Patents by Inventor William O. Merkle

William O. Merkle 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).

  • Automated guided vehicle
    Patent number: 8447448
    Abstract: A vehicle for transporting material along a defined path includes a chassis, a source of electric power mounted on the chassis, a traction system including a traction motor connected to the power source for driving wheels supporting the chassis, a steering system including steering motor connected to the power source for adjusting an angular position of a steerable wheel supporting the chassis, and a controller for adjusting the vehicle's speed and direction by controlling operation of the traction motor and steering motor in response to information regarding the vehicle's location and travel direction relative to the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Scheuerman, William O. Merkle
  • Method of assembling electric storage battery packs
    Patent number: 8353970
    Abstract: A method of assembling a battery assembly includes forming battery packs, each pack including battery cells and cooling passages extending along a length of the pack, connecting terminals of each pack to a dc source and charging each pack to a desired state of charge, installing battery packs on a tray located on an automatically guided cart, using the cart to carry the battery assembly to locations where method steps are performed including performing testing for fluid leaks in a cooling circuit comprising interconnected passages of each pack on the tray and installing electric circuits in the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Wells, Stephanie L. Corker, Robert H. Dietze, Michael M. Arvaneh, Gene P. Emmerich, John D. Tompkins, Edward S. Turvene, William O. Merkle
  • Electric powered cart for moving loads
    Patent number: 8167061
    Abstract: A cart for moving loads includes a frame supported on wheels, a source of electric power supported on the frame, a drive system including a traction motor connected to the power source for driving a wheel secured to the frame and contacting ground, and a controller for adjusting a rotary direction of the drive wheel in response to selected states of an input to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Scheuerman, William O. Merkle, Stephen C Girard
  • Method of Assembling Electric Storage Battery Packs
    Publication number: 20110258845
    Abstract: A method of assembling a battery assembly includes forming battery packs, each pack including battery cells and cooling passages extending along a length of the pack, connecting terminals of each pack to a dc source and charging each pack to a desired state of charge, installing battery packs on a tray located on an automatically guided cart, using the cart to carry the battery assembly to locations where method steps are performed including performing testing for fluid leaks in a cooling circuit comprising interconnected passages of each pack on the tray and installing electric circuits in the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Wells, Stephanie L. Corker, Robert H. Dietze, Michael M. Arvaneh, Gene P. Emmerich, John D. Tompkins, Edward S. Turvene, William O. Merkle
  • ELECTRIC POWERED CART FOR MOVING LOADS
    Publication number: 20110168464
    Abstract: A cart for moving loads includes a frame supported on wheels, a source of electric power supported on the frame, a drive system including a traction motor connected to the power source for driving a wheel secured to the frame and contacting ground, and a controller for adjusting a rotary direction of the drive wheel in response to selected states of an input to the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert J. Scheuerman, William O. Merkle, Stephen C. Girard
  • AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20110106352
    Abstract: A vehicle for transporting material along a defined path includes a chassis, a source of electric power mounted on the chassis, a traction system including a traction motor connected to the power source for driving wheels supporting the chassis, a steering system including steering motor connected to the power source for adjusting an angular position of a steerable wheel supporting the chassis, and a controller for adjusting the vehicle's speed and direction by controlling operation of the traction motor and steering motor in response to information regarding the vehicle's location and travel direction relative to the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert J. Scheuerman, William O. Merkle