Systems and methods for power distribution in electric aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745883-B2
Application number	US-202217937936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2022
Priority date	Dec 8, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A electric aircraft power distribution system includes a first battery pack connected to at least a first load and to a common bus that connects the first battery pack in parallel to at least a second battery pack; a first electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the first load and configured to disconnect the first load from the first battery pack in response to current above a first threshold current, wherein the first electrical component has a first disconnection time at the first threshold current; and a second electrical component electrically connected between the first battery pack and the common bus and configured to disconnect the first battery pack from the common bus in response to current above a second threshold current, wherein the second electrical component has a second disconnection time at the second threshold current that is higher than the first disconnection time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electric aircraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
two wings, the wings extending on opposite sides of the fuselage;
a plurality of rotors configured to provide lift, the rotors mounted to the wings and configured to be disposed aft of the wings during forward flight;
a plurality of proprotors that are tiltable between vertical lift and forward propulsion configurations, the proprotors mounted to the wings and configured to be disposed forward of the wings during forward flight;
a plurality of battery packs, each battery pack configured to power at least:
a portion of one of the rotors mounted to one of the wings, and
a portion of one of the proprotors mounted to the other wing;

wherein at least two of the battery packs are configured to:
power different portions of one of the rotors, and
power portions of different rotors.

2. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the rotors are mounted to the wings via booms.

3. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the proprotors are mounted to the wings via booms.

4. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein one of the battery packs is configured to power at least:
a portion of one of the rotors mounted farthest from the fuselage to one of the wings; and
a portion of one of the proprotors mounted farthest from the fuselage to the other wing.

5. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein one of the battery packs is configured to power at least:
a portion of one of the rotors mounted nearest to the fuselage to one of the wings; and
a portion of one of the proprotors mounted nearest to the fuselage to the other wing.

6. The electric aircraft of claim 1 ,
wherein a number of rotors is six, three of the rotors mounted to one of the wings and the other three rotors mounted to the other wing;
wherein a number of proprotors is six, three of the proprotors mounted to one of the wings and the other three proprotors mounted to the other wing;
wherein one of the battery packs is configured to power at least:
a portion of one of the rotors mounted between the other two rotors to one of the wings; and
a portion of one of the proprotors mounted between the other two proprotors to the other wing.

7. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each battery pack is configured to power at least a portion of one of the rotors mounted to one of the wings, and a portion of one of the proprotors mounted to the other wing, via a dedicated electric power bus for that battery pack.

8. The electric aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the dedicated electric power buses are electrically isolated from each other.

9. The electric aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the one battery pack is further configured to power at least a portion of one of the rotors mounted farthest from the fuselage to one of the wings, and a portion of one of the proprotors mounted farthest from the fuselage to the other wing, via a dedicated electric power bus for that battery pack.

10. The electric aircraft of claim 5 , wherein the one battery pack is further configured to power at least a portion of one of the rotors mounted nearest to the fuselage to one of the wings, and a portion of one of the proprotors mounted nearest to the fuselage to the other wing, via a dedicated electric power bus for that battery pack.

11. The electric aircraft of claim 6 , wherein the one battery pack is further configured to power at least a portion of one of the rotors mounted between the other two rotors to one of the wings, and a portion of one of the proprotors mounted between the other two proprotors to the other wing, via a dedicated electric power bus for that battery pack.

12. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein no two of the battery packs are configured to power the same portion of any of the rotors.

13. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein no two of the battery packs are configured to power the same portion of any of the proprotors.

14. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each proprotor is configured to be powered by only one of the battery packs.

15. The electric aircraft of claim 13 , wherein at least two of the battery packs are configured to power different portions of one of the proprotors.

16. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the at least two battery packs that are configured to power different portions of one of the rotors are further configured to power different portions of one of the proprotors.

17. The electric aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the at least two battery packs that are configured to power different portions of one of the proprotors are further configured to power different portions of one of the rotors.

18. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of contactors, each contactor configured to electrically isolate a corresponding one of the battery packs from at least one of the rotors or one of the proprotors that the corresponding battery pack is configured to power.

19. The electric aircraft of claim 18 , wherein each contactor is electrically coupled to a positive terminal of its associated battery pack.

20. The electric aircraft of claim 18 , wherein each contactor is electrically coupled to a negative terminal of its associated battery pack.

21. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of fuses, each fuse configured to electrically isolate a corresponding one of the battery packs from at least one of the rotors or one of the proprotors that the corresponding electrically isolated battery pack is configured to power.

22. The electric aircraft of claim 21 , wherein each fuse is electrically coupled to a positive terminal of its associated battery pack.

23. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of contactors, each contactor coupled between at least two battery packs of the plurality of battery packs.

24. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein each contactor is coupled between positive terminals of at least two battery packs of the plurality of battery packs.

25. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power different rotors.

26. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power different proprotors.

27. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power different portions of one of the rotors.

28. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power different portions of one of the proprotors.

29. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power portions of different rotors.

30. The electric aircraft of claim 23 , wherein at least two battery packs that have one of the contactors coupled between them power portions of different proprotors.

31. The electric aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fuses, each fuse coupled between at least two battery packs of the plurality of battery packs.

32. The electric aircraft of claim 31 , wherein each fuse is coupled between positive terminals of at least two battery

Assignees

• Archer Aviation Inc

Inventors

• Melack John

Classifications

• H02J2105/32

  for aircrafts · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• B64D27/357 Primary

  using batteries · CPC title

• B64D27/24 Primary

  using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) · CPC title

• B64D27/34

  All-electric aircraft · CPC title