IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,214,675
Granted Patent B2
US 12,214,675 · App. 18/384,194 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

System and method for dynamic excitation of an energy storage element configured for use in an electric aircraft

Inventors: Herman Wiegman (Wakefield, RI); Steven J. Foland (Garland, TX)
Assignee: BETA AIR LLC
B60L3/04B60L50/60B64D27/24H01M50/528B60L2200/10B60L2240/54B60L2250/16B64C29/0025B64D2221/00H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,214,675
App. No.
18/384,194
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for dynamic excitation of an energy storage element configured for use in an electric aircraft includes a plurality of propulsors mechanically connected to the electric aircraft. The system includes a plurality of energy storage elements electrically connected to the plurality of propulsors. The system includes a bus element, wherein the bus element is electrically connected to the plurality of energy storage elements and a cross tie element connected to the bus element configured to disconnect a first energy storage element from a second energy storage element. The system includes a modulator unit electrically connected to the bus element configured to modulate a first electrical command to the first energy storage element and a second electrical command to the second energy storage element. The system includes at least a sensor configured to detect an energy datum corresponding to the first energy storage element as a function of the modulation.

Claims (29)

1. An aircraft comprising:

a plurality of propulsors mechanically connected to the aircraft, each of the plurality of propulsors including an electric propulsion motor;

a first energy storage element and a second energy storage element electrically connected to the plurality of propulsors;

a bus element, wherein the bus element is electrically connected to the first energy storage element and the second energy storage element; and

a cross tie element, the cross tie element connected to the bus element and configured to disconnect the first energy storage element from the second energy storage element, wherein the first energy storage element is electrically connected to a first propulsor of the plurality of propulsors and the second energy storage element is electrically connected to a second propulsor of the plurality of propulsors.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the cross tie element comprises at least a switch.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first energy storage element or the second energy storage element comprises a battery module.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a modulator unit electrically connected to the bus element, the modulator unit configured to modulate a first electrical command to the first propulsor and a second electrical command to the second propulsor.

5. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein modulating the first electrical command and the second electrical command comprises drawing electrical energy from the first energy storage element.

6. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the modulator unit is further configured to measure at least an electrical parameter as a function of the modulation of the first electrical command.

7. The aircraft of claim 6 , wherein measuring the electrical parameter further comprises detecting a change in the electrical parameter.

8. The aircraft of claim 4 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect an energy datum corresponding to the first energy storage element as a function of the modulation.

9. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the bus element comprises a ring bus.

10. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the cross tie element is configured to:

receive a datum from at least a sensor; and

disconnect the first energy storage element from the second energy storage element as a function of the datum.

11. A method for dynamic excitation of an energy storage element configured for use in an aircraft, the method comprising:

disconnecting, by a cross tie element connected to a bus element, a first energy storage element electrically connected to the bus element from a second energy storage element electrically connected to the bus element, wherein the first energy storage element is electrically connected to a first propulsor that includes a first electric propulsion motor and the second energy storage element is electrically connected to a second propulsor that includes a second electric propulsion motor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cross tie element comprises a switch.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the energy storage element comprises a battery module.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising modulating, by a modulator unit, a first electrical command to the first propulsor and a second electrical command to the second propulsor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modulator unit comprises a processor.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein modulating the first electrical command and the second electrical command comprises drawing electrical energy from the first energy storage element.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the modulator unit is further configured to measure at least an electrical parameter as a function of the modulation of the first electrical command.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect an energy datum corresponding to the first energy storage element as a function of the modulation.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein measuring the electrical parameter further comprises detecting a change in the electrical parameter.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cross tie element is configured to:

receive a datum from at least a sensor; and

disconnect the first energy storage element from the second energy storage element as a function of the datum.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17876801 · Jul 29, 2022
Continuation 17348240 · Jun 15, 2021
Related Publication 20240051399A1 · Feb 15, 2024
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Cited By (1)
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