IP Library Granted Patent US 10,497,996
Granted Patent B1
US 10,497,996 · App. 16/217,616 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Battery with liquid temperature controlling system

Inventors: Thomas P. Muniz (Sunnyvale, CA); John Melack (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: CORA AERO LLC
H01M10/63B60L53/80B60L58/18B60L58/26H01M10/44H01M10/60H01M10/613H01M10/615H01M10/617H01M10/625H01M10/65H01M10/6567B60L2200/10B60L2240/36H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,497,996
App. No.
16/217,616
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

A liquid temperature controlling system is used to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery to produce a temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated. The temperature controlled liquid is removed from the temperature controlled battery. The battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed. A charger is used to charge the temperature controlled battery.

Claims (55)

1. A system, comprising:

a liquid temperature controlling system which is configured to:

detachably couple a battery and the liquid temperature controlling system;

circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and the battery to produce a temperature controlled battery;

remove the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery; and

decouple the battery and the liquid temperature controlling system;

an o-ring configured to fit around a container of the battery, wherein:

the o-ring includes a channel through which the liquid is circulated and comes into contact with at least a bottom surface of the container when in the channel, and

the liquid enters the channel from a first opening on a top side of the o-ring and exits the channel from a second opening on a side opposite the top side; and

a charger which is configured to charge the temperature controlled battery.

2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the battery is in a vehicle.

3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the battery is in a vehicle and the vehicle includes an aircraft.

4. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein charging the temperature controlled battery is triggered by a measured temperature of the temperature controlled battery falling within a range of permitted battery charging temperatures.

5. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes blowing air from the liquid temperature controlling system to the battery.

6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery.

7. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery; and

using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery begins while the temperature controlled battery is being charged.

8. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the battery includes a battery submodule having the container; and

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel of the o-ring.

9. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the battery includes a first battery submodule having a first container and a second battery submodule having a second container; and

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel formed using the first container, the second container, a first o-ring configured to fit around the first container, and a second o-ring configured to fit around the second container, wherein the temperature controlled liquid comes into direct contact with at least the bottom surface of the first container and the bottom surface of the second container when in the channel.

10. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the battery includes a first battery submodule having a first container and a second battery submodule having a second container;

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel formed using the first container, the second container, a first o-ring configured to fit around the first container, and a second o-ring configured to fit around the second container, wherein the temperature controlled liquid comes into direct contact with at least the bottom surface of the first container and the bottom surface of the second container when in the channel;

a support structure includes the first o-ring and the second o-ring; and

the temperature controlled liquid enters the channel from a first opening at a top side of the support structure and exits the channel from a second opening at a side opposite the top side of the support structure.

11. A method, comprising:

using a liquid temperature controlling system to circulate a temperature controlled liquid between the liquid temperature controlling system and a battery via an o-ring configured to fit around a container of the battery to produce a temperature controlled battery, wherein:

the battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are detachably coupled at least while the temperature controlled liquid is circulated,

the o-ring includes a channel through which the liquid is circulated and comes into contact with at least a bottom surface of the container when in the channel, and

the liquid enters the channel from a first opening on a top side of the o-ring and exiting the channel from a second opening on a side opposite the top side;

removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery, wherein the battery and the liquid temperature controlling system are decoupled after the temperature controlled liquid is removed; and

using a charger to charge the temperature controlled battery.

12. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein the battery is in a vehicle.

13. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein the battery is in a vehicle and the vehicle includes an aircraft.

14. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein charging the temperature controlled battery is triggered by a measured temperature of the temperature controlled battery falling within a range of permitted battery charging temperatures.

15. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes blowing air from the liquid temperature controlling system to the battery.

16. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery.

17. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

removing the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery includes using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery; and

using gravity to drain the temperature controlled liquid from the temperature controlled battery begins while the temperature controlled battery is being charged.

18. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the battery includes a battery submodule having the container; and

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel of the o-ring.

19. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the battery includes a first battery submodule having a first container and a second battery submodule having a second container; and

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel formed using the first container, the second container, a first o-ring configured to fit around the first container, and a second o-ring configured to fit around the second container, wherein the temperature controlled liquid comes into direct contact with at least the bottom surface of the first container and the bottom surface of the second container when in the channel.

20. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the battery includes a first battery submodule having a first container and a second battery submodule having a second container;

circulating the temperature controlled liquid includes circulating the temperature controlled liquid through a channel formed using the first container, the second container, a first o-ring configured to fit around the first container, and a second o-ring configured to fit around the second container, wherein the temperature controlled liquid comes into direct contact with at least the bottom surface of the first container and the bottom surface of the second container when in the channel;

a support structure includes the first o-ring and the second o-ring; and

the temperature controlled liquid enters the channel from a first opening at a top side of the support structure and exits the channel from a second opening at a bottom side of the support structure.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 17, 2019
From: CORA AERO LLC
To: WISK AERO LLC
Reel/Frame 051328/0757 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2019
From: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
To: CORA AERO LLC
Reel/Frame 050374/0303 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN SPECIFIED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: ONE AERO, LLC
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049627/0207 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2019
From: MUNIZ, THOMAS P.; MELACK, JOHN
To: KITTY HAWK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048524/0875 →
Cited By (7)
US 12,195,178 US 12,269,603 US 12,280,885 US 12,351,324 US 12,558,995 US 12,630,053 US 12,709,410