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).

  • Patent number: 10756398
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Colin Charles Brey
  • Publication number: 20200262313
    Abstract: A desired departure temperature is determined for a battery, having a temperature, in a vehicle based at least in part on trip information associated with a trip. A temperature controlling system is used to bring the temperature of the battery towards the desired departure temperature, wherein the vehicle begins the trip with the battery at the desired departure temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas P. MUNIZ, Ke ZHANG, John MELACK
  • Patent number: 10741805
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventor: John Melack
  • Patent number: 10727551
    Abstract: A liquid temperature controlling system is used to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery to produce a temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated. The temperature controlled liquid is removed from the temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed. A charger is used to charge the temperature controlled battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Muniz, John Melack
  • Publication number: 20200194852
    Abstract: A liquid temperature controlling system is used to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery to produce a temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated. The temperature controlled liquid is removed from the temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed. A charger is used to charge the temperature controlled battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas P. MUNIZ, John MELACK
  • Publication number: 20200185757
    Abstract: Battery assembly techniques and a corresponding system are disclosed. In various embodiments, the battery assembly techniques include compressing battery cells and inserting the battery cells in a can. Battery cells are stacked and then compressed using pneumatic cylinders that exert pressure on a first external layer of the stacked battery cells. A first portion of the stacked battery cells is released from the pneumatic cylinders while a second portion of the battery cells remains compressed. The first portion of the stacked battery cells is inserted in a can. In various embodiments, friction decreasing materials are added to the stacked battery cells to compress the stacked battery cells or ease insertion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: John MELACK, Thomas P. MUNIZ, Nihal MURTHY
  • Publication number: 20200176737
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: John MELACK, Thomas P. MUNIZ, Nihal MURTHY, Sampson LAU
  • Patent number: 10665884
    Abstract: A flexible fuel cell power system comprising one or more fuel cell cartridges (which contain fuel cell modules) connected to a fuel cell system is provided. The components of the flexible fuel cell power system may be placed on a shared backbone with flexible joints, and may be made of flexible materials so that the entire system can be worn by a human being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: INTELLIGENT ENERGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Wallace, Glenn Rambach, Linna Peng, Rodney Sparks, John Melack
  • Patent number: 10625870
    Abstract: A parachute is coupled to a rocket where the parachute is extracted by having the rocket pull on the parachute. A parachute strap couples the parachute to an aircraft where at a first point in time, a first section of the parachute strap and a second section of the parachute strap are both secured independently of each other. At a second point in time, the second section of the parachute strap is still secured while the first section of the parachute strap is released where the released first section of the parachute strap gradually becomes taut as the parachute is extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: John Melack, Cody Patrick Leuck, Sheldon Wong
  • Patent number: 10604028
    Abstract: A desired departure temperature is determined for a battery, having a temperature, in a vehicle based at least in part on trip information associated with a trip. A temperature controlling system is used to bring the temperature of the battery towards the desired departure temperature, wherein the vehicle begins the trip with the battery at the desired departure temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Muniz, Ke Zhang, John Melack
  • Patent number: 10593920
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy, Sampson Lau
  • Patent number: 10573920
    Abstract: Battery assembly techniques and a corresponding system are disclosed. In various embodiments, the battery assembly techniques include compressing battery cells and inserting the battery cells in a can. Battery cells are stacked and then compressed using pneumatic cylinders that exert pressure on a first external layer of the stacked battery cells. A first portion of the stacked battery cells is released from the pneumatic cylinders while a second portion of the battery cells remains compressed. The first portion of the stacked battery cells is inserted in a can. In various embodiments, friction decreasing materials are added to the stacked battery cells to compress the stacked battery cells or ease insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy
  • Publication number: 20200052256
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Nihal Murthy, Sampson Lau
  • Publication number: 20190393570
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Colin Charles Brey
  • Patent number: 10497996
    Abstract: A liquid temperature controlling system is used to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery to produce a temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated. The temperature controlled liquid is removed from the temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed. A charger is used to charge the temperature controlled battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: CORA AERO LLC
    Inventors: Thomas P. Muniz, John Melack
  • Patent number: 10355295
    Abstract: This disclosure is drawn to systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods, related to fuel cell cartridges. Specifically, the disclosed systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods relate to compact fuel cell cartridges for producing hydrogen gas for use by fuel cells. Some example fuel cell cartridges may include a reactor module for storing a reactant, a water module for storing water, and an interface coupling the reactor module and the water module. The interface may permit the water to flow from the water module to the reactor module such that the water mixes with the reactant in the reactor module to form a gas (e.g., hydrogen gas) that may exit through a gas outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Wallace, John Melack, Paul Getchel
  • Publication number: 20190181484
    Abstract: A flexible fuel cell power system comprising one or more fuel cell cartridges (which contain fuel cell modules) connected to a fuel cell system is provided. The components of the flexible fuel cell power system may be placed on a shared backbone with flexible joints, and may be made of flexible materials so that the entire system can be worn by a human being.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Wallace, Glenn Rambach, Linna Peng, Rodney Sparks, John Melack
  • Publication number: 20190097282
    Abstract: An aircraft hybrid cooling system is disclosed. The aircraft hybrid cooling system includes a conduit through an aircraft that is configured to allow airflow through the conduit. The aircraft hybrid cooling system additionally includes a battery assembly positioned in the conduit, configured to provide for airflow past a battery in the battery assembly in a first mode of operation and configured to provide flow of a cooling medium past the battery in a second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the battery in the battery assembly is cooled via airflow in the event the aircraft is in flight and is cooled via an applied cooling medium in the event the aircraft is grounded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Eric Allison
  • Patent number: 10218026
    Abstract: A flexible fuel cell power system comprising one or more fuel cell cartridges (which contain fuel cell modules) connected to a fuel cell system is provided. The components of the flexible fuel cell power system may be placed on a shared backbone with flexible joints, and may be made of flexible materials so that the entire system can be worn by a human being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Wallace, Glenn Rambach, Linna Peng, Rodney Sparks, John Melack
  • Patent number: 10177424
    Abstract: An aircraft hybrid cooling system is disclosed. The aircraft hybrid cooling system includes a conduit through an aircraft that is configured to allow airflow through the conduit. The aircraft hybrid cooling system additionally includes a battery assembly positioned in the conduit, configured to provide for airflow past a battery in the battery assembly in a first mode of operation and configured to provide flow of a cooling medium past the battery in a second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the battery in the battery assembly is cooled via airflow in the event the aircraft is in flight and is cooled via an applied cooling medium in the event the aircraft is grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: John Melack, Thomas P. Muniz, Eric Allison