Patents by Inventor Joel A. Hetrick
Joel A. Hetrick 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: 10594191Abstract: An electric machine is provided. The electric machine may include a rotor disposed on a shaft and an endplate. The endplate may define a coolant capture ring. The coolant capture ring may have tapered side walls that extend from an outer portion of the endplate toward the shaft at a periphery thereof. The coolant capture ring may be configured to deflect coolant captured by the coolant capture ring and expelled by the shaft due to centrifugal forces associated with the rotation of the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick
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Patent number: 10523072Abstract: An electric machine may include a plurality of sections, each defining a permanent magnet pocket and a field formation chamber. The sections may be stacked to form a rotor such that when walls of the permanent magnet pockets are aligned from end to end, walls of the chambers of at least some of the sections are offset. An adjacent pair of the sections may have different chamber to pocket relative positions to define different pole arc angles. A difference between the first pole arc angle and the second pole arc angle may be equal to a slot pitch of a stator of the electric machine. The slot pitch may be 7.5 mechanical degrees. The chamber may be defined on a radially outward edge of the pocket. The chamber may taper in a radially outward direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Chun Tang, Wei Wu, Joel Hetrick
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Patent number: 10516305Abstract: A vehicle electric machine assembly including a stator core, a rotor, and a bridge is provided. The stator core defines a cavity. The rotor is disposed within the cavity and may include a channel defined between two magnets. The bridge is disposed within the channel for translation between at least a first and a second position. The translation of the bridge adjusts a path of magnetic flux from the rotor to the stator core based on the bridge position. The bridge may be of a ferromagnetic material. The assembly may further include a first non-magnetic guide mounted on a first side of the channel at a substantially central channel region and a second magnetic guide mounted on a second side of the channel at the substantially central channel region.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2017Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20190341820Abstract: An electric machine includes a rotor including a channel defined between a pair of magnets and a bridge assembly within the channel. The bridge assembly includes a bridge element and a spring arranged to bias the bridge element toward a center of the rotor such that responsive to spinning of the rotor, the bridge element moves radially away from the center against a force of the spring to alter a magnetic flux pattern associated with the magnets.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2018Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20190277332Abstract: An electrified vehicle assembly includes, among other things, an outer shaft that is rotatable about an axis. The outer shaft rotatably couples a motor of an electrified vehicle to a transmission component of the electrified vehicle. A shaft insert provides a conduit for a fluid and that blocks the fluid from flowing radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft relative to the axis. The shaft insert includes a polymer-based material, a composite material, or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
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Patent number: 10352351Abstract: An exemplary shaft assembly includes an outer shaft rotatable about an axis, and a shaft insert that provides a conduit for a fluid and blocks the fluid from flowing radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft relative to the axis. An exemplary shaft assembling method includes positioning a shaft insert within an outer shaft. The shaft insert has a fluid conduit and is configured to block fluid from communicating radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
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Patent number: 10199906Abstract: An electric machine is disclosed. The electric machine may include a rotor and an endplate. The endplate may define an aperture, an inner locknut surface and a balance-ring surface. The locknut surface may extend from a periphery of the aperture to a first diameter. The balance-ring surface may extend from a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter to an outer periphery of the endplate. Before assembly, the balance-ring surface may be adjacent to the rotor and the locknut surface may be spaced apart from the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20180342916Abstract: A vehicle electric machine assembly including a stator core, a rotor, and a bridge is provided. The stator core defines a cavity. The rotor is disposed within the cavity and may include a channel defined between two magnets. The bridge is disposed within the channel for translation between at least a first and a second position. The translation of the bridge adjusts a path of magnetic flux from the rotor to the stator core based on the bridge position. The bridge may be of a ferromagnetic material. The assembly may further include a first non-magnetic guide mounted on a first side of the channel at a substantially central channel region and a second magnetic guide mounted on a second side of the channel at the substantially central channel region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2017Publication date: November 29, 2018Inventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20180278126Abstract: An electric machine is provided. The electric machine may include a rotor disposed on a shaft and an endplate. The endplate may define a coolant capture ring. The coolant capture ring may have tapered side walls that extend from an outer portion of the endplate toward the shaft at a periphery thereof. The coolant capture ring may be configured to deflect coolant captured by the coolant capture ring and expelled by the shaft due to centrifugal forces associated with the rotation of the shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2017Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Cyrille GOLDSTEIN, Joel HETRICK
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Publication number: 20180219455Abstract: An electric machine is disclosed. The electric machine may include a rotor and an endplate. The endplate may define an aperture, an inner locknut surface and a balance-ring surface. The locknut surface may extend from a periphery of the aperture to a first diameter. The balance-ring surface may extend from a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter to an outer periphery of the endplate. Before assembly, the balance-ring surface may be adjacent to the rotor and the locknut surface may be spaced apart from the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Cyrille GOLDSTEIN, Joel HETRICK
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Publication number: 20180172063Abstract: An exemplary shaft assembly includes an outer shaft rotatable about an axis, and a shaft insert that provides a conduit for a fluid and blocks the fluid from flowing radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft relative to the axis. An exemplary shaft assembling method includes positioning a shaft insert within an outer shaft. The shaft insert has a fluid conduit and is configured to block fluid from communicating radially between the shaft insert and the outer shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
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Publication number: 20170366056Abstract: An electric machine may include a plurality of sections, each defining a permanent magnet pocket and a field formation chamber. The sections may be stacked to form a rotor such that when walls of the permanent magnet pockets are aligned from end to end, walls of the chambers of at least some of the sections are offset. An adjacent pair of the sections may have different chamber to pocket relative positions to define different pole arc angles. A difference between the first pole arc angle and the second pole arc angle may be equal to a slot pitch of a stator of the electric machine. The slot pitch may be 7.5 mechanical degrees. The chamber may be defined on a radially outward edge of the pocket. The chamber may taper in a radially outward direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2016Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Chun Tang, Wei Wu, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20170274976Abstract: An edge morphing arrangement for an airfoil having upper and lower control surfaces is provided with an elongated edge portion that overlies the edge of the airfoil, the edge portion having a surface element having first and second edges that communicate with, and form extensions of, respective ones of the upper and lower control surfaces of the elongated airfoil. The surface elements are formed of deformable compliant material that extends cross-sectionally from the first surface element edge to an apex of the edge portion, and to the second surface element edge. There is additionally provided a driving link having first and second driving link ends, the first driving link end being coupled to the interior of one of the first and second rib portions. The second end is arranged to receive a morphing force, and the rib element is deformed in response to the morphing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: FLEXSYS, INC.Inventors: Joel A. Hetrick, Sridhar Kota, Gregory F. Ervin
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Patent number: 9698638Abstract: A cooling system for an electric machine is provided. The cooling system includes an airflow diverter feature configured to provide even distribution of airflow to the electric machine. The airflow diverter feature includes a circular disk mounted to the housing of the electric machine. The disk defines a plurality of vents forming an axial air passage. A plurality of radial air passages are in fluid communication with the axial air passage. The airflow diverter feature defines at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The inlet comprises at least one interior choke and the outlet comprises at least one exhaust choke. The interior choke and the exhaust choke are sized to control a rate of air flow through the radial air passages.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2012Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Inventors: Qubo Li, Joel Hetrick
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Patent number: 9676471Abstract: An edge morphing arrangement for an airfoil having upper and lower control surfaces is provided with an elongated edge portion that overlies the edge of the airfoil, the edge portion having a surface element having first and second edges that communicate with, and form extensions of, respective ones of the upper and lower control surfaces of the elongated airfoil. The surface elements are formed of deformable compliant material that extends cross-sectionally from the first surface element edge to an apex of the edge portion, and to the second surface element edge. There is additionally provided a driving link having first and second driving link ends, the first driving link end being coupled to the interior of one of the first and second rib portions. The second end is arranged to receive a morphing force, and the rib element is deformed in response to the morphing force.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: FLEXSYS, INC.Inventors: Joel A. Hetrick, Sridhar Kota, Gregory F. Ervin
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Patent number: 9118232Abstract: A cooling system for an electric machine is provided. The cooling system includes an airflow restriction feature configured to provide airflow to a radial air channel of the electric machine.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Inventors: Qubo Li, Joel Hetrick
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Publication number: 20150210376Abstract: An edge morphing arrangement for an airfoil having upper and lower control surfaces is provided with an elongated edge portion that overlies the edge of the airfoil, the edge portion having a surface element having first and second edges that communicate with, and form extensions of, respective ones of the upper and lower control surfaces of the elongated airfoil. The surface elements are formed of deformable compliant material that extends cross-sectionally from the first surface element edge to an apex of the edge portion, and to the second surface element edge. There is additionally provided a driving link having first and second driving link ends, the first driving link end being coupled to the interior of one of the first and second rib portions. The second end is arranged to receive a morphing force, and the rib element is deformed in response to the morphing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2014Publication date: July 30, 2015Applicant: FlexSys, Inc.Inventors: Joel A. Hetrick, Sridhar Kota, Gregory F. Ervin
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Publication number: 20140306576Abstract: A displacement amplifier receives an actuation displacement signal from a piezoelectric actuator. The displacement signal is amplified by one or more stages of compliant elements, and a corresponding force is applied to a load. Wide frequency response is achieved in response to the resilience characteristics of the compliant elements that are formed from any of several materials, illustratively aluminum, steel, titanium, plastics, composites, etc., and are produced by any of several manufacturing techniques, illustratively extrusion, die casting, forging, etc. The compliant elements can be configured as plural compliant mechanical displacement amplifier stages. In bilateral arrangements displacement signals from distal ends of the motive source are applied to symmetrical, or mirror image, arrangements of compliant elements. The motive source, which may be a piezoelectric actuator, delivers its displacement signal at one end thereof to one or more compliant elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: FlexSys, Inc.Inventors: James D. Ervin, Dragan Maric, Gregory F. Ervin, Sridhar Kota, Joel A. Hetrick
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Patent number: 8814101Abstract: An edge morphing arrangement for an airfoil having upper and lower control surfaces is provided with an elongated edge portion that overlies the edge of the airfoil, the edge portion having a surface element having first and second edges that communicate with, and form extensions of, respective ones of the upper and lower control surfaces of the elongated airfoil. The surface elements are formed of deformable compliant material that extends cross-sectionally from the first surface element edge to an apex of the edge portion, and to the second surface element edge. There is additionally provided a driving link having first and second driving link ends, the first driving link end being coupled to the interior of one of the first and second rib portions. The second end is arranged to receive a morphing force, and the rib element is deformed in response to the morphing force.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: FlexSys, Inc.Inventors: Joel A. Hetrick, Gregory F. Ervin, Sridhar Kota
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Publication number: 20130264427Abstract: An edge morphing arrangement for an airfoil having upper and lower control surfaces is provided with an elongated edge portion that overlies the edge of the airfoil, the edge portion having a surface element having first and second edges that communicate with, and form extensions of, respective ones of the upper and lower control surfaces of the elongated airfoil. The surface elements are formed of deformable compliant material that extends cross-sectionally from the first surface element edge to an apex of the edge portion, and to the second surface element edge. There is additionally provided a driving link having first and second driving link ends, the first driving link end being coupled to the interior of one of the first and second rib portions. The second end is arranged to receive a morphing force, and the rib element is deformed in response to the morphing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: October 10, 2013Applicant: FlexSys, Inc.Inventors: Joel A. Hetrick, Gregory F. Ervin, Sridhar Kota