# US 11,993,161 B2 · External power assist systems for charging batteries onboard eVTOL aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,161 B2 - Document ID: US11993161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/335,603 - Filed: 2021-06-01 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-01 - Assignees: Textron Innovations Inc. - Applicants: Textron Innovations Inc. - Inventors: Christopher M. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993161B2 ## CPC - B64F 1/35: for supplying electrical power to stationary aircraft - B60L 53/122: Circuits or methods for driving the primary coil, e.g. supplying electric power to the coil - B60L 53/30: Constructional details of charging stations - B64D 27/32: within, or attached to, fuselages - B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft - B64D 27/357: using batteries - B64F 1/007: {Helicopter portable landing pads} - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B64C 27/12: Rotor drives - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - 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 - 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 - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An external power assist system for an eVTOL aircraft having one or more onboard batteries includes a subsurface power source and a power transfer interface electrically coupled to the subsurface power source. The power transfer interface is movable between various positions including a deployed position and a stowed position. The power transfer interface is configured to transfer power to the onboard batteries of the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position. The power transfer interface is moved at least partially subsurface in the stowed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An external power assist system for charging batteries onboard an eVTOL aircraft positioned on a surface, the external power assist system comprising: a subsurface power source; a subsurface stow cavity; and a power transfer interface electrically coupled to the subsurface power source, the power transfer interface telescopically slidable in a substantially vertical direction between a plurality of positions including a deployed position in which the power transfer interface extends above the surface and a stowed position in which the power transfer interface is retracted below the surface into the subsurface stow cavity; wherein, the power transfer interface is configured to charge batteries of the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the subsurface power source comprises one or more batteries. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the subsurface power source comprises a generator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the subsurface power source comprises a power grid connection configured to electrically couple to a power grid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The external power assist system as recited in claim 4 wherein the subsurface power source comprises a power supply to convert power from the power grid to power usable by the batteries of the eVTOL aircraft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the power transfer interface is configured to mechanically couple to the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position to form a wired power connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the power transfer interface is configured to electrically couple to the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position to form a wireless power connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the power transfer interface moves between the deployed and stowed positions in response to input from an operator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the power transfer interface moves from the deployed position to the stowed position in response to the batteries of the eVTOL aircraft reaching a charge threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The external power assist system as recited in claim 1 wherein the power transfer interface moves from the deployed position to the stowed position in response to electrical decoupling between the power transfer interface and the eVTOL aircraft. ### Claim 11 An aircraft system comprising: an eVTOL aircraft positioned on a surface, the eVTOL aircraft including one or more onboard batteries; and an external power assist system configured to selectively charge the onboard batteries of the eVTOL aircraft, the external power assist system comprising: a subsurface power source; a subsurface stow cavity; and a power transfer interface electrically coupled to the subsurface power source, the power transfer interface telescopically slidable in a substantially vertical direction between a plurality of positions including a deployed position in which the power transfer interface extends above the surface and a stowed position in which the power transfer interface is retracted below the surface into the subsurface stow cavity; wherein, the power transfer interface is configured to charge the onboard batteries of the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aircraft system as recited in claim 11 wherein the eVTOL aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode including a takeoff phase, the power transfer interface configured to transfer power to the eVTOL aircraft during the takeoff phase, thereby conserving power of the onboard batteries. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The aircraft system as recited in claim 11 wherein the eVTOL aircraft comprises a power transfer port configured to couple to the power transfer interface in the deployed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft system as recited in claim 13 wherein the eVTOL aircraft comprises a fuselage and the power transfer port is disposed on an underside of the fuselage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The aircraft system as recited in claim 13 wherein the eVTOL aircraft has a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode including a landing phase; and wherein, the power transfer interface is movable along the surface in the deployed position to align with the power transfer port of the eVTOL aircraft in the landing phase of the eVTOL aircraft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The aircraft system as recited in claim 11 wherein the power transfer interface comprises a wireless power transmitter and the eVTOL aircraft comprises a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter of the power transfer interface configured to transfer power to the wireless power receiver of the eVTOL aircraft in the deployed position.