Patents by Inventor Swetha Minupuri
Swetha Minupuri 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: 11877423Abstract: A thermal management system to cool one or more battery packs of a battery system may include a heat pipe arrangement that includes a plurality of heat pipes, having a planar configuration, in thermal contact with the one or more battery packs to draw heat therefrom, and a heat sink arrangement that includes a plurality of heat sinks, in thermal contact with two or more edges of the heat pipe arrangement, to dissipate heat away from the heat pipe arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Gaohua Zhu, Tenghua Tom Shieh, Evan B. Fleming, Swetha Minupuri, Debasish Banerjee, Ryuta Sugiura, Yusuke Suzuki, Takayoshi Tanaka, Satoko Tofukuji
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Patent number: 11799150Abstract: A cooling structure for a vehicle battery cell assembly includes a receptacle having a thermally-conductive floor. At least one first thermally conductive structure is positioned in an interior of the receptacle and in direct physical contact with a first side of the floor, and at least one second thermally conductive structure positioned in the interior of the receptacle in direct physical contact with the at least one first thermally conductive structure and spaced apart from the first side of the floor by the first thermally conductive structure. The cooling structure also includes a coolant conduit having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage in fluid communication with the coolant conduit inlet and outlet, the flow passage being in direct physical contact with an exterior of the receptacle along a second side of the floor opposite the first side of the floor.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tenghua Shieh, Gaohua Zhu, Evan Fleming, Swetha Minupuri
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Patent number: 11631868Abstract: A fuel cell assembly, a heat pipe for such a fuel cell assembly, and a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell having an MEA structure, and a pair of heat pipe separator plates in physical and thermal contact with a planar surface of the fuel cell. Each heat pipe separator plate includes an external heat transfer fin to dissipate a portion of the heat generated by the fuel cell through exposed outer peripheral edges thereof. Each heat pipe separator plate also includes voids formed in an interior planar surface thereof, to be aligned with voids of other heat pipe separator plates when the fuel cell assembly is arranged in a stack. Upper voids are to define upper interior channels in fluid communication with a portion of the air stream supplied to the cathode. A heat transfer insert is arranged in the upper voids, and includes internal heat transfer fins to dissipate another portion of the heat into the upper interior channels for contact with the air stream.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Gaohua Zhu, Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri, Evan Fleming, Debasish Banerjee
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Patent number: 11394040Abstract: A passive thermal management system is provided for a fuel cell stack, along with methods for maintaining a uniform temperature across a fuel cell stack during cold weather conditions. The system includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged as a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a main body portion defining an exterior surface and having first and second opposing end walls. The system includes a first end frame component having a first phase change material in thermal communication with the first end wall. A second end frame component is provided having a second phase change material in thermal communication with the second end wall. An insulation layer is wrapped around the exterior surface of the main body portion and is provided in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel cells.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tenghua Shieh, Takeo Yamaguchi, Gaohua Zhu, Debasish Banerjee, Swetha Minupuri
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Publication number: 20220117116Abstract: A thermal management system to cool one or more battery packs of a battery system may include a heat pipe arrangement that includes a plurality of heat pipes, having a planar configuration, in thermal contact with the one or more battery packs to draw heat therefrom, and a heat sink arrangement that includes a plurality of heat sinks, in thermal contact with two or more edges of the heat pipe arrangement, to dissipate heat away from the heat pipe arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Gaohua Zhu, Tenghua Tom Shieh, Evan B. Fleming, Swetha Minupuri, Debasish Banerjee, Ryuta Sugiura, Yusuke Suzuki, Takayoshi Tanaka, Satoko Tofukuji
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Publication number: 20220021049Abstract: A cooling structure for a vehicle battery cell assembly includes a receptacle having a thermally-conductive floor. At least one first thermally conductive structure is positioned in an interior of the receptacle and in direct physical contact with a first side of the floor, and at least one second thermally conductive structure positioned in the interior of the receptacle in direct physical contact with the at least one first thermally conductive structure and spaced apart from the first side of the floor by the first thermally conductive structure. The cooling structure also includes a coolant conduit having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage in fluid communication with the coolant conduit inlet and outlet, the flow passage being in direct physical contact with an exterior of the receptacle along a second side of the floor opposite the first side of the floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2020Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Tenghua Shieh, Gaohua Zhu, Evan Fleming, Swetha Minupuri
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Publication number: 20210313598Abstract: A fuel cell assembly, a heat pipe for such a fuel cell assembly, and a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell having an MEA structure, and a pair of heat pipe separator plates in physical and thermal contact with a planar surface of the fuel cell. Each heat pipe separator plate includes an external heat transfer fin to dissipate a portion of the heat generated by the fuel cell through exposed outer peripheral edges thereof. Each heat pipe separator plate also includes voids formed in an interior planar surface thereof, to be aligned with voids of other heat pipe separator plates when the fuel cell assembly is arranged in a stack. Upper voids are to define upper interior channels in fluid communication with a portion of the air stream supplied to the cathode. A heat transfer insert is arranged in the upper voids, and includes internal heat transfer fins to dissipate another portion of the heat into the upper interior channels for contact with the air stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2020Publication date: October 7, 2021Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Gaohua Zhu, Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri, Evan Fleming, Debasish Banerjee
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Publication number: 20210098801Abstract: A passive thermal management system is provided for a fuel cell stack, along with methods for maintaining a uniform temperature across a fuel cell stack during cold weather conditions. The system includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged as a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a main body portion defining an exterior surface and having first and second opposing end walls. The system includes a first end frame component having a first phase change material in thermal communication with the first end wall. A second end frame component is provided having a second phase change material in thermal communication with the second end wall. An insulation layer is wrapped around the exterior surface of the main body portion and is provided in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Tenghua Shieh, Takeo Yamaguchi, Gaohua Zhu, Debasish Banerjee, Swetha Minupuri
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Patent number: 10865671Abstract: An oil pan assembly having an oil pan and an intake pipe attached to a bottom of an engine block is provided. The oil pan assembly includes an inner plate mounted to the oil pan so as to be disposed between the oil pan and a bottom surface of the engine block. The inner plate is configured to slow the flow of oil to an intake pipe so as to provide additional time for entrained oil to de-areate.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Shohei Nomura, Swetha Minupuri, Dong-Hyun Lee
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Patent number: 10119464Abstract: An engine assembly having a cover for catching oil splatted by crankshaft gear and a balance shaft gear is provided. The crankshaft gear is mechanically coupled to the balance shaft gear. The balance shaft gear may be partially submerged in a pool of oil formed at the bottom of the crankcase housing. The cover includes a first cover portion having a back wall and a pair of side walls extending along a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion covers a respective portion of a circumferential edge of the crankshaft gear. The bottom portion a respective portion of a circumferential edge of the balance shaft gear. Accordingly, oil splattered by the crankshaft gear and the balance shaft gear is caught by the cover, reducing oil entrainment and increasing oil pumping efficiency. Further, the cover helps prevent oil mist from escaping the system so as to reduce oil consumption.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2016Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri, Shohei Nomura
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Publication number: 20170260900Abstract: An engine assembly having a cover for catching oil splatted by crankshaft gear and a balance shaft gear is provided. The crankshaft gear is mechanically coupled to the balance shaft gear. The balance shaft gear may be partially submerged in a pool of oil formed at the bottom of the crankcase housing. The cover includes a first cover portion having a back wall and a pair of side walls extending along a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion covers a respective portion of a circumferential edge of the crankshaft gear. The bottom portion a respective portion of a circumferential edge of the balance shaft gear. Accordingly, oil splattered by the crankshaft gear and the balance shaft gear is caught by the cover, reducing oil entrainment and increasing oil pumping efficiency. Further, the cover helps prevent oil mist from escaping the system so as to reduce oil consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2016Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri, Shohei Nomura
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Patent number: 9528407Abstract: An oil separation device of the having a separation chamber configured to separate micron particles of oil from crankcase gas is provided. The separation chamber has passage having a first end and a second end, the second end has a diameter smaller than the first end. The second end is spaced apart from a bottom wall of a chamber. Crankcase gas is drawn along the passage in the same direction as oil falling along the inner wall of the passage. Crankcase gas exits the second end in a path different than oil falling from the second end. The oil separating device may further include a dividing wall having through-holes and a blocking wall disposed above the through-holes so as to facilitate the removal of oil from crankcase gas.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Shohei Nomura, Tenghua Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri
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Publication number: 20160319715Abstract: An oil pan assembly having an oil pan and an intake pipe attached to a bottom of an engine block is provided. The oil pan assembly includes an inner plate mounted to the oil pan so as to be disposed between the oil pan and a bottom surface of the engine block. The inner plate is configured to slow the flow of oil to an intake pipe so as to provide additional time for entrained oil to de-areate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Shohei Nomura, Swetha Minupuri, Dong-Hyun Lee
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Patent number: 9273647Abstract: An air filter assembly for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. The air filter assembly includes a casing having an inlet configured to receive air from the environment, the casing having a passage, and an outlet disposed downstream the passage. A collection chamber collects particles from the drawn air. The collection chamber is disposed downstream from the inlet and upstream from the outlet. A partition is disposed between passage and the collection chamber. The partition has openings configured to allow particles to pass through. A side port is downstream the partition and in fluid communication with the passage. An internal combustion engine utilizing the air filter assembly is also provided. The internal combustion engine includes an air manifold, a combustion chamber and a filter. The air filter assembly is disposed upstream the filter.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Dong-Hyun Lee, Swetha Minupuri
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Publication number: 20150300302Abstract: An air filter assembly for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. The air filter assembly includes a casing having an inlet configured to receive air from the environment, the casing having a passage, and an outlet disposed downstream the passage. A collection chamber collects particles from the drawn air. The collection chamber is disposed downstream from the inlet and upstream from the outlet. A partition is disposed between passage and the collection chamber. The partition has openings configured to allow particles to pass through. A side port is downstream the partition and in fluid communication with the passage. An internal combustion engine utilizing the air filter assembly is also provided. The internal combustion engine includes an air manifold, a combustion chamber and a filter. The air filter assembly is disposed upstream the filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2014Publication date: October 22, 2015Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Tenghua Tom Shieh, Dong-Hyun Lee, Swetha Minupuri
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Publication number: 20150167515Abstract: An oil separation device of the having a separation chamber configured to separate micron particles of oil from crankcase gas is provided. The separation chamber has passage having a first end and a second end, the second end has a diameter smaller than the first end. The second end is spaced apart from a bottom wall of a chamber. Crankcase gas is drawn along the passage in the same direction as oil falling along the inner wall of the passage. Crankcase gas exits the second end in a path different than oil falling from the second end. The oil separating device may further include a dividing wall having through-holes and a blocking wall disposed above the through-holes so as to facilitate the removal of oil from crankcase gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2013Publication date: June 18, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Shohei Nomura, Tenghua Tom Shieh, Swetha Minupuri