Patents Examined by Alex Usyatinsky
  • Patent number: 9972817
    Abstract: A method for producing a waterproof and ion-conducting flexible membrane intended for protecting a metal electrode. It comprises a synthesis by electrically assisted extrusion of compact fibers forming an ion-conducting fiber array comprising a first material. The fiber array defines a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Subsequently, the fiber array is impregnated with a polymer of a second material, to form a metal electrode protection membrane. The fiber array forms paths for conducting ions between the first surface and the second surface and through the second material. The first surface is intended to be in contact with the metal electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Electricite de France
    Inventors: Philippe Stevens, Gwenaelle Toussaint, Gilles Lancel, Christel Laberty-Robert, Damien Bregiroux, Clement Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9972833
    Abstract: An anode active material for a lithium secondary battery, the anode active material including a metal silicide core, a silicon shell disposed on the core, and a metal nitride disposed on a surface of the silicon shell opposite the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hee-chul Jung, Jin-soo Mun, Jin-hwan Park, Gue-sung Kim
  • Patent number: 9947908
    Abstract: A system includes a vent housing configured to be installed on a lower housing of a battery module at a first side of the vent housing. The vent housing has a main body having an opening on a second side of the vent housing and an internal chamber coupled to the opening. The internal chamber includes a first wall having an internal burst vent configured to open at a first pressure threshold and a second wall having a ventilation vent comprising a gas-selective permeability layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Mack, William M. Cavanaugh
  • Patent number: 9947918
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to porous silicon particulates and anode materials that contain them. In some embodiments, each of the porous silicon particulates include a plurality of macropores, mesopores and micropores such that the micropores and mesopores are within the macropores. The porous silicon particulates also contain: a coating associated with the porous silicon particulates; and a binding material associated with the porous silicon particulates. The binding material can include binders, carbon materials, polymers, metals, additives, carbohydrates, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY, LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sibani Lisa Biswal, Michael S. Wong, Madhuri Thakur, Steven L. Sinsabaugh
  • Patent number: 9935318
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a SOFC comprised of an electrolyte, anode, and cathode, where the cathode comprises an MIEC and an oxygen-reducing layer. The oxygen-reducing layer is in contact with the MIEC, and the MIEC is generally between and separating the oxygen-reducing layer and the electrolyte. The oxygen-reducing layer is comprised of single element oxides, single element carbonates, or mixtures thereof, and has a thickness of less than about 30 nm. In a particular embodiment, the thickness is less than 5 nm. In another embodiment, the thickness is about 3 monolayers or less. The oxygen-reducing layer may be a continuous film or a discontinuous film with various coverage ratios. The oxygen-reducing layer at the thicknesses described may be generated on the MIEC surface using means known in the art such as, for example, ALD processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America Department of Energy
    Inventors: Wayne A. Surdoval, David A. Berry, Travis Shultz
  • Patent number: 9929384
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy storage module (10) able to contain a plurality of energy storage elements (14), the module comprising an envelope (16) comprising at least one plurality of lateral walls and two end walls (18A, 18B) dimensioned so as to surround the energy storage elements, at least one member for placing in contact (22) made at least partially from a thermally conducting material, intended to be placed between at least one energy storage element and a lateral wall of the module, termed the reference wall (20A), said member comprising a first contact face (24A) and a second contact face (30A) which are associated respectively with the reference wall (20A) and said energy storage element or elements (14), one at least of said first (24A) and second (30A) contact faces being adapted to abut against one of the reference wall (20A) or of said element or elements (14), and said member being configured so that the distance between the first and second contact faces can vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: BLUE SOLUTIONS
    Inventors: Laurent Le-Gall, Anne-Claire Juventin
  • Patent number: 9923193
    Abstract: A cathode of lithium-ion battery includes a carbon fiber film. The carbon fiber film includes at least one carbon nanotube film including a number of carbon nanotubes joined end to end and extending along a same direction. Each of the number of carbon nanotubes is joined with a number of graphene sheets, and an angle is between each of the number of graphene sheets and the number of carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai-Li Jiang, Jia-Ping Wang, Shou-Shan Fan, Xiao-Yang Lin, Peng Liu, Shu Luo
  • Patent number: 9923188
    Abstract: Disclosed is a battery case including a case part including a first accommodation part having an irreversible opening to irreversibly release a closed state and a second accommodation part separated from the first accommodation part, and a cover part installed at the case part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: InSung Uhm, Je Young Kim
  • Patent number: 9917323
    Abstract: A redox flow battery is provided having a double-membrane (one cation exchange membrane and one anion exchange membrane), triple-electrolyte (one electrolyte in contact with the negative electrode, one electrolyte in contact with the positive electrode, and one electrolyte positioned between and in contact with the two membranes). The cation exchange membrane is used to separate the negative or positive electrolyte and the middle electrolyte, and the anion exchange membrane is used to separate the middle electrolyte and the positive or negative electrolyte. This design physically isolates, but ionically connects, the negative electrolyte and positive electrolyte. The physical isolation offers great freedom in choosing redox pairs in the negative electrolyte and positive electrolyte, making high voltage of redox flow batteries possible. The ionic conduction drastically reduces the overall ionic crossover between negative electrolyte and positive one, leading to high columbic efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: University of Delaware
    Inventors: Yushan Yan, Shuang Gu, Ke Gong
  • Patent number: 9917329
    Abstract: Perfluoropolyether electrolytes have either one or two terminal nitrile groups and an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt can be a lithium salt, a sodium salt, a potassium salt, or a cesium salt. The salt can make up between 5 and 30 wt % of the electrolyte composition. Such electrolytes have shown high ionic conductivities, making them useful as lithium cell electrolytes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seeo, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yang, Kulandaivelu Sivanandan, Xiao-Liang Wang, Hany Basam Eitouni, Steven Lam
  • Patent number: 9899685
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method comprising the steps of providing a first dry catalyst coated gas diffusion media layer, depositing a wet first proton exchange membrane layer over the first catalyst coated gas diffusion media layer to form a first proton exchange membrane layer; providing a second dry catalyst coated gas diffusion media layer; contacting the second dry catalyst coated gas diffusion media layer with the first proton exchange membrane layer; and hot pressing together the first and second dry catalyst coated gas diffusion media layers with the wet proton exchange membrane layer therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Matthew J Beutel, Timothy J Fuller
  • Patent number: 9893363
    Abstract: A flow cell battery includes at least one anode compartment and at least one cathode compartment, with a separator membrane disposed between each anode compartment and each cathode compartment. Each anode compartment and cathode compartment includes a bipolar plate, a fluid electrolyte, and at least a carbon nanomaterial on the surface of the bipolar plate, wherein the fluid electrolyte flows around the carbon nanomaterial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Sinsabaugh, Gregory Pensero, Han Liu, Lawrence P. Hetzel
  • Patent number: 9893378
    Abstract: The non-aqueous electrolyte solution of the present invention is a non-aqueous electrolyte solution comprising acetonitrile and a lithium salt, wherein the anion of the lithium salt has a LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energy in the range of ?2.00 to 4.35 eV, and a HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) energy in the range of ?5.35 to ?2.90 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Matsuoka, Takehiro Koga, Hitoshi Shobukawa, Akira Yoshino
  • Patent number: 9893395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery cooling structure for cooling a battery mounted in a vehicle. This battery cooling structure includes a battery pack (20) within which the battery is housed in an internal space; an air supplying device (26) that is configured to send cooling air to the battery pack (20); and an air exhausting device (30) is configured to discharge exhaust air from the battery pack (20). The battery pack (20) is arranged under a rear seat (10) of the vehicle. An exhaust vent (54) of the air exhausting device 30) is provided on a floor surface in a rearward space behind the rear seat (10) in the vehicle, and discharges the exhaust air from the battery pack (20) upward into the rearward space from the exhaust vent (54) provided in the floor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takenori Tsuchiya, Shogo Yoneda, Ryuichi Oomuta, Tetsuo Watanabe, Yosuke Maruta
  • Patent number: 9882208
    Abstract: A particulate active material for a power storage device positive electrode having a higher energy density is provided, which includes particles of an electrically conductive polymer and a conductive agent, wherein the electrically conductive polymer particles each have a surface coated with the conductive agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Ando, Yoshihiro Uetani
  • Patent number: 9882216
    Abstract: A binder composition for a lithium ion secondary battery electrode, including a particulate polymer and a water-soluble polymer, wherein the water-soluble polymer includes an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer unit in an amount of 20% by weight to 85% by weight, a carboxylic acid amide monomer unit in an amount of 0.1% by weight to 10% by weight, and a crosslinkable monomer unit in an amount of 0.1% by weight to 2.0% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomokazu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9865850
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a supporting element for a housing for a vehicle traction battery, the vehicle traction battery being constructed of a number of power storage modules. The supporting element is constructed of a module supporting element and at least one closing element, which has a plate-shaped design, the module supporting element having a number of module fastening elements, to which the number of power storage modules are fastened. Furthermore, the module supporting element has at least one recess which is closed by the plate-shaped closing element. The present invention further relates to a process of producing a corresponding support element for a housing for a vehicle traction battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiegesellschaft
    Inventors: Eberhard Pflueger, Andreas Fent, Semi Ben Salah, Dominic Mueller
  • Patent number: 9865895
    Abstract: An iron redox flow battery system, comprising a redox electrode, a plating electrolyte tank, a plating electrode, a redox electrolyte tank with additional acid additives that may be introduced into the electrolytes in response to electrolyte pH. The acid additives may act to suppress undesired chemical reactions that create losses within the battery and may be added in response to sensor indications of these reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ESS Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Evans, Yang Song
  • Patent number: 9853305
    Abstract: A composite membrane and moisture adjustment module using the same is disclosed. The composite membrane includes a moisture-permeable resin layer interposed between porous membranes that constitute a pair; and the mean thickness of the moisture-permeable resin layer is 5 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., W. L. Gore & Associates, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Yamakawa, William B. Johnson, Mahesh Murthy, Thomas Berta
  • Patent number: 9853259
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery cell and a frame having an opening in which the battery cell is installed, an edge of the opening including a support portion contacting a side of the battery cell, the support portion having a surface corresponding to a surface of the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-Il Lee