Patents by Inventor Daniel Benjamin Kok

Daniel Benjamin Kok 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).

  • Publication number: 20240079672
    Abstract: Fusible thermal interface materials are provided for traction battery packs. An exemplary fusible thermal interface material may be disposed between a grouping of battery cells and a heat exchanger plate for limiting the transfer of thermal energy associated with a battery thermal event from moving from cell-to-cell and/or compartment-to-compartment within the traction battery pack. The fusible thermal interface material may be configured to transition from a conductor to an insulator when a temperature exceeds a predefined temperature threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Mohammadreza EFEKHARI, George Albert GARFINKEL, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Suman MISHRA
  • Publication number: 20240079712
    Abstract: A traction battery pack assembly includes a battery pack enclosure that provides an interior area, and at least one cell stack that includes battery cells and at least one divider distributed along a cell stack axis. The at least one divider compartmentalizes the interior area into a plurality of compartments. Each of the compartments holds at least one of the battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Mohammadreza Eftekhari, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Brock Dunlap, Michael E. Reibling
  • Patent number: 11597252
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle and method for heating a passenger cabin of an electrified vehicle that may include an internal combustion engine in addition to an electric machine and a traction battery for supplying the electric machine control an electric heating element to store thermal energy while the vehicle is connected to an external power source that is also used to charge the traction battery, and to extract stored thermal energy during operation of the vehicle with the electric heating element turned off to extend the electric driving range of the vehicle while also providing heat to the passenger cabin. The electric heating element may positioned and controlled to heat one or more elements directly by mechanical contact, or indirectly by heating a circulating liquid coolant to a temperature above a current or anticipated external ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Mark G. Smith
  • Patent number: 11059351
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an oil-cooling system arranged to circulate oil through an electric machine and an oil-to-coolant heat exchanger. A coolant system has conduit arranged to circulate coolant through an inverter, a heater core, and the heat exchanger. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the heater core to heat a passenger cabin with waste heat from the electric machine and the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Serdar Hakki Yonak, Kenneth J. Jackson
  • Patent number: 11001163
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery including a first strand of cells and a second strand of cells, an electric machine selectively powered by the battery, and at least one auxiliary component selectively powered by the battery. The battery is configurable such that the at least one auxiliary component is able to draw power from the first strand of cells but not the second strand of cells. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Patent number: 11002172
    Abstract: A exhaust-gas heat management system includes a catalytic converter in the exhaust-gas train of an internal-combustion engine, a cover enclosing the catalytic converter, and thereby realizing a cavity for holding a latent-heat storage PCM, at least two fluid connections between the cavity and the collecting vessel, and a pump device for activating and deactivating a PCM circuit between the cavity and the collecting vessel by means of the fluid connections. A method comprises determining an operating state of the internal combustion engine, determining the catalytic converter temperature, determining the PCM temperature, activating the PCM circuit if the PCM temperature is above a phase transition temperature of the PCM, and the internal combustion engine is in a switched-on operating state or the internal combustion engine is in a switched-off operating state and the catalytic converter temperature is below a light-off temperature of the catalytic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Martin Wirth, Lars Kaufmann, Mehmet Toeremis, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Patent number: 10994587
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an inverter, and a coolant system having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and an evaporator. A refrigerant system includes a condenser and conduit arranged to circulate refrigerant through the condenser and through the evaporator to absorb heat generated by the inverter. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the condenser and into the cabin to heat the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Kenneth J. Jackson, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Patent number: 10906377
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter, a climate control system, and a coolant system. The climate control system includes a housing, and a heater core and an electric heater disposed within the housing. The coolant system includes conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and the heater core. The inverter is disposed upstream of the heater core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Kenneth J. Jackson, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20200338953
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle and method for heating a passenger cabin of an electrified vehicle that may include an internal combustion engine in addition to an electric machine and a traction battery for supplying the electric machine control an electric heating element to store thermal energy while the vehicle is connected to an external power source that is also used to charge the traction battery, and to extract stored thermal energy during operation of the vehicle with the electric heating element turned off to extend the electric driving range of the vehicle while also providing heat to the passenger cabin. The electric heating element may positioned and controlled to heat one or more elements directly by mechanical contact, or indirectly by heating a circulating liquid coolant to a temperature above a current or anticipated external ambient temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, Mark G. SMITH
  • Patent number: 10749229
    Abstract: A system and method for heating or cooling a battery include a controller and a tempering circuit containing an auxiliary medium configured to exchange heat with a container having a latent heat storage medium, and a vehicle traction battery, a pump configured to circulate the auxiliary medium, and an activation device having a sealing element moveable to selectively expose a nucleation surface to the latent heat storage medium to trigger a phase change process and exchange heat with the auxiliary medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Mazen Hammoud, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Publication number: 20200079179
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an inverter, and a coolant system having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and an evaporator. A refrigerant system includes a condenser and conduit arranged to circulate refrigerant through the condenser and through the evaporator to absorb heat generated by the inverter. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the condenser and into the cabin to heat the cabin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Kenneth J. JACKSON, Serdar Hakki YONAK
  • Patent number: 10493819
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an inverter, and a coolant system having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and an evaporator. A refrigerant system includes a condenser and conduit arranged to circulate refrigerant through the condenser and through the evaporator to absorb heat generated by the inverter. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the condenser and into the cabin to heat the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Kenneth J. Jackson, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20190329628
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an oil-cooling system arranged to circulate oil through an electric machine and an oil-to-coolant heat exchanger. A coolant system has conduit arranged to circulate coolant through an inverter, a heater core, and the heat exchanger. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the heater core to heat a passenger cabin with waste heat from the electric machine and the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Serdar Hakki YONAK, Kenneth J. JACKSON
  • Publication number: 20190225051
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an inverter, and a coolant system having conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and an evaporator. A refrigerant system includes a condenser and conduit arranged to circulate refrigerant through the condenser and through the evaporator to absorb heat generated by the inverter. A climate control system is arranged to circulate an airstream through the condenser and into the cabin to heat the cabin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Kenneth J. JACKSON, Serdar Hakki YONAK
  • Publication number: 20190225052
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter, a climate control system, and a coolant system. The climate control system includes a housing, and a heater core and an electric heater disposed within the housing. The coolant system includes conduit arranged to circulate coolant through the inverter and the heater core. The inverter is disposed upstream of the heater core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Daniel Benjamin KOK, Kenneth J. Jackson, Serdar Hakki YONAK
  • Publication number: 20190217719
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery including a first strand of cells and a second strand of cells, an electric machine selectively powered by the battery, and at least one auxiliary component selectively powered by the battery. The battery is configurable such that the at least one auxiliary component is able to draw power from the first strand of cells but not the second strand of cells. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Publication number: 20190097283
    Abstract: A system and method for heating or cooling a battery include a controller and a tempering circuit containing an auxiliary medium configured to exchange heat with a container having a latent heat storage medium, and a vehicle traction battery, a pump configured to circulate the auxiliary medium, and an activation device having a sealing element moveable to selectively expose a nucleation surface to the latent heat storage medium to trigger a phase change process and exchange heat with the auxiliary medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas ZENNER, Mazen HAMMOUD, Daniel Benjamin KOK
  • Patent number: 10239416
    Abstract: A method includes controlling an electrified vehicle by modifying a state of charge (SOC) window associated with an energy storage device of the electrified vehicle in response to a reverse driving event or a trailer towing event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Derek Hartl
  • Publication number: 20190040782
    Abstract: A exhaust-gas heat management system includes a catalytic converter in the exhaust-gas train of an internal-combustion engine, a cover enclosing the catalytic converter, and thereby realizing a cavity for holding a latent-heat storage PCM, at least two fluid connections between the cavity and the collecting vessel, and a pump device for activating and deactivating a PCM circuit between the cavity and the collecting vessel by means of the fluid connections. A method comprises determining an operating state of the internal combustion engine, determining the catalytic converter temperature, determining the PCM temperature, activating the PCM circuit if the PCM temperature is above a phase transition temperature of the PCM, and the internal combustion engine is in a switched-on operating state or the internal combustion engine is in a switched-off operating state and the catalytic converter temperature is below a light-off temperature of the catalytic converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Martin Wirth, Lars Kaufmann, Mehmet Toeremis, Daniel Benjamin Kok
  • Patent number: 10150371
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a controller that is programmed to, in response to a speed differential between the vehicle and a forward detected object, decelerate the vehicle at a first rate during a first period via regenerative braking alone and decelerate the vehicle at a second rate during a second period, following the first period, to reduce a distance to the forward detected object from an initial distance to a minimum distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies,LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Zenner, Daniel Benjamin Kok, Jimmy Kapadia