Charger for an electric aircraft with failure monitoring and a method for its use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11522372-B1
Application number	US-202117563192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Dec 28, 2021
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Aspects relate to a charger for an electric aircraft with failure monitoring and method for its use. An exemplary charger for an electric aircraft with failure monitoring includes a charging circuit. Included within the charging circuit is a connector configured to mate with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft and at least a current conductor configured to conduct a current. At least a conductor comprises a direct current conductor configured to conduct a direct current; and an alternating current conductor configured to conduct an alternating current. A charger may include a control circuit configured to command the charging circuit of an electric aircraft as a function of charging datum. A charger may also include a failure monitor circuit, the failure monitor circuit configured to: detect a failure and initiate a failure mitigation procedure as a function of failure detection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charger for an electric aircraft with failure monitoring, wherein the charger comprises:
a charging circuit, the charging circuit including:
a connector configured to mate with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft;
at least a current conductor configured to conduct a current, wherein the at least a current conductor comprises:
a direct current conductor configured to conduct a direct current; and
an alternating current conductor configured to conduct an alternating current;

a control circuit configured to command the charging circuit as a function of a charging datum, wherein the control circuit is further configured to control charging of an energy source of the electric aircraft through the charging circuit; and
a failure monitoring circuit, the failure monitoring circuit configured to:
detect a failure in the charging circuit; and
initiate a failure mitigation as a function of the detection, wherein the failure monitoring circuit is distinct from the electric aircraft.

2. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the failure monitoring circuit is configured to detect the failure as a function of the charging datum.

3. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the failure mitigation further comprises termination of charging.

4. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the failure mitigation further comprises transmitting a signal to a remote device.

5. The charger of claim 1 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect a battery datum.

6. The charger of claim 5 , wherein a computing device is configured to determine battery failure as a function of the battery datum.

7. The charger of claim 1 , wherein the charging datum is stored using a data storage device.

8. The charger of claim 1 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect temperature.

9. The charger of claim 1 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect voltage.

10. The charger of claim 1 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect current.

11. A method of failure monitoring in a charger for an electric aircraft, the method comprising:
mating a connector, of a charging circuit of a charger, with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft;
conducting, by at least a current conductor of the charging circuit, a current, wherein the at least a current conductor comprises:
a direct current conductor configured to conduct a direct current; and
an alternating current conductor configured to conduct an alternating current;

commanding, by a control circuit of the charger, the charging circuit as a function of a charging datum, wherein the control circuit is further configured to control charging of an energy source of the electric aircraft through the charging circuit;
detecting, by a failure monitoring circuit of the charger, a failure in the charging circuit; and
initiating, by the failure monitoring circuit, a failure mitigation as a function of the detection, wherein the failure monitoring circuit is distinct from the electric aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the failure monitoring circuit is configured to detect the failure as a function of the charging datum.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the failure mitigation further comprises termination of charging.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the failure mitigation further comprises transmitting a signal to a remote device.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect a battery datum.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein a computing device is configured to determine battery failure as a function of the battery datum.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the charging datum is stored using a data storage device.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect temperature.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect voltage.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a sensor is configured to detect current.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Wiegman Herman

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• H02J7/90

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/60

  including safety or protection arrangements · CPC title