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).

  • Patent number: 10293658
    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 and (b) prioritize cabin cooling over traction battery cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Mark G. Smith, Brett Allen Dunn
  • Patent number: 10293706
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a refrigerant system having a chiller and a coolant system having a chiller loop and a radiator loop. The chiller loop is arranged to circulate coolant through the chiller, and the radiator loop is arranged to circulate coolant through a battery, a radiator, and a bypass valve connected to a bypass conduit. A controller is configured to, in response to an ambient-air temperature exceeding a battery-coolant temperature, actuate the valve to circulate coolant to the bypass conduit to skip the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Publication number: 20190054825
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for heating an electrified vehicle. 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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Patent number: 10183550
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing controlling environmental conditions in a passenger compartment of a vehicle are presented. In one example, various low cost expansion valves are included in a system that has a receiver positioned downstream of an exterior heat exchanger to provide a climate control system with heating, cooling, dehumidification, and de-icing modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James George Gebbie, Clay Wesley Maranville, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Publication number: 20180361825
    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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Brett Allen Dunn, Anthony David Tsakiris, James George Gebbie
  • Publication number: 20180345815
    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: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Kenneth J. Jackson, Randy Lee Mallari
  • Publication number: 20180339605
    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: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Jaswant S. Dhillon, Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Patent number: 10124651
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an electrically powered heating device configured to heat airflow for conditioning the passenger cabin, and a controller configured to selectively command actuation of the electrically powered heating device based on a target discharge air temperature, an actual discharge air temperature, and an amount of power available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras, William Samuel Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20180319243
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and method of operation, which include an engine and an electric machine and storage battery coupled to power electronics, and a compressor and a chiller each having cooling capacities and coupled to refrigerant and coolant distribution and thermal management systems. The HEV also includes one or more controllers configured to charge the battery, and to adjust and control a charge-rate and cabin, battery, and coupled power electronics temperatures. The temperatures and charge-rate are controlled according to cooling needs established from a predetermined cabin temperature and charge-time, and actual temperatures of the cabin, battery, and power electronics. The charge-rate is increased, reducing the charge-time, as the predetermined cabin temperature is increased to reduce cabin cooling need.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, Angel Fernando PORRAS
  • Patent number: 10118460
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and method of operation, which include an engine and an electric machine and storage battery coupled to power electronics, and a compressor and a chiller each having cooling capacities and coupled to refrigerant and coolant distribution and thermal management systems. The HEV also includes one or more controllers configured to charge the battery, and to adjust and control a charge-rate and cabin, battery, and coupled power electronics temperatures. The temperatures and charge-rate are controlled according to cooling needs established from a predetermined cabin temperature and charge-time, and actual temperatures of the cabin, battery, and power electronics. The charge-rate is increased, reducing the charge-time, as the predetermined cabin temperature is increased to reduce cabin cooling need.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras
  • Publication number: 20180222286
    Abstract: A thermal management system of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a battery-coolant system including a chiller defining a thermal capacity and an electronic expansion valve arranged to selectively route fluid to the cooler. The system includes a heater-core system including an outside heat exchanger and a heating expansion valve arranged to selectively route fluid to the outside heat exchanger. The vehicle also includes a controller that is configured to, in response to a battery charge rate exceeding a threshold, open the battery expansion valve, and in response to the battery chiller having an insufficient capacity to achieve a temperature threshold as defined by a heater core thermometer, open the heating expansion valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, James George GEBBIE, Angel Fernando PORRAS
  • Publication number: 20180215231
    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: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando PORRAS, Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY, Kenneth J. Jackson
  • Publication number: 20180208018
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a passenger cabin, an electrically powered heating device configured to heat airflow for conditioning the passenger cabin, and a controller configured to selectively command actuation of the electrically powered heating device based on a target discharge air temperature, an actual discharge air temperature, and an amount of power available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy Noah Blatchley, Angel Fernando Porras, William Samuel Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20180119624
    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: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Gregory Patrick McConville, Chad Allan Baker, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 9950638
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cabin, a traction battery configured to receive wall power from a charging station, a coolant circuit, a heat pump and a controller. The coolant circuit includes the battery, a heater core, a heat exchanger, and valving. The heat pump is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The controller is programmed to, in response to a request to heat the battery and the cabin, and a time to next planned usage of the vehicle being less than a first threshold time, actuate the valving to circulate coolant to the heater core and not the battery when wall power is available, and energize the heat pump to supply heat to the coolant circuit via the heat exchanger when an ambient air temperature exceeds a threshold temperature. The disclosure also includes a method for preconditioning a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Mark G. Smith
  • Patent number: 9947975
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery arranged to be cooled by a chiller of a refrigerant system, and a radiator of a coolant system. The coolant system includes a proportioning valve having a pair of first and second outlets that each selectively receives a proportion of coolant flowing into the valve depending upon a position of the valve. The coolant system further includes a chiller loop connected to the first outlet and arranged to convey coolant to the chiller, and a radiator loop connected to the second outlet and arranged to convey coolant to the radiator. A controller is configured to, in response to the refrigerant system being ON, actuate the proportioning valve to proportion the coolant between the first and second outlets such that heat transfer through the chiller is limited to a chiller capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Patent number: 9914462
    Abstract: A method for preconditioning various subsystems of an electrified vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, scheduling preconditioning of a battery pack, an interior cabin, a transmission and an engine of the electrified vehicle prior to a next expected usage time based at least on a weather forecast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Ryan J. Skaff
  • Publication number: 20180029443
    Abstract: A vehicle heating system is disclosed. The system comprises an engine configured to heat a coolant and an electric heater configured to heat the coolant. A coolant supply valve is configured to selectively direct the coolant to the engine. The system further comprises a plurality of heat exchangers configured to receive the coolant and at least one heat exchanger control valve. The at least one heat exchanger control valve is configured to selectively allow the coolant to flow to one of the heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Publication number: 20180029444
    Abstract: A method for heating a vehicle is disclosed. The method comprises heating coolant with an electric heater and selectively heating the coolant with an engine. The method further comprises selectively supplying the coolant to each of a plurality of heating zones, and calculating a heat load of heat exchangers corresponding to the heating zones. The heating of the coolant is based the heat load in the heating zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando Porras, Timothy Noah Blatchley
  • Publication number: 20180001784
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a refrigerant system having a chiller and a coolant system having a chiller loop and a radiator loop. The chiller loop is arranged to circulate coolant through the chiller, and the radiator loop is arranged to circulate coolant through a battery, a radiator, and a bypass valve connected to a bypass conduit. A controller is configured to, in response to an ambient-air temperature exceeding a battery-coolant temperature, actuate the valve to circulate coolant to the bypass conduit to skip the radiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Angel Fernando PORRAS, Timothy Noah BLATCHLEY