison, Christopher M. Bonin, Jason D. Fuhr
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Patent number: 9722233Abstract: A lithium ion battery module includes a battery cell stack disposed within a housing of the battery module. The stack includes a first battery cell, a second battery cell positioned adjacent to the first battery cell, and a battery cell separator fitted over the first battery cell. The battery cell separator includes a plurality of walls formed from a continuous material and defining a pocket in which the first battery cell is disposed. The plurality of walls is configured to electrically insulate the first cell from the second cell. The separator also includes a projection extending from a wall of the plurality of walls, the projection is positioned between a terminal of the first battery cell and a terminal of the second battery cell and is configured to electrically insulate the terminals from one another.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin, Ken Nakayama
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Patent number: 9496557Abstract: A current collector for an electrochemical cell includes a member having an outer member and an inner member coupled to the outer member by a plurality of flexible arms configured to allow the inner member to move relative to the outer member.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2014Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Johnson Controls -SAFT Advanced Power Solutions LLCInventors: Jason D. Fuhr, Gerald K. Bowen, John P. Dinkleman, Thomas J. Dougherty, Waterloo Tsutsui, Christopher M. Bonin
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Publication number: 20160315359Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a stack of battery cells disposed in a housing, where each battery cell of the stack of battery cells has a terminal, and a bus bar having a body and an indicator disposed on the body, where the bus bar is configured to couple a first terminal of a first battery cell of the stack of battery cells to a second terminal of a second battery cell of the stack of battery cells. The battery module also includes a sensing component disposed on the indicator and configured to monitor a condition of at least one battery cell of the stack of battery cells and a weld physically and electrically coupling the sensing component to the bus bar.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Christopher M. Bonin
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Publication number: 20160301039Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module having a housing with a first cover and a second cover. The battery module includes a plurality of lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells disposed in the housing adjacent to the second cover. The battery module also includes a reinforcement column disposed within the housing that extends along a direction from the second cover to the first cover. The reinforcement column is positioned against the first cover and is coupled to a feature between the first and second covers, and the reinforcement column is configured to enhance a load bearing capacity of the battery module.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin
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Publication number: 20160301046Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing with a first end (having a cell receptacle region) and a second end opposite to the first end. The battery module includes a stack of electrochemical cells inserted through the cell receptacle region of the housing, disposed between the first end and the second end of the housing, and having terminal ends of all the electrochemical cells of the stack aligned in a planar area. The battery module includes a bus bar carrier disposed over the stack of electrochemical cells and within the cell receptacle region of the housing. The bus bar carrier includes bus bars disposed thereon that interface with the terminal ends. The battery module includes a layer of thermal epoxy disposed between the second end of the housing and a bottom side of the stack of electrochemical cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Xugang Zhang, Richard M. DeKeuster, Christopher M. Bonin, Dale B. Trester
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Publication number: 20160301058Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a housing with a cell receptacle region defined by walls of the housing and configured to enable passage of electrochemical cells therethrough. The battery module also includes a bus bar carrier sealed in the cell receptacle region. The bus bar carrier includes a perimeter having flexible ribs extending along at least a majority of the perimeter and configured to enable intimate contact between the walls of the housing and the perimeter of the bus bar carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, John P. Dinkelman, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester
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Publication number: 20160197336Abstract: The present disclosure relates to washers for lithium ion battery cell terminals. A lithium ion battery module includes a housing, a first battery cell disposed in the housing and having a cell terminal protruding from a surface of a casing of the first battery cell, where the cell terminal is configured to enable electrical connection to the battery cell, and a washer stack disposed about the cell terminal. The washer stack has an electrically insulative washer and an electrically conductive washer. The electrically conductive washer is disposed adjacent to the electrically insulative washer such that the electrically insulative washer is positioned between the electrically conductive washer and the surface of the casing, and the electrically conductive washer is configured to enable electrical connection to the cell terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2015Publication date: July 7, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin
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Publication number: 20160197320Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells, a battery module terminal configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load, and an electrical path extending between the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells and the battery module terminal, where the electrical path includes a bus bar bridge. The battery module also includes a housing, where the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells is disposed within the housing, and the housing includes a pair of extensions positioned along sides of the bus bar bridge and configured to retain the bus bar bridge and to block movement of the bus bar bridge in at least one direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2015Publication date: July 7, 2016Inventors: Robert J. Mack, Richard M. DeKeuster, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Ken Nakayama, Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, Xugang Zhang, Dale B. Trester, Jason D. Fuhr
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Publication number: 20160197331Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module having a housing and a stack of battery cells disposed in a receptacle area of the housing, where each battery cell has a top having a battery cell terminal and a bottom, where the top of the battery cells face outwardly away from the receptacle area. The battery module includes an integrated sensing and bus bar subassembly positioned against the stack of battery cells and has a carrier, a bus bar integrated onto the carrier, and a biasing member integrated onto the carrier. The bus bar electrically couples battery cells in an electrical arrangement, and the biasing member is between the top of each battery cell and the carrier, where the biasing member has a first material, more compliant than a second material of the carrier, and the biasing member biases the stack of battery cells inwardly toward the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2015Publication date: July 7, 2016Inventors: Robert J. Mack, Richard M. DeKeuster, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Ken Nakayama, Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, Xugang Zhang, Dale B. Trester, Jason D. Fuhr
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Publication number: 20160197321Abstract: A lithium ion battery module includes a battery cell stack disposed within a housing of the battery module. The stack includes a first battery cell, a second battery cell positioned adjacent to the first battery cell, and a battery cell separator fitted over the first battery cell. The battery cell separator includes a plurality of walls formed from a continuous material and defining a pocket in which the first battery cell is disposed. The plurality of walls is configured to electrically insulate the first cell from the second cell. The separator also includes a projection extending from a wall of the plurality of walls, the projection is positioned between a terminal of the first battery cell and a terminal of the second battery cell and is configured to electrically insulate the terminals from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2015Publication date: July 7, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin, Ken Nakayama
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Publication number: 20160064702Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a housing having a first protruding shelf along a first perimeter of the housing, a second protruding shelf along a second perimeter of the housing, where the first and second protruding shelves each include an absorptive material configured to absorb a first laser emission. The battery module also includes an electronics compartment cover configured to be coupled to the housing via a first laser weld, and a cell receptacle region cover configured to be coupled to the housing via a second laser weld. The electronics compartment cover has a first transparent material configured to transmit the first laser emission toward the first protruding shelf and the cell receptacle region cover has a second transparent material configured to transmit the first laser emission or a second laser emission toward the second protruding shelf.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2015Publication date: March 3, 2016Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, John P. Dinkelman, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester
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Patent number: D763192Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Richard M DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin, Ken Nakayama
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Patent number: D763193Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology ControlsInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Christopher M. Bonin, Richard M. DeKeuster, Dale B. Trester
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Patent number: D782409Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology CompanyInventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Dale B. Trester, Christopher M. Bonin