# US 11,440,427 B1 · Systems and methods for pre-charging short circuit detection in electric aircraft

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- Number: US 11,440,427 B1
- Document ID: US11440427B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/515,594
- Filed: 2021-11-01
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-11-01
- Assignees: Beta Air, LLC
- Applicants: Beta Air, LLC
- Inventors: Herman Wiegman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440427B1

## CPC

- B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
- B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors}
- B60L 3/0069: {relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current}
- B60L 3/0084: {relating to control modules}
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations
- B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft
- B64D 31/16: for electric power plants
- B64F 1/35: for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft
- H02J 7/60: including safety or protection arrangements
- H02J 7/62: against overcurrent
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B64D 2045/0085: {Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration}
- H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV]
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

## Abstract

A system for pre-charging short circuit detection in electric aircraft. The system 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 charging current to the electric aircraft. The at least a control signal conductor is configured to conduct a control signal. The controller is configured to receive a circuit health datum, through the at least a control signal conductor, prior to initiation of charging of the electric aircraft, and to disable initiation of charging of the electric aircraft if the circuit health datum comprises a short circuit datum. A method for pre-charging short circuit detection in electric aircraft is also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for pre-charging short circuit detection in 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 charging current to the electric aircraft; and
at least a control signal conductor configured to conduct a control signal, wherein the control signal comprises at least a battery sensor signal; and
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 circuit health datum and the at least a battery sensor signal, through the at least a control signal conductor, prior to initiation of charging of the electric aircraft; and
disable initiation of charging of the electric aircraft as a function of the at least a battery sensor signal and the circuit health datum, wherein the circuit health datum comprises a short circuit datum.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

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

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within the charging connector.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within the electric aircraft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within a battery of the electric aircraft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the short circuit datum comprises a short circuit location datum.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises at least a sensor configured to detect a circuit characteristic.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display the circuit health datum.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 11

A method for pre-charging short circuit detection in 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 charging current to the electric aircraft; and
at least a control signal conductor configured to conduct a control signal, wherein the control signal comprises at least a battery sensor 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 circuit health datum and the at least a battery sensor signal through the at least a control signal conductor; and
disabling, by the controller, initiation of charging of the electric aircraft as a function of the at least a battery sensor signal and the circuit health datum, wherein the circuit health datum comprises a short circuit datum.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is a part of the charging connector.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the controller is located within the housing of the charging connector.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within the charging connector.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within the electric aircraft.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the short circuit datum comprises information on a short circuit detection within a battery of the electric aircraft.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the short circuit datum comprises a short circuit location datum.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises detecting, by at least a sensor, a circuit characteristic.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises, displaying, by the controller, the circuit health datum.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises using the charging connector with an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.