Patents by Inventor Debbi Callicoat
Debbi Callicoat 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: 11031602Abstract: An example electric vehicle battery current communication device includes a terminal landing and a transition from the terminal landing having an area that is both bent and tapered. The transition can bend toward an interior of a battery cell such that a portion of the transition is closer to the interior than each portion of the terminal landing. The terminal landing can attach to a bus bar. The terminal landing can also weld to a bus bar. The transition can extend from the terminal landing to a current collector extending into an interior of the battery cell.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Brian Utley, Debbi Callicoat, Keith Kearney
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Patent number: 10611264Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle busbar assembly includes a housing, a clamping beam held by the housing, and a plurality of busbars held by the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2015Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Brian Utley, Vedat Haydin, Francisco Fernandez
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Patent number: 10297807Abstract: A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a terminal holder, a terminal at least partially surrounded by the terminal holder, and a bus bar module connectable to the terminal holder. One of the terminal holder and the bus bar module includes at least one locating feature to position the bus bar module in a welding position relative to the terminal.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Brian Utley, Steve Droste, Derek Hartl
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Patent number: 9923187Abstract: A vehicle power system may include a battery array having at least one battery with a bus bar connected to an electrical bus. The power system may also include a conductive lead of a sensor welded to the bus bar to form a joint defined by a plurality of stitches, a net cross-sectional area of the plurality being less than a cross-sectional area of the lead such that short-circuit current from the battery array melts the joint to protect the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Masahiro Kimoto, Debbi Callicoat, Rajesh Narayanan, Francisco Fernandez-Galindo
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Patent number: 9915703Abstract: A voltage sensing system for a vehicle traction battery having a plurality of cells includes: a battery controller, a plurality of electrical circuits, each being respectively connected to at least one of the cells and including an electrical component for limiting current therethrough, and a plurality of wires, each being respectively connected to one of the electrical circuits in series with a respective one of the electrical components for limiting current and the controller.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2013Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Robert Bolduc, Ben A. Tabatowski-Bush
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Publication number: 20180034034Abstract: A vehicle power system may include a battery array having at least one battery with a bus bar connected to an electrical bus. The power system may also include a conductive lead of a sensor welded to the bus bar to form a joint defined by a plurality of stitches, a net cross-sectional area of the plurality being less than a cross-sectional area of the lead such that short-circuit current from the battery array melts the joint to protect the sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2016Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventors: Masahiro Kimoto, Debbi Callicoat, Rajesh Narayanan, Francisco Fernandez-Galindo
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Patent number: 9755212Abstract: A vehicle including an array of pouch battery cells, a pair of carriers, and a plurality of busbars is provided. The array of pouch battery cells may each have terminal tabs of opposite polarity extending from opposing cell faces. The pair of carriers may extend along the cell faces and each may define a plurality of apertures sized to receive the terminal tabs. The plurality of busbars may be arranged with the carriers and terminal tabs such that an electrical connection across the cells includes parallel and series connections. The pouch battery cells may be arranged in clusters of adjacent cells connected in parallel, and the busbars may be arranged in spaced apart groups on each of the carriers and joined to adjacent terminal tabs to connect the clusters in series.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Temam Kedir, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
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Patent number: 9741991Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery having a plurality of battery cells positioned in an array with a non-conductive bus bar housing having a plurality of compartments insulated from one another and containing one or more bus bars each having an integrally formed voltage sense connector. Each compartment may accommodate terminals of a pair of adjacent battery cells to be coupled by the associated bus bar. The voltage sense connector may include fingers for crimping and securing a voltage sense wire or a welding pad for welding, soldering, or similar connection. The voltage sense wires connect to a battery control module.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2014Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Raymond C. Siciak
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Patent number: 9730341Abstract: A battery system includes a battery cover, a battery access panel removably connected to the battery cover, and a service disconnect switch. The service disconnect switch includes an electrical interlock switch. The service disconnect switch has a first position cooperating with the battery access panel to prevent removal of the access panel from the battery cover. In the first position, the service disconnect connects a traction battery to circuitry. The service disconnect also has a second position, the second position being displaced from the access panel and disconnecting the battery.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2013Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Suriyaprakash Ayyangar Janarthanam, Saravanan Paramasivam, Patrick Daniel Maguire, John Peter Bilezikjian, Jason C. Marcath, Debbi Callicoat
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Patent number: 9722229Abstract: An example method of connecting an electric vehicle battery includes welding a landing of a terminal to a bus bar, and pressing a landing of the terminal and the bus bar against one another during the welding. The landing is along a first plane and a base of the terminal is along a second plane that is spaced from the first plane.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2013Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Vineeth Seshadri Kallur, Hari Addanki, Brian Utley, Steve F. Chorian, Debbi Callicoat
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Publication number: 20170012270Abstract: A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a terminal holder, a terminal at least partially surrounded by the terminal holder, and a bus bar module connectable to the terminal holder. One of the terminal holder and the bus bar module includes at least one locating feature to position the bus bar module in a welding position relative to the terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2016Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Debbi CALLICOAT, Brian UTLEY, Steve DROSTE, Derek HARTL
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Patent number: 9478788Abstract: A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a terminal holder, a terminal at least partially surrounded by the terminal holder, and a bus bar module connectable to the terminal holder. One of the terminal holder and the bus bar module includes at least one locating feature to position the bus bar module in a welding position relative to the terminal.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2013Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Brian Utley, Steve Droste, Derek Hartl
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Publication number: 20160280088Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle busbar assembly includes a housing, a clamping beam held by the housing, and a plurality of busbars held by the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2015Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Debbi Callicoat, Brian Utley, Vedat Haydin, Francisco Fernandez
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Patent number: 9397328Abstract: A traction battery assembly is provided including a support member, two battery cells, a busbar, and a segmented busbar holder. The battery cells include adjacent terminals at differing heights relative to the support member. The busbar is attached to the terminals. The segmented busbar holder includes adjacent panels configured to cover and orient the busbar relative to the terminals. The panels are also configured to move relative to one another such that the holder accommodates the differing heights of the terminals.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Steven F. Chorian, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
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Patent number: 9350127Abstract: A self-locating bus bar assembly for locating a bus bar on a cell terminal of a battery cell includes a bus bar locating tab adapted for attachment to the bus bar; an assembly bracket; a tab opening in the assembly bracket, the tab opening sized and configured to accommodate the bus bar locating tab; and a bracket terminal opening in the assembly bracket, the bracket terminal opening sized, configured and located to accommodate the cell terminal of the battery cell when the bus bar locating tab is disposed within the tab opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Brian Utley, Derek Hartl, Steve Droste, Yunan Guo
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Publication number: 20160133906Abstract: A vehicle including an array of pouch battery cells, a pair of carriers, and a plurality of busbars is provided. The array of pouch battery cells may each have terminal tabs of opposite polarity extending from opposing cell faces. The pair of carriers may extend along the cell faces and each may define a plurality of apertures sized to receive the terminal tabs. The plurality of busbars may be arranged with the carriers and terminal tabs such that an electrical connection across the cells includes parallel and series connections. The pouch battery cells may be arranged in clusters of adjacent cells connected in parallel, and the busbars may be arranged in spaced apart groups on each of the carriers and joined to adjacent terminal tabs to connect the clusters in series.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2014Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Temam Kedir, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
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Patent number: 9281673Abstract: A bus bar assembly includes a deformable bus bar including a bus bar positive terminal flange, a bus bar negative terminal flange spaced-apart from the bus bar positive terminal flange and a flange connecting portion connecting the bus bar positive terminal flange and the bus bar negative terminal flange. A deformable bus bar frame includes a bus bar frame positive terminal flange carried by the bus bar positive terminal flange of the deformable bus bar and a bus bar frame negative terminal flange carried by the bus bar negative terminal flange of the deformable bus bar. A method of installing a deformable bus bar on positive and negative terminals of a battery cell is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Steve F. Chorian, Debbi Callicoat, David J. Chesney, David Wardzala, Yongcai Wang, Yunan Guo
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Patent number: 9266433Abstract: A low cost charger circuit with pre-charge functionality can include a DC/DC converter arranged in parallel with a charger device. When used for electrified vehicle applications, the DC/DC converter can be configured to operate during vehicle propulsion, restorable energy storage system (RESS) recharging, and while only the DC/DC converter needs to be energized. A DC/DC converter can be coupled to a first high voltage bus on a load side of a primary contactor, and to a second high voltage bus on an energy side of a primary contactor. A pre-charge circuit can controllably charge a voltage bus and protect a DC/DC converter against high inrush current. An auxiliary contactor can controllably couple a DC/DC converter to a load portion of a high voltage bus. It can also couple a charger thereto. A charger contactor can controllably couple a charger device to an energy portion of a high voltage bus.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2012Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Peter Bilezikjian, Debbi Callicoat
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Patent number: 9260015Abstract: An example contactor weld detection method for an electric vehicle includes detecting that a contactor is welded closed when the contactor is commanded closed.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Philip Michael Gonzales, Debbi Callicoat, Masahiro Kimoto, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
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Patent number: 9209440Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembling a high voltage battery without exposing an operator to contacts having a voltage greater than a predetermined maximum are presented. A bus bar module has standard compartments equipped with integrated bus bars separated by break compartments without bus bars. The bus bar module can be coupled to a plurality of electrochemical cells to connect the cells in groups having a voltage less than a predetermined maximum Vmax. Compartment lids can be closed to prevent contact with connected posts. A separate non-integrated bus bar can be provided to a break compartment to connect a first group of cells with a second group of cells to form a series of connected cells that can provide a voltage greater than Vmax, to achieve a desired battery voltage. The bus bar module and methods of the invention can protect an operator during battery assembly or service.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2011Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Debbi Callicoat, Philip Michael Gonzales