# US 11,440,430 B2 · Removable battery compression devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,430 B2 - Document ID: US11440430B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/399,562 - Filed: 2019-04-30 - Published: 2020-11-05 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-30 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Roger D. Bernhardt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440430B2 ## CPC - B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries - B64F 5/50: Handling or transporting aircraft components - B64U 10/25: Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) - B64U 20/50: Foldable or collapsible UAVs (with frangible components B64U20/30) - B64U 30/14: detachable - B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors - B64U 50/39: Battery swapping - H01M 10/0468: {Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators} - H01M 10/0481: {Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators} - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - 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 - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a vehicle, comprising: a housing; a battery comprising a plurality of layers and disposed within the housing; and a first removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a first side of the battery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle, comprising: a housing; a battery comprising a plurality of layers and disposed within the housing; and a first removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a first side of the battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first removable battery compression device comprises an inflatable bladder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first removable battery compression device comprises one or more springs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first removable battery compression device comprises a plate attached to the one or more springs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first removable battery compression device comprises a hollow extrusion with a polygonal cross-section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the housing is disposed within a wing of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a second removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a second side of the battery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein at least one wall of the housing comprises a structural element of the wing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the structural element is one of a wing spar or a wing rib. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first removable battery compression device is configured to apply the compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery in a direction along a span of the wing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the first removable battery compression device is configured to apply the compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery in a direction along a chord of the wing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The vehicle of claim 6, wherein: the wing comprises a plurality of joinable segments, the housing is disposed within one joinable segment of the plurality of joinable segments, and each segment of the plurality of joinable segments comprises a power connector configured to enable power flow from one segment of the plurality of joinable segments to one of: another segment of the plurality of joinable segments, or a fuselage of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising: a fuselage; a plurality of joinable wing segments, wherein: a first joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments is joined to the fuselage, a second joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments is joined to the fuselage, each joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments comprises: a housing; a battery comprising a plurality of layers and disposed within the housing; and a first removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a first side of the battery. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The UAV of claim 13, wherein the first removable battery compression device within each joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments comprises an inflatable bladder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The UAV of claim 13, wherein the first removable battery compression device within each joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments comprises one or more springs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The UAV of claim 15, wherein the first removable battery compression device within each joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments comprises a plate attached to the one or more springs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The UAV of claim 13, further comprising, within each joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments: a second removable battery compression device disposed within the housing and configured to apply compressive force to the plurality of layers of the battery via a second side of the battery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The UAV of claim 13, wherein at least one wall of the housing within each respective joinable wing segment of the plurality of joinable wing segments comprises a structural element of the respective joinable wing segment wing. ### Claim 19 A method of using a removable battery compression device, comprising: installing a removable battery compression device in a vehicle; charging a battery comprising a plurality of planar layers compressed by the removable battery compression device; removing the removable battery compression device from the vehicle; and operating the vehicle using power from the battery after removing the removable battery compression device from the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the removable battery compression device is installed within a housing in a segment of a wing of the vehicle.