Patents by Inventor Joel Hetrick

Joel 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).

  • Publication number: 20200144882
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core, a cylindrical housing circumscribing the core, and an annular compressible layer. The annular compressible layer is received on the core and has an outer surface disposed against the housing. A diameter of the outer surface is larger than a diameter of an inner surface of the core to form an interference fit between the housing and the compressible layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Chun TANG, Joel HETRICK, Shailesh Shrikant KOZAREKAR
  • Publication number: 20200144874
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator core having integrally formed resilient features circumferentially arranged around an outer diameter of the core and a cylindrical housing receiving the core with the resilient features disposed against an inner diameter of the housing. The outer diameter is larger than the inner diameter to form an interference fit between the core and housing, and the resilient features are configured to radially displace responsive to the inner diameter shrinking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Chun Tang, Joel Hetrick, Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar
  • Publication number: 20200112226
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a cylindrical stator core and a cylindrical housing having an inner diameter. The core has an outer surface and a plurality of projections extending therefrom. An outer diameter of the core measured between tips of diametrically opposing projections is greater than the inner diameter. The core is disposed in the housing with the tips engaging the inner diameter to create an interference fit between the core and housing to reduce housing resonance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Shailesh Shrikant KOZAREKAR, Chun TANG, Joel HETRICK
  • Patent number: 10594191
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick
  • Patent number: 10523072
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chun Tang, Wei Wu, Joel Hetrick
  • Patent number: 10516305
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20190341820
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20190277332
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
  • Patent number: 10352351
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
  • Patent number: 10199906
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20180342916
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jacob Krizan, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20180278126
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Cyrille GOLDSTEIN, Joel HETRICK
  • Publication number: 20180219455
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Cyrille GOLDSTEIN, Joel HETRICK
  • Publication number: 20180172063
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Cyrille Goldstein, Joel Hetrick, Edward William Haran, Elizabeth Rose Bifano
  • Publication number: 20170366056
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Chun Tang, Wei Wu, Joel Hetrick
  • Patent number: 9698638
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventors: Qubo Li, Joel Hetrick
  • Patent number: 9118232
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventors: Qubo Li, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20130171923
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Danotek Motion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Qubo Li, Joel Hetrick
  • Publication number: 20130169099
    Abstract: A rotor or stator hub for an electric machine includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a predetermined same pattern on a plurality of uniformly sized carrier plates. A plurality of permanent magnets are uniformly mounted on each of the carrier plates proximate a first edge of the carrier plate and spaced away from a second edge of the carrier plate. The carrier plates may be mounted on a rotor or stator hub in a predetermined configuration to create a plurality of axial array groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Danotek Motion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Saban, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Joel Hetrick, Janne Kinnunen
  • Publication number: 20130169076
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Danotek Motion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Qubo LI, Joel Hetrick