Patents by Inventor Richard W. Kautz
Richard W. Kautz 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: 11091039Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. A larger one of the estimated bus leakage resistances is selected as a balanced leakage resistance. Failure of a device connected to a bus (such as a wiring cable or a fuel cell) is predicted in response to predetermined decreases in the estimated balanced leakage resistance over time.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
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Publication number: 20190351771Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. A larger one of the estimated bus leakage resistances is selected as a balanced leakage resistance. Failure of a device connected to a bus (such as a wiring cable or a fuel cell) is predicted in response to predetermined decreases in the estimated balanced leakage resistance over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
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Patent number: 10406921Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
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Patent number: 10220707Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
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Publication number: 20170326986Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
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Patent number: 9758044Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
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Publication number: 20170113553Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
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Patent number: 9579977Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
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Publication number: 20160214484Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2015Publication date: July 28, 2016Inventors: ALLAN R. GALE, BENJAMIN A. TABATOWSKI-BUSH, RICHARD W. KAUTZ
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Publication number: 20160096433Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz