US 12,434,597 B2
Redundant power distribution circuits for electric vehicles
Geoffrey Alan Long, Montara, CA (US)
Assigned to Wisk Aero LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed by Wisk Aero LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/165,742.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/969,232, filed on Feb. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0237615 A1, Aug. 5, 2021
Int. Cl. B60L 58/19 (2019.01); B60W 10/26 (2006.01); B64D 27/31 (2024.01); B64D 31/16 (2024.01); B64D 35/021 (2024.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); G01R 19/165 (2006.01); H01M 10/48 (2006.01); H02J 1/12 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02M 1/00 (2007.01); H02M 3/04 (2006.01); H02P 27/06 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 58/19 (2019.02) [B60W 10/26 (2013.01); B64D 27/31 (2024.01); B64D 31/16 (2024.01); B64D 35/021 (2024.01); G01R 19/16542 (2013.01); H01M 10/482 (2013.01); H02J 1/12 (2013.01); H02J 7/0024 (2013.01); H02J 7/0031 (2013.01); H02J 7/0047 (2013.01); H02J 7/007 (2013.01); H02M 3/04 (2013.01); H02P 27/06 (2013.01); B64D 2221/00 (2013.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01); H02M 1/0067 (2021.05)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrically powered vehicle comprising:
a direct current (DC) bus comprising a DC bus positive conductor and a DC bus negative conductor;
a plurality of electrical assemblies comprising a plurality of batteries and a plurality of bypass switches, wherein each electrical assembly of the plurality of electrical assemblies is connected to and between the DC bus positive conductor and the DC bus negative conductor, wherein each electrical assembly comprises a battery of the plurality of batteries, and a bypass switch of the plurality of bypass switches, wherein each electrical assembly has a fixed total number of battery cells that are connected in a predetermined fixed configuration, and wherein the battery is connected directly to the DC bus negative conductor;
a motor; and
a controller configured to:
monitor a voltage of the DC bus and a voltage of each battery of the plurality of batteries to detect an increase in the voltage of the DC bus indicative of occurrence of a regeneration event;
in response to detecting the increase in the voltage of the DC bus indicative of the occurrence of the regeneration event, selectively engage one or more bypass switches of the plurality of bypass switches to transfer power from the DC bus to one or more batteries of the plurality of batteries to charge only those batteries of the plurality of batteries that have a charge level below a particular threshold or to charge specific batteries of the plurality of batteries in a predetermined sequence;
monitor each battery of the plurality of batteries for at least one fault condition during the regeneration event; and
in response to detecting a fault condition of at least one battery of the plurality of batteries during the regeneration event, open the bypass switches to prevent flow of current from the DC bus to the plurality of batteries.