Systems and methods for regulating charging of an electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11689043-B2
Application number	US-202117515521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2021
Priority date	Oct 31, 2021
Publication date	Jun 27, 2023
Grant date	Jun 27, 2023

Abstract

A system for regulating charging of an electric aircraft includes a charging connector and a controller communicatively connected to the charging connector. The charging connector includes a housing, at least a conductor, and at least a control signal conductor. The housing is configured to mate with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft. The at least a conductor is configured to conduct a current. The at least a control signal conductor is configured to conduct a control signal. The controller is configured to receive a voltage datum from the electric aircraft, and regulate a charging voltage, as a function of the voltage datum, to the electric aircraft. Regulation of the charging voltage includes charging at least a battery of the electric aircraft in a plurality of phases including a first charging phase at a constant current and a second charging phase at a constant voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for regulating charging of an electric aircraft, the system comprising:
a charging connector, wherein the charging connector comprises:
a housing configured to mate with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft;
at least a conductor configured to conduct a current; and
at least a control signal conductor configured to conduct a control signal, wherein each of the at least a conductor and the at least a control signal conductor are configured to make a connection with a mating component on the electric aircraft port when the housing is mated with the electric aircraft port; and

a controller communicatively connected to the charging connector, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a voltage datum, through the at least a control signal conductor, from the electric aircraft;
regulate a charging voltage, as a function of the voltage datum, through the at least a conductor, to the electric aircraft, wherein regulating the charging voltage further comprises:
charging at least a battery of the electric aircraft in a plurality of phases;
wherein in a first charging phase the at least a battery is charged at a first constant current; and
wherein in a second charging phase the at least a battery is charged at a constant voltage; and
wherein in a third charging phase the at least a battery is charged at a second constant current that differs from the first constant current; and

optimizing each of the plurality of phases based on data from one or more sensors communicatively connected to the controller as a function of the charging phases; and

control a coolant flow, as a function of a control signal received through the at least a control signal conductor, to the at least a battery.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a part of the charging connector.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is located within the housing of the charging connector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a state of charge datum, through the at least a control signal conductor, from the electric aircraft.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a conductor comprises at least a direct current conductor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the charging connector is further configured to receive an electrical flow from a power supply.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system further comprises an alternating current to direct current converter configured to convert an alternating current from the power supply to a direct current.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the charging connector is configured for charging an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

9. A method for regulating charging of an electric aircraft, the method comprising:
mating a housing of a charging connector with an electric aircraft port of an electric aircraft, wherein the charging connector further comprises:
at least a conductor configured to conduct a current; and
at least a control signal conductor configured to conduct a control signal;
wherein mating the housing of the charging connector with the electric aircraft port further comprises connecting each of the at least a conductor and the at least a control signal conductor with a mating component on the electric aircraft port;

receiving, by a controller communicatively connected to the charging connector, a voltage datum, through the at least a control signal conductor, from the electric aircraft;
regulating, by the controller, a charging voltage, as a function of the voltage datum, through the at least a conductor, to the electric aircraft, wherein regulating the charging voltage further comprises:
charging, by the charging connector, at least a battery of the electric aircraft in a plurality of phases, wherein charging the at least a battery further comprises:
charging, in a first charging phase, the at least a battery at a first constant current; and
charging, in a second charging phase, the at least a battery at a constant voltage; and
charging, in a third charging phase, the at least a battery at a second constant current that differs from the first constant current; and
optimizing, by the controller, each of the plurality of phases based on data from one or more sensors communicatively connected to the controller as a function of the charging phases; and

controlling a coolant flow, as a function of a control signal received through the at least a control signal conductor, to the at least a battery.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the controller is a part of the charging connector.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller is located within the housing of the charging connector.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the controller, a state of charge datum, through the at least a control signal conductor, from the electric aircraft.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least a conductor comprises at least a direct current conductor.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the charging connector, an electrical flow from a power supply.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises converting, by an alternating current to direct current converter, an alternating current from the power supply to a direct current.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises charging, using the charging connector, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the charging connector further comprises a coolant interface to deliver coolant to the at least a battery during charging.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the charging connector further comprises a coolant interface to deliver coolant to the at least a battery during charging.

Assignees

• Beta Air Llc

Inventors

• Wiegman Herman

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J7/96

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/40 Primary

  characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data · CPC title

• B64F1/35

  for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft · CPC title