Patents Assigned to A123 Systems, LLC
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Patent number: 9035610Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the output of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, a battery pack contactor is opened in response to battery pack current. The system and method may reduce battery pack degradation and increase system flexibility.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2010Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Brian D. Rutkowski, Brian C. Moorhead
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Patent number: 9028986Abstract: A battery system comprises a battery cell having a cell body and a voltage terminal extending out of the cell body and having first and second terminal edges; a busbar to which an upper end of the voltage terminal is electrically connected; and a zipper fuse formed in a portion of the terminal between the cell body and the busbar, wherein the zipper fuse comprises an array of perforations through the voltage terminal and extending across the voltage terminal from the first edge to the second edge.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Mujeeb Ijaz, Brian D. Rutkowski, Benjamin J. Sinsheimer, Chad J. Allison, Shazad M. Butt, Jonathan Hostler
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Patent number: 9012094Abstract: Provided are electrochemical cells and electrolytes used to build such cells. An electrolyte may include a fluoroalkyl-substituted LiPF6 salt or a fluoroalkyl-substituted LiBF4 salt. In some embodiments, at least one fluorinated alkyl of the salt has a chain length of from 1 to 8 or, more specifically, between about 2 and 8. These fluorinated alkyl groups, in particular, relatively large fluorinated alkyl groups improve solubility of these salts in fluorinated solvents that are less flammable than, for example, conventional carbonate solvents. At the same time, the size of fluoroalkyl-substituted salts should be limited to ensure adequate concentration of the salt in an electrolyte and low viscosity of the electrolyte. In some embodiments, the concentration of a fluoroalkyl-substituted salt is at least about 0.5M.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Konstantin Tikhonov, Ka Ki Yip, Tzu-Yuan Lin, Michael Jason Erickson
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Patent number: 8999009Abstract: Provided herein are methods for processing electrochemically active materials for use in rechargeable batteries. The methods may also be practiced on electrodes and batteries containing such electrochemically active materials. In a typical embodiment, a method of chemically modifying the surface of an electrochemically active component of a battery is provided, the method including receiving the electrochemically active material and exposing the electrochemically active material to a gaseous reactant under conditions that chemically modify surfaces of the electrochemically active material that are accessible to the gaseous reactant, and thereby produce a modified electrochemically active material having improved properties for use in the battery.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Konstantin Tikhonov, Tzu-Yuan Lin
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Patent number: 8999546Abstract: A battery system comprises a plurality of battery subunits arranged in a stack, wherein each battery subunit among the plurality of battery subunits comprises a first battery cell, a heatsink, a second battery cell, and a compliant pad in that order with the heatsink between and in thermal contact with the first and second battery cells and with the compliant pad abutting the second battery cell.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Hostler, Mujeeb Ijaz, Shazad M. Butt
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Patent number: 8993149Abstract: A battery housing is comprised of a unitary, seamless base member having a generally planar, quadrilateral bottom face with a side wall extending therefrom. The length dimension of the bottom face is at least twice the height of the side wall. The base member has an open top face. The housing includes a cover which closes the open top face and is engageable with the side wall of the base. An electrically resistive sealing gasket is configured to contact the cover member and the side wall so as to provide a fluid-tight seal. The components are mechanically interlocked by crimping or hemming. The housing is specifically configured to accommodate stacking of individual batteries into power assemblies, and the geometry of the housing optimizes thermal management. Further disclosed are batteries and battery assemblies including the housing.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventor: Viet Vu
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Publication number: 20150072219Abstract: An electrode/separator assembly for use in an electrochemical cell includes a current collector; a porous composite electrode layer adhered to the current collector, said electrode layer comprising at least electroactive particles and a binder; and a porous composite separator layer comprising inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed in a polymer matrix to form nanopores and having a pore volume fraction of at least 25%, wherein the separator layer is secured to the electrode layer by a solvent weld at the interface between the two layers, said weld comprising a mixture of the binder and the polymer. Methods of making and using the assembly are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: A123 SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Gregory B. LESS, Angela KNAPP, Susan J. BABINEC
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Publication number: 20150056489Abstract: Electrodes with a multilayer or monolayer composite separator are described. The multilayer composite separator comprises multiple individual composite separator layers. Each individual composite separator layer comprises inorganic particulate material(s) and organic polymer(s) with different inorganic particulate material/polymer weight ratios. The multilayer composite separator layer is constructed in a way such that the composite separator layer adjacent to the electrode active material contains a higher weight percentage of the inorganic particulate material and lower weight percentage of the organic polymer than the composite separator layer outermost from the electrode current collector. Laminated cells comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a laminated multilayer or monolayer composite separator layer are described, wherein at least one of the electrodes has a multilayer or monolayer composite separator disposed onto the surface of the electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: A123 SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Susan J. BABINEC, Gregory B. LESS, Dave VIEAU
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Patent number: 8963500Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the output of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, a battery pack contactor is closed after receiving a request to open the battery pack contactor during a power-up sequence. The system and method may reduce battery pack degradation.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2010Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Brian D. Rutkowski, Brian C. Moorhead
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Patent number: 8956479Abstract: A composite material having utility for removing sulfur from a feedstock comprises a ceramic matrix having a relatively low melting point metal such as tin, zinc, lead or bismuth nanodispersed therein. The material may be prepared from a mixture of particles of a precursor of the ceramic matrix and precursor of the metal. The precursors are selected such that the melting point of the precursor of the ceramic is less than the melting point of the precursor of the metal. The mixture of precursor materials is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the precursor of the ceramic material so as to coat it onto the precursor of the metal. The ceramic precursor is then reacted so as to convert it to a ceramic. Thereafter, the precursor of the metal is converted to a free metal which is retained within the ceramic matrix so as to prevent agglomeration.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2010Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Hanwei Lei, Maha Hammoud, Adam Rand, Liya Wang
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Patent number: 8871373Abstract: An insulation portion for an electrochemical cell having a plurality of slots into which bent electrode tabs are slid through during an assembly process of an electrochemical cell. A latch is disposed adjacent the slots and is movable from a resting position to a biased position to engage the electrode tabs. Attachment of the insulation portion to the electrochemical cell and bending of the electrode tabs can be robotically performed, such that controllers of an attachment device and bending device are in communication with each other.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Charles E. Martin, Lucien Fontaine, William H. Gardner, Keith M. Bibby, Dale Beaver
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Patent number: 8855956Abstract: A method of determining state of charge of an energy delivery device includes sampling voltage values of the energy delivery device during relaxation of the device. The method further includes regressing an open circuit voltage value and the total overpotential being relaxed. The regression includes a predetermined time constant of relaxation associated with the energy delivery device. One embodiment uses the equation V(t)=OCV?? exp(?t/tau), where V(t) represents the sampled voltage values, t represents times at which each of the voltage values are sampled, OCV represents the open circuit voltage value of the energy delivery device, ?represents the overpotential value, and tau represents the time constant of relaxation. The method uses a predetermined profile that relates open circuit voltage of the energy delivery device to state of charge of the device, to determine a particular state of charge corresponding to the regressed open circuit voltage value.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventor: Karen E. Thomas-Alyea
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Patent number: 8852787Abstract: An electrochemical cell, such as Li-Ion, having (a) a positive electrode; (b) a negative electrode, (c) a porous inorganic/organic composite layer interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and (d) an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and a non-aqueous solvent. The composite layer includes inorganic nanoparticles and a binder to form a nanocomposite separator (NCS). In addition to the composite layer, the electrochemical cell includes a porous separator.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Gregory B. Less, Susan J. Babinec, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr.
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Publication number: 20140242445Abstract: A lithium-ion battery is provided that has a fast charge and discharge rate capability and low rate of capacity fade during high rate cycling. The battery can exhibit low impedance growth and other properties allowing for its use in hybrid electric vehicle applications and other applications where high power and long battery life are important features.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: A123 SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Antoni S. GOZDZ, Andrew C. CHU, Ricardo FULOP, Yet-Ming CHIANG, Gilbert N. RILEY, JR., Roger LIN
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Patent number: 8815429Abstract: A battery system comprises a plurality of battery subunits, each subunit comprising a heatsink and at least one battery cell with a positive terminal and a negative terminal; where each heatsink has a respective busbar support mounted to it, and each busbar support includes first and second slots through which, respectively, a positive and a negative terminal of the at least one battery cell for that subunit passes, wherein a first busbar is located above and held at least in part by the first busbar support and is electrically connected to the negative terminal passing through the first slot in the first busbar support; and a second busbar is located above and held at least in part by the first busbar support and electrically connected to the positive terminal passing through the second slot in the first busbar support.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Jonathan E. Hostler, Mujeeb Ijaz, Shazad M. Butt
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Patent number: 8709647Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector, a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector and a crosslinked solid polymer in contact with the first and second electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes includes a network of electrically connected particles comprising an electroactive material, and the particles of one electrode exert a repelling force on the other electrode when the first and second electrodes are combined with an uncrosslinked precursor to the solid polymer.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Antoni S. Gozdz, Richard K. Holman, Andrew L. Loxley, Ronnie Wilkins
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Patent number: 8697290Abstract: Electrodes with a multilayer or monolayer composite separator are described. The multilayer composite separator comprises multiple individual composite separator layers. Each individual composite separator layer comprises inorganic particulate material(s) and organic polymer(s) with different inorganic particulate material/polymer weight ratios. The multilayer composite separator layer is constructed in a way such that the composite separator layer adjacent to the electrode active material contains a higher weight percentage of the inorganic particulate material and lower weight percentage of the organic polymer than the composite separator layer outermost from the electrode current collector. Laminated cells comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a laminated multilayer or monolayer composite separator layer are described, wherein at least one of the electrodes has a multilayer or monolayer composite separator disposed onto the surface of the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2010Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Susan J. Babinec, Gregory B. Less, Dave Vieau
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Patent number: 8697273Abstract: An electrode/separator assembly for use in an electrochemical cell includes a current collector; a porous composite electrode layer adhered to the current collector, said electrode layer comprising at least electroactive particles and a binder; and a porous composite separator layer comprising inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed in a polymer matrix to form nanopores and having a pore volume fraction of at least 25%, wherein the separator layer is secured to the electrode layer by a solvent weld at the interface between the two layers, said weld comprising a mixture of the binder and the polymer. Methods of making and using the assembly are also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Gregory B. Less, Angela Knapp, Susan J. Babinec
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Publication number: 20140023888Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more lithium ion cells in electrical connection, each said cell comprising: first and second working electrodes and one or more reference electrodes, each reference electrode electronically isolated from the working electrodes and having a separate tab or current collector exiting the cell and providing an additional terminal for electrical measurement; and a battery management system comprising a battery state-of-charge monitor, said monitor being operable for receiving information relating to the potential difference of the working electrodes and the potential of one or more of the working electrodes versus the reference electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: A123 SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Ricardo FULOP, Yet-Ming CHIANG, Karen E. THOMAS-ALYEA, William H. GARDNER
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Patent number: 8632907Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes components that are welded from an external source after the components are assembled in a cell canister. The cell canister houses electrode tabs and a core insert. An end cap insert is disposed opposite the core insert. An external weld source, such as a laser beam, is applied to the end cap insert, such that the end cap insert, the electrode tabs, and the core insert are electrically coupled by a weld which extends from the end cap insert to the core insert.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2009Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Charles E. Martin, Lucien Fontaine, William H. Gardner