Patents by Inventor Goro Tamai

Goro Tamai 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: 20230369678
    Abstract: An immersion cooling system for a battery system includes a battery enclosure and C metal-encased, pouch-type battery cells including C metal cases, C pouch-type battery cells arranged in the C metal cases, respectively, where C is an integer greater than one, and C vents on the C metal cases, respectively. A vent gas manifold is in fluid communication with the C vents of the C metal cases and is configured to remove vent gas passing through the C vents of the C metal cases from the battery enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Taeyoung HAN, Chih-hung Yen, Ryan Patrick Hickey, Matthew Swift, William Yu Chen, Goro Tamai, Bahram Khalighi
  • Publication number: 20230369708
    Abstract: An immersion cooling system for a battery system includes a battery enclosure and G battery cell groups arranged in the battery enclosure. Each of the G battery cell groups include C battery cells, where G and C are integers greater than one. A plurality of dividers are arranged between each of the G battery cell groups. A gas manifold removes vent gases from each of the G battery cell groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Taeyoung HAN, Ryan Patrick Hickey, Matthew Swift, Chih-hung Yen, William Yu Chen, Goro Tamai, Bahram Khalighi
  • Publication number: 20230299379
    Abstract: A battery module includes a first pouch battery cell and a neighboring second pouch battery cell. The battery module also includes a dielectric fluid in direct contact with and in circulation over and around each of the first and second pouch cells. The battery module additionally includes an immersion barrier positioned between the first and second pouch cells and defining an opening for controlling passage of the dielectric fluid between the first and the second pouch cells. The barrier thereby facilitates localization of a thermal runaway event in the first pouch cell by minimizing transfer of high temperature gases between the first and the second pouch cells via the dielectric fluid and controls propagation of the thermal runaway event in the module. The battery module further includes an enclosure housing and retaining each of the first and second pouch cells, the dielectric fluid, and the immersion barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ryan P. Hickey, Matthew Swift, Goro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11662013
    Abstract: A vehicle stalactite passive lubrication system includes a drive unit having an electric motor and a gear. A sump has a sump extension. A lubricant is collected in the sump for gravity flow into the sump extension. A stalactite member is fixed to the drive unit and is positioned above an element to be filled with a fluid, lubricated or cooled. The stalactite member is directed downwardly toward the sump with the lubricant splashed by gear rotation collected on neighboring walls and the stalactite member and directed downwardly by gravity into the sump or target element. The stalactite member includes: a drip edge oriented at an angle to a horizontal plane; and a tip defining an end of the drip edge. The angle is selected to direct the lubricant to discharge off the stalactite member at the tip as a lubricant stream into the sump or target element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Robert P. McCleary, Marc R. Yarnall, David J. Varda
  • Publication number: 20220258571
    Abstract: A vehicle system is described that includes a multi-phase rotary electric motor rotatably coupled via a rotatable member to an air-conditioning compressor, and a remotely located rechargeable energy storage system (RESS). The RESS includes a first power inverter that is electrically coupled to the multi-phase rotary electric motor via a plurality of electric power cables, a second power inverter that is electrically coupled to a second electric machine, a DC power source, and a chiller. A controller is in communication with and controllably coupled to the first power inverter and the second power inverter. The controller is operative to control the first power inverter to operate the multi-phase rotary electric motor in an open-loop control scheme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Marco A. Lopes, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Matthew Swift
  • Publication number: 20220090673
    Abstract: A vehicle stalactite passive lubrication system includes a drive unit having an electric motor and a gear. A sump has a sump extension. A lubricant is collected in the sump for gravity flow into the sump extension. A stalactite member is fixed to the drive unit and is positioned above an element to be filled with a fluid, lubricated or cooled. The stalactite member is directed downwardly toward the sump with the lubricant splashed by gear rotation collected on neighboring walls and the stalactite member and directed downwardly by gravity into the sump or target element. The stalactite member includes: a drip edge oriented at an angle to a horizontal plane; and a tip defining an end of the drip edge. The angle is selected to direct the lubricant to discharge off the stalactite member at the tip as a lubricant stream into the sump or target element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Robert P. McCleary, Marc R. Yarnall, David J. Varda
  • Patent number: 11224147
    Abstract: A switch of an inverter module is disposed in a coolant channel, is configured to be immersed in coolant in the coolant channel, and includes: a first terminal disposed on a first plane and configured to connect to a direct current (DC) reference potential; a second terminal disposed on a second plane and configured to connect to an alternating current (AC) reference potential; a gate, an emitter, and a collector; first cooling features that extend away from the first and second planes, that directly contact the first terminal, and that are configured to allow coolant flow therethrough; and second cooling features that extend away from the first cooling features, the first plane, and the second plane, that directly contact the second terminal, and that are configured to allow coolant flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chih-hung Yen, Goro Tamai, Konstantinos Triantos, David R. Clark, Tim M. Grewe
  • Publication number: 20210376411
    Abstract: A temperature regulation system for a battery is provided. The temperature regulation system includes an electrochemical cell, which may be in the form of a battery. The electrochemical cell includes a housing having a first side surface that extends from a first end to a second end, and a first temperature control chamber containing a dielectric fluid. The first temperature control chamber is located along the first side surface of the housing or along at least one of the first end or the second end of the housing. The dielectric fluid is in direct contact with the housing at the first side surface or at the first end or the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chih-hung YEN, David R. CLARK, Matthew SWIFT, Taeyoung HAN, Kuo-huey CHEN, Bahram KHALIGHI, Goro TAMAI, Chih-cheng HSU
  • Patent number: 11146132
    Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shawn H. Swales, Khwaja M. Rahman, Craig S. Ross, Goro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11121595
    Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Craig S. Ross, Khwaja M. Rahman, Goro Tamai, Shawn H. Swales
  • Patent number: 11054001
    Abstract: An electric drive unit includes an electric motor, a differential assembly, and a double-helical gearset positioned between and interconnecting the electric motor and the differential assembly and adapted to transfer rotational motion from the electric motor to the differential assembly, the double-helical gearset including a driving double-helical gear rotationally mounted onto a transfer shaft of the electric motor and including a right-hand helix, a left-hand helix and a gap extending circumferentially between the right-hand helix and the left-hand helix, and a driven double-helical gear rotationally mounted onto a housing of the differential assembly and including a right-hand helix, a left-hand helix and a gap extending circumferentially between the right-hand helix and the left-hand helix, and a park gear positioned within the gap between the right hand helix and the left hand helix of one of the driving double-helical gear and the driven double-helical gear, wherein one of the driving double-helical ge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Shawn H. Swales, Mohammad Hotait
  • Patent number: 10969236
    Abstract: A system and method of determining a vehicle route based on user-provided trip constraints. The method includes the steps of: receiving user trip parameters for a vehicle trip from a vehicle user via a human-machine interface, wherein the vehicle trip includes a start location and an end location, and wherein the user trip parameters include a nausea reduction option; accessing geographical roadway map data for an area corresponding to the vehicle trip; determining a plurality of potential routes for the vehicle trip based on the user trip parameters and the geographical roadway map data; determining a cumulative nausea index score for each of the potential routes; and selecting one of the potential routes as the vehicle route for the vehicle trip based on the cumulative nausea index score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Birendra P. Bhattarai, Steven A. Tarnowsky
  • Patent number: 10960883
    Abstract: A powertrain system for a vehicle is described, and includes an internal combustion engine that is selectively coupled to a driveline. The engine is configured to operate in a coasting mode, wherein the coasting mode includes operating the powertrain system with the engine in an OFF state and decoupled from the driveline. Devices are configured to monitor an output torque request, vehicle speed, and vehicle operating conditions. An executable instruction set monitors the vehicle speed and the output torque request. The engine is controlled to operate in the coasting mode when the output torque request is within the predetermined torque region and the vehicle speed is greater than a minimum speed threshold. The engine is controlled to discontinue operating in the coasting mode in response to the output torque request being outside the torque region of the vehicle speed being less than a minimum speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Birendra P Bhattarai, Daniel E Nicholson
  • Patent number: 10688881
    Abstract: A communication module is configured to obtain, from a first computing device associated with an energy receiver, an energy request. The energy request includes a location of the energy receiver and an amount of energy requested. A selection module is configured to generate a list of energy sources available to satisfy the energy request. The communication module is further configured to: transmit the list of energy sources to the first computing device for display; receive, from the first computing device, a selection of one energy source from the list of energy sources; and transmit, to the first computing device and a second computing device associated with the selected one energy source, a location at which the energy request is to be fulfilled. An energy transfer module is configured to selectively enable an electrical energy transfer from the selected one energy source to the energy receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. Tarnowsky, Goro Tamai, Anthony J. Corsetti, Kunaal Verma, Donald R. Gignac, Freddy V. Rayes, Apral S. Hara, Allan K. Lewis, William Marsh
  • Publication number: 20200191589
    Abstract: A system and method of determining a vehicle route based on user-provided trip constraints. The method includes the steps of: receiving user trip parameters for a vehicle trip from a vehicle user via a human-machine interface, wherein the vehicle trip includes a start location and an end location, and wherein the user trip parameters include a nausea reduction option; accessing geographical roadway map data for an area corresponding to the vehicle trip; determining a plurality of potential routes for the vehicle trip based on the user trip parameters and the geographical roadway map data; determining a cumulative nausea index score for each of the potential routes; and selecting one of the potential routes as the vehicle route for the vehicle trip based on the cumulative nausea index score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Birendra P. Bhattarai, Steven A. Tarnowsky
  • Publication number: 20200153299
    Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) includes a rotor with rotatable magnets and a stator defining an air gap with the rotor. An actuator rotates the rotatable magnets at predetermined operating points through an angular distance sufficient for changing magnetic pole orientations of the rotatable magnets, and thus modifies magnetic flux linkage with stator windings across the air gap. Fixed magnets may be arranged around a circumference of the rotor. The actuator may be actively or passively driven. Flux-shunting elements are optionally disposed in the rotor to further modify the flux linkage. A gear set connected to torque transfer elements may be driven by the actuator to rotate the rotatable magnets. A vehicle includes drive wheels, a transmission, and the PM machine. A method controls magnetic flux linkage in the PM machine noted above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Shawn H. Swales, Khwaja M. Rahman, Craig S. Ross, Goro Tamai
  • Patent number: 10640104
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for placing a hybrid vehicle having a plurality of electric propulsion motors into an operating state in anticipation of a vehicle event, the method may include the steps of: monitoring roadway traffic and conditions surrounding a vehicle using one or more vehicle sensors and/or wireless communications; anticipating a vehicle propulsion operation change based on the monitored roadway traffic and conditions; in response to anticipating the vehicle propulsion operation change, obtaining a present propulsion operating state; and carrying out an anticipatory vehicle propulsion system transition before receiving a vehicle propulsion operation change request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jinming Liu, Lan Wang, Goro Tamai, Norman K. Bucknor
  • Publication number: 20200108725
    Abstract: A communication module is configured to obtain, from a first computing device associated with an energy receiver, an energy request. The energy request includes a location of the energy receiver and an amount of energy requested. A selection module is configured to generate a list of energy sources available to satisfy the energy request. The communication module is further configured to: transmit the list of energy sources to the first computing device for display; receive, from the first computing device, a selection of one energy source from the list of energy sources; and transmit, to the first computing device and a second computing device associated with the selected one energy source, a location at which the energy request is to be fulfilled. An energy transfer module is configured to selectively enable an electrical energy transfer from the selected one energy source to the energy receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. TARNOWSKY, Goro Tamai, Anthony J. Corsetti, Kunaal Verma, Donald R. Gignac, Freddy V. Rayes, Apral S. Hara, Allan K. Lewis, William Marsh
  • Publication number: 20200106316
    Abstract: A permanent magnet electric machine (PM machine) for a vehicle or other system includes a rotor assembly, fixed permanent magnets, a stator, an actuator, and one or more repositionable/moveable flux-shunting elements. The flux-shunting element is repositioned to control flux at specific operating points of the PM machine. The rotor assembly has a rotor coaxially surrounding and coupled to a rotor shaft. The permanent magnets are mounted to or in the rotor, and the moveable flux-shunting element is positioned between the rotor shaft and a respective one of the permanent magnets. Inboard and outboard ends of each respective permanent magnet may be oriented toward the rotor shaft and stator, respectively. The actuator selectively positions the moveable flux-shunting element at one or more operating points of the PM machine to vary reluctance in a magnetic circuit formed by the stator and rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Craig S. Ross, Khwaja M. Rahman, Goro Tamai, Shawn H. Swales
  • Publication number: 20200086872
    Abstract: A powertrain system for a vehicle is described, and includes an internal combustion engine that is selectively coupled to a driveline. The engine is configured to operate in a coasting mode, wherein the coasting mode includes operating the powertrain system with the engine in an OFF state and decoupled from the driveline. Devices are configured to monitor an output torque request, vehicle speed, and vehicle operating conditions. An executable instruction set monitors the vehicle speed and the output torque request. The engine is controlled to operate in the coasting mode when the output torque request is within the predetermined torque region and the vehicle speed is greater than a minimum speed threshold. The engine is controlled to discontinue operating in the coasting mode in response to the output torque request being outside the torque region of the vehicle speed being less than a minimum speed threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Birendra P Bhattarai, Daniel E Nicholson