Patents by Inventor Timothy Noah Blatchley

Timothy Noah Blatchley 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: 20200290429
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vapor-injection heat pump having a refrigerant loop with an evaporator configured to cool cabin air, the evaporator coupled to an electronically controllable pressure regulating valve having a fully-open position with near-zero pressure drop, and a cabin conditioning coolant loop having a heater core configured to selectively heat the cabin air. A controller is configured to control the valve to maintain temperature and pressure of the refrigerant loop above a freezing threshold to inhibit or prevent evaporator icing. The valve may be controlled to throttle flow during a parallel dehumidification mode and to fully open to minimize pressure drop during other operational modes, such as a cooling mode, heating mode, de-icing mode, and series dehumidification mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, Loren John LOHMEYER, Angelo PATTI
  • Patent number: 10730403
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a controller. The controller pre-heats a coolant in a power electronics loop via heat transfer between the coolant and an electronic component in response to an ambient temperature being less than a threshold and a coolant temperature being less than a battery temperature. The controller also pumps the coolant through a battery loop in response to the coolant temperature exceeding the battery temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Kenneth J. Jackson, Randy Lee Mallari
  • Patent number: 10601087
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided for a traction battery of an electrified motor vehicle. That cooling system includes a cooling circuit, a refrigerant circuit, a plurality of flow control valves and a control system. That control system includes a controller configured to (a) control operation of the plurality of flow control valves, including a coolant proportional valve, and (b) prioritize cabin cooling over traction battery cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10556484
    Abstract: An exemplary vehicle climate control operating method includes in a cooling mode, moving a valve to a first position and initializing the valve without moving the valve to a second position. In a heating mode, the method moves the valve to a second position and initializing the valve without moving the valve to the first position. The first position permits more flow than the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, James George Gebbie, Clay Wesley Maranville
  • Patent number: 10543734
    Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes a battery pack, a cabin heater, and a coolant loop that communicates liquid coolant from the battery pack to the cabin heater. The cabin heater configured to heat a cabin of a vehicle with thermal energy from liquid coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Mark Anthony Rockwell, Justin Reuel Badger
  • Publication number: 20200023715
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing control of a heat pump of a motor vehicle are presented. In one operating mode, speed of a heat pump compressor is controlled responsive to an outlet pressure of the heat pump compressor. In a second operating mode, speed of the heat pump compressor is controlled responsive to a pressure ratio between an inlet and an outlet of the heat pump compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, James George Gebbie, Clay Wesley Maranville, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10532661
    Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle includes a passenger cabin, and an infrared heater configured to radiate heat for conditioning the passenger cabin. The vehicle further includes a heating device configured to heat airflow for conditioning the passenger cabin. Further, the vehicle includes a controller configured to selectively command a change in an output of the heating device based on an amount of power available to the infrared heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Patent number: 10507707
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system in a hybrid or battery-electric vehicle is provided. The HVAC system includes a compressor that has its own dedicated motor to control its speed. The compressor includes an inlet pressure sensor to determine and output the suction pressure, and an outlet pressure sensor to determine and output the discharge pressure of the compressor. At least one controller can be programmed to determine the discharge-to-suction pressure ratio, and limit the operating speed of the compressor in response to the ratio exceeding a pressure-ratio-threshold. The pressure-ratio-threshold can vary based on ambient air temperature. In the event an inlet pressure sensor is not available, the operating speed of the compressor can be reduced in response to the outlet pressure exceeding an ambient-temperature-based variable threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10486495
    Abstract: A vehicle climate control system for an electrified vehicle including a thermal circuit and a controller is provided. The thermal circuit includes a heat pump and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater. The controller is programmed to direct operation of the heat pump and the PTC heater responsive to receipt of a request for simultaneous cooling and heating based on a heat source mode table and detection of a system configuration in which flow is permitted through one of a fixed orifice expansion device (FOT), a thermal expansion valve (TXV), and an electronic expansion valve (EXV). The heat source mode table may call for the heat pump to operate in a cool mode and the PTC heater to operate in a heat mode when heater core coolant is identified as warm and ambient temperature is above a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Brett Allen Dunn, Anthony David Tsakiris, James George Gebbie
  • Patent number: 10486498
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing control of a heat pump of a motor vehicle are presented. In one operating mode, speed of a heat pump compressor is controlled responsive to an outlet pressure of the heat pump compressor. In a second operating mode, speed of the heat pump compressor is controlled responsive to a pressure ratio between an inlet and an outlet of the heat pump compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, James George Gebbie, Clay Wesley Maranville, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Publication number: 20190351734
    Abstract: A method of climate control in a vehicle, which includes cooling a battery and cabin of a vehicle at a target chiller-pump speed of a chiller, the target speed corresponding to a difference between a temperature of an battery and a target temperature of the battery, and wherein the target pump speed does not exceed a limit defined by a look-up table that identifies a capacity of the chiller by mapping the load and the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Angel Fernando PORRAS, Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, Kenneth J. JACKSON
  • Patent number: 10414289
    Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, conditioning a battery of an electrified vehicle while off charge in response to an operator request for improved performance as a tradeoff for decreased range. An electrified vehicle system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery, an electric machine configured to receive electric power from the battery to drive vehicle wheels, and a system control that generates a control signal to condition the battery while off charge in response to an operator request for improved performance as a tradeoff for decreased range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Jaswant S. Dhillon, Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Publication number: 20190273294
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided for a traction battery of an electrified motor vehicle. That cooling system includes a cooling circuit, a refrigerant circuit, a plurality of flow control valves and a control system. That control system includes a controller configured to (a) control operation of the plurality of flow control valves, including a coolant proportional valve, and (b) prioritize cabin cooling over traction battery cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Publication number: 20190264625
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for exhaust heat recovery and EGR cooling via a single heat exchanger. In one example, a method may include selecting a specific mode of operation of an engine exhaust system with the heat exchanger based on engine operating conditions and an estimated fuel efficacy factor. The fuel efficiency factor may take into account fuel efficacy benefits from EGR and exhaust heat recovery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Gregory Patrick McConville, Chad Allan Baker, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 10391835
    Abstract: Methods and system for providing de-icing a heat pump heat exchanger and heating a vehicle passenger cabin are presented. In one example, a heat pump that experiences icing of exterior heat exchanger fins may be operated in a cooling mode where a passenger cabin heat exchanger operates as an evaporator to improve de-icing of the exterior heat exchanger fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Franco Ragazzi
  • Patent number: 10384511
    Abstract: A climate-control system for a vehicle, comprising a controller in communication with a chiller configured to cool a vehicle battery and an evaporator configured to cool a vehicle cabin. The controller is configured to output a target chiller-pump speed based upon a difference between a battery coolant temperature and a target-battery coolant temperature to mitigate a temperature swing of air entering the cabin, and limiting the target chiller-pump speed in response to an available capacity of the chiller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Kenneth J. Jackson
  • Publication number: 20190225047
    Abstract: A thermal system for an electrified vehicle including a thermal loop and a controller is provided. The thermal loop may include a rear evaporator and a compressor fluidly connected thereto, a conduit to distribute oil throughout the thermal loop, and an evaporator valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to receipt of a signal indicating evaporator valve shut-off and detection of a vehicle plug-in event, cycle the compressor to promote oil movement through the compressor. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to receipt of the signal, open the evaporator valve to force oil back to the compressor. The thermal loop may further include a first expansion valve up stream of a chiller fluidly connected to the compressor, a second expansion valve between the evaporator valve and the rear evaporator, and a third expansion valve up stream of a front evaporator fluidly connected to the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Brett Allen Dunn, Rohan Shrivastava
  • Patent number: 10340563
    Abstract: A cooling system is provided for a traction battery of an electrified motor vehicle. That cooling system includes a cooling circuit, a refrigerant circuit, a plurality of flow control valves and a control system. That control system includes a controller configured to (a) control operation of the plurality of flow control valves, including a coolant proportional valve, and (b) prioritize cabin cooling over traction battery cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Patent number: 10323587
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for exhaust heat recovery and EGR cooling via a single heat exchanger. In one example, a method may include selecting a specific mode of operation of an engine exhaust system with the heat exchanger based on engine operating conditions and an estimated fuel efficacy factor. The fuel efficiency factor may take into account fuel efficacy benefits from EGR and exhaust heat recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Gregory Patrick McConville, Chad Allan Baker, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Michael James Uhrich
  • Publication number: 20190176578
    Abstract: A thermal system for a vehicle includes a compressor configured to pressurize refrigerant that selectively flows through a chiller for battery coolant and an evaporator for cabin cooling. The system further includes a controller programmed to, responsive to cabin cooling demand becoming zero, change from adjusting compressor speed responsive to changes in an evaporator temperature to adjusting compressor speed responsive to changes in a chiller refrigerant pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, James GEBBIE, Angel Fernando PORRAS