Patents by Inventor John Melack
John Melack 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: 12522352Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to electric aircraft, and more specifically to electric power distribution for electric aircraft. In one embodiment, an electric aircraft is disclosed, comprising: a fuselage; two wings mounted on opposite sides of the fuselage; a plurality of first electric propulsion units, arranged on both sides of the fuselage, aft of the wings during forward flight; a plurality of second electric propulsion units arranged on both sides of the fuselage, forward of the wings during forward flight; and a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack configured to power at least: a portion of one of the first electric propulsion units on one side of the fuselage, and a portion of one of the second electric propulsion units on the other side of the fuselage.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2023Date of Patent: January 13, 2026Assignee: Archer Aviation Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. Bower, Benjamin M. Greek, Nathan T. Depenbusch, John Melack
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Publication number: 20250187738Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2024Publication date: June 12, 2025Applicant: Archer Aviation Inc.Inventor: John MELACK
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Patent number: 12300853Abstract: The embodiments describe a system and the corresponding assembly techniques of a battery submodule top cover. The battery submodule top cover has at least one electrical hybrid interconnect coupled to a substrate. The hybrid interconnect comprises at least a first portion made of a first metal type, and a second portion made of a second metal type. The first portion and the second portion of the hybrid interconnect are joined together such that an electrical connection may be made between two battery cell tabs where each battery cell tab is made of a different type of metal.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2023Date of Patent: May 13, 2025Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventor: John Melack
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Publication number: 20240413423Abstract: A battery includes a metal can having a bottom, a top opening, and four sides. The battery also includes a plurality of cells stacked inside the metal can, wherein at least two opposing sides of the four sides of the metal can are biased inward against the plurality of cells to provide compression.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2024Publication date: December 12, 2024Applicant: Wisk Aero LLCInventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy
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Patent number: 12162614Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2024Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: ARCHER AVIATION INC.Inventor: John Melack
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Publication number: 20240339860Abstract: A battery system includes a battery cell, a thermally insulating layer, and a thermally conducting layer which includes a fin. The fin pushes against an interior surface of a case which surrounds the battery cell, the thermally insulating layer, and the thermally conducting layer. The thermally conducting layer includes a discontinuity where the discontinuity is configured to reduce a capacitance associated with the thermally conducting layer compared to when the thermally conducting layer does not include the discontinuity.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2024Publication date: October 10, 2024Applicant: Wisk Aero LLCInventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy, Sampson Lau
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Publication number: 20240246686Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2024Publication date: July 25, 2024Applicant: Archer Aviation Inc.Inventor: John MELACK
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Patent number: 12046728Abstract: A battery includes a metal can having a bottom, a top opening, and four sides. The battery also includes a plurality of cells stacked inside the metal can, wherein at least two opposing sides of the four sides of the metal can are biased inward against the plurality of cells to provide compression.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2020Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy
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Patent number: 12021408Abstract: A battery system includes a battery cell, a thermally insulating layer, and a thermally conducting layer which includes a fin. The fin pushes against an interior surface of a case which surrounds the battery cell, the thermally insulating layer, and the thermally conducting layer. The thermally conducting layer includes a discontinuity where the discontinuity is configured to reduce a capacitance associated with the thermally conducting layer compared to when the thermally conducting layer does not include the discontinuity.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2021Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy, Sampson Lau
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Patent number: 11945594Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: ARCHER AVIATION, INC.Inventor: John Melack
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Publication number: 20240101253Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to electric aircraft, and more specifically to electric power distribution for electric aircraft. In one embodiment, an electric aircraft is disclosed, comprising: a fuselage; two wings mounted on opposite sides of the fuselage; a plurality of first electric propulsion units, arranged on both sides of the fuselage, aft of the wings during forward flight; a plurality of second electric propulsion units arranged on both sides of the fuselage, forward of the wings during forward flight; and a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack configured to power at least: a portion of one of the first electric propulsion units on one side of the fuselage, and a portion of one of the second electric propulsion units on the other side of the fuselage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: Archer Aviation Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. BOWER, Benjamin M. GREEK, Nathan T. DEPENBUSCH, John MELACK
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Publication number: 20230382543Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: Archer Aviation, Inc.Inventor: John MELACK
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Patent number: 11745883Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2022Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Archer Aviation, Inc.Inventor: John Melack
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Patent number: 11742552Abstract: The embodiments describe a system and the corresponding assembly techniques of a battery submodule top cover. The battery submodule top cover has at least one electrical hybrid interconnect coupled to a substrate. The hybrid interconnect comprises at least a first portion made of a first metal type, and a second portion made of a second metal type. The first portion and the second portion of the hybrid interconnect are joined together such that an electrical connection may be made between two battery cell tabs where each battery cell tab is made of a different type of metal.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventor: John Melack
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Publication number: 20230166854Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2022Publication date: June 1, 2023Applicant: Archer Aviation, Inc.Inventor: John MELACK
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Patent number: 11661180Abstract: An electric aircraft includes rotors for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft, proprotors that are tiltable between lift configurations for providing lift for vertical take-off and landing of the aircraft and propulsion configurations for providing forward thrust to the aircraft, a first battery pack for powering a first rotor and a first proprotor, a second battery pack for powering a second rotor and a second proprotor, a first electric power bus electrically connecting the first battery pack to the first rotor and proprotor, and a second electric power bus electrically connecting the second battery pack to the second rotor and proprotor, wherein the second electric power bus is electrically isolated from the first electric power bus.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Archer Aviation Inc.Inventors: Geoffrey C. Bower, Benjamin M. Greek, Nathan T. Depenbusch, John Melack
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Patent number: 11552346Abstract: A battery system includes a can with a lip around an opening. At least an interior surface of the can is anodized and the lip of the can includes a longer and shorter side. The can further includes a flange on the longer side of the lip and a plurality of layers that are inserted into the can. The plurality of layers includes a battery cell and a thermally conducting layer with a fin and the fin has a spring force that pushes the fin towards the anodized interior surface. The battery system further includes a lid that is configured to cover the opening of the can, where the flange is configured to wrap around the lid when the lid covers the opening of the can.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Colin Charles Brey
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Patent number: 11465764Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Archer Aviation, Inc.Inventor: John Melack
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Publication number: 20220177145Abstract: A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2020Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Archer Aviation, Inc.Inventor: John MELACK
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Patent number: 11329344Abstract: A first holder holds a plurality of layers associated with a battery submodule that is being assembled. A first and second pair of actuators, while the plurality of layers is held by the first holder, extend so that the first and second pair of actuators apply pressure to the plurality of layers. While the first and second pair of actuators are extended and applying pressure to the plurality of layers, the first holder retracts. A second holder holds a container associated with the battery submodule that is being assembled and extends so that the container gradually surrounds the plurality of layers. While the container gradually surrounds the plurality of layers, the first and second pair of actuators sequentially retract.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Wisk Aero LLCInventor: John Melack