US 12,365,215 B2
Electric vehicle heat pump using enhanced valve unit
Prem Pinto, San Jose, CA (US); and Daniel F. Hanks, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/599,921.
Application 18/599,921 is a continuation of application No. 17/657,320, filed on Mar. 30, 2022, granted, now 11,932,078.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/200,874, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0278617 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00342 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00392 (2013.01); B60H 1/00485 (2013.01); B60H 1/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus usable as part of a heat pump for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a housing, the housing having a particular number of connection ports, at least one connection port being connected to a component of the electric vehicle, and the connection ports being configured to pass fluid, and wherein the connection ports are oriented in a same direction; and
a stemshell positioned within the housing, the stemshell comprising a plurality of channels, wherein at least a portion of the channels are in fluidic connection with the connection ports, wherein the stemshell is configured to rotate within the housing, and wherein rotation causes adjustment of the connection ports which correspond to the channels, and wherein the stemshell has a vertical separation, and wherein a subset of the channels are at a first vertical height and a remaining subset are at a second vertical height.