Patents Examined by Amanda Barrow
  • Patent number: 10096432
    Abstract: An energy storage device can have a first graphite film, a second graphite film and an electrode divider ring between the first graphite film and the second graphite film, forming a sealed enclosure. The energy storage device may be compatible with an aqueous electrolyte or a non-aqueous electrolyte. A method of forming an energy storage device can include providing an electrode divider ring, a first graphite film and a second graphite film. The method can include pressing a first edge of the electrode divider ring into a surface of the first graphite film, and pressing a second opposing edge of the electrode divider ring into a surface of the second graphite film to form a sealed enclosure. The sealed enclosure may have as opposing surfaces the surface of the first graphite film and the surface of the second graphite film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Maxwell Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Porter Mitchell, Thomas J. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 10069134
    Abstract: An encapsulated lithium particle including: a core comprised of at least one of: lithium; a lithium metal alloy; or a combination thereof; and a shell comprised of a lithium salt, an oil, and optionally a binder, and the shell encapsulates the core, and the particle size is from 10 to 500 microns. Also, disclosed is a method of making the particle and using the particle in electrical devices such as a capacitor or a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Kishor Purushottam Gadkaree, Rahul Suryakant Kadam, Andrew Fleitz Husted
  • Patent number: 10050251
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell having an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case together with an electrolyte, a protection circuit module (PCM) having a protection circuit for controlling overcharge, overdischarge, and overcurrent of the battery cell, an insulative mounting member mounted to a top cap of the battery cell, and an insulative cap coupled to the upper end of the battery cell, wherein the top cap is provided with at least one protrusion-type electrode terminal, and the top cap is provided at a partial region where the protrusion-type electrode terminal is not formed with a space (depression space) depressed downward by a predetermined depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Youngsun Park, Jeongsuk Lee, Keunpyo Ahn, Chunyeon Kim, Joung Ho Ha, Masayuki Wakebe
  • Patent number: 10050310
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolytic solution of the present invention includes: a solvent component including a glyme solvent and a phosphazene solvent; and an alkali metal salt composed of an alkali metal cation and an anion, the alkali metal salt being dissolved in the solvent component. The phosphazene solvent is a cyclic phosphazene compound represented by the formula (1). where X1 to X6 each independently represent a halogen atom or OR1, R1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group or a substituted or unsubstituted saturated aliphatic group, the aromatic group and the saturated aliphatic group each optionally contain a halogen atom, a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a silicon atom, and the saturated aliphatic group is linear or cyclic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotetsu Suzuki, Nobuhiko Hojo, Takayuki Nakatsutsumi
  • Patent number: 10038210
    Abstract: An example fuel cell cabinet, comprises: a fuel cell case provided with an opening and accommodating a fuel cell; a lid part covering the opening; a first fixing part fixing a first end of the lid part to the fuel cell case by a predetermined force; and a second fixing part fixing a second end different from the first end of the lid part to the fuel cell case by a force weaker than the predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhito Ode
  • Patent number: 10038173
    Abstract: An automotive battery pack enclosure, assembly and method of housing battery pack cells within an enclosure. The enclosure includes a tray that defines a mounting surface for the various individual battery cells, as well as an upstanding wall, while the assembly further includes numerous individual battery cells aligned along a stacking axis within the enclosure. The wall is made from a continuous extruded preform with periodically-spaced miters that permit bending such that the wall can assume any shape defined by the various panels. The panels cooperative with the peripheral edges of the tray to define a battery container with a footprint shape generally similar to that of the tray. By being formed from a substantially one-piece preform, all of the corners—save the one formed where wall ends are brought into adjacent cooperation with one another—define a continuous structural seal without the need for sealants, welds or other supplemental closure approaches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Randy C. Curtis, Randall S. Champagne, Duane D. Kruger, Stephen L. Gross
  • Patent number: 10038186
    Abstract: The present invention provides a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, characterized in that the negative active material contains composite particle (C), which has silicon-containing particle (A) and electronic conductive additive (B), the silicon-containing particle (A) has a content of carbon, and when measured at a temperature rising rate of 10±2° C./min by thermogravimetry, said composite particle (C) exhibits two stages of weight loss in the range of 30 to 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tabuchi, Toshiyuki Aoki, Minoru Teshima, Katsushi Nishie
  • Patent number: 10008727
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprises a plurality of sub-cells, each sub-cell including a first electrode in fluid communication with a source of oxygen gas, a second electrode in fluid communication with a source of a fuel gas, and a solid electrolyte between the first electrode and the second electrode. The sub-cells are connected with each other with an interconnect. The interconnect includes a first layer in contact with the first electrode of each cell, and a second layer in contact with the second electrode of each cell. The first layer includes a (La,Mn)Sr-titanate based perovskite represented by the empirical formula of LaySr(1-y)Ti(1-x)MnxOb. In one embodiment, the second layer includes a (Nb,Y)Sr-titanate perovskite represented by the empirical formula of Sr(1-1.5z-0.5k±?)YzNbkTi(1-k)Od.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Guangyong Lin
  • Patent number: 9985295
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell is disclosed. The fuel cell includes a porous anode, formed of finely-dispersed nickel/stabilized-zirconia powder particles. The particles have an average diameter of less than about 300 nanometers. They are also characterized by a tri-phase length of greater than about 50 ?m/?m3. A solid oxide fuel cell stack is also described, along with a method of forming an anode for a solid oxide fuel cell. The method includes the step of using a spray-agglomerated, nickel oxide/stabilized-zirconia powder to form the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Bastiaan Arie Korevaar, Yuk-Chiu Lau, Anteneh Kebbede, Harish Radhakrishna Acharya, Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Gregory John Parker
  • Patent number: 9979042
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes bonding members for joining projecting sections of adjacent frames in cell modules, an inter-cell module seal member forming a seal between the cell modules, and supporting members disposed between adjacent frames in the cell modules. As viewed from above in the direction in which the cell modules are layered, the supporting members overlap at least a part of a section of the inter-cell module seal member that contacts the cell modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kageyama, Mitsutaka Abe
  • Patent number: 9972861
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery, comprising a current collector; an electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the current collector; and a first porous supporting layer formed on the electrode active material layer. The sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery according to the present disclosure has supporting layers on at least one surface thereof to exhibit surprisingly improved flexibility and prevent the release of the electrode active material layer from a current collector even if intense external forces are applied to the electrode, thereby preventing the decrease of battery capacity and improving the cycle life characteristic of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yo-Han Kwon, Hye-Ran Jung, Eun-Kyung Kim, Je-Young Kim, Hyo-Mi Kim
  • Patent number: 9972816
    Abstract: A slurry for forming an insulating layer of the present invention includes heat-resistant insulating fine particles, a thickening agent, and a dispersion medium. The insulating fine particles are dispersed in the dispersion medium. The slurry for forming an insulating layer has a viscosity of 5 to 500 mPa·s. The proportion of particles with a particle size of 1 ?m or less in the insulating fine particles is 30 vol % or more and the proportion of particles with a particles size of 3 ?m or more in the insulating fine particles is 10 vol % or less. An electrochemical device of the present invention includes a separator for an electrochemical device of the present invention that is produced using the slurry for forming an electrochemical device of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: MICROCONNECT CORP.
    Inventors: Hideaki Katayama, Hiroshi Abe, Nobuaki Matsumoto, Toshihiro Abe, Yasutaka Kuroki
  • Patent number: 9966625
    Abstract: The present invention provides a non-aqueous redox flow battery comprising a negative electrode immersed in a non-aqueous liquid negative electrolyte, a positive electrode immersed in a non-aqueous liquid positive electrolyte, and a cation-permeable separator (e.g., a porous membrane, film, sheet, or panel) between the negative electrolyte from the positive electrolyte. During charging and discharging, the electrolytes are circulated over their respective electrodes. The electrolytes each comprise an electrolyte salt (e.g., a lithium or sodium salt), a transition-metal free redox reactant, and optionally an electrochemically stable organic solvent. Each redox reactant is selected from an organic compound comprising a conjugated unsaturated moiety, a boron cluster compound, and a combination thereof. The organic redox reactant of the positive electrolyte comprises a tetrafluorohydroquinone ether compound or a tetrafluorocatechol ether compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Lu Zhang, Jinhua Huang, Anthony Burrell
  • Patent number: 9954210
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a separator includes (S1) preparing a porous substrate having pores, (S2) coating at least one surface of the porous substrate with a first solvent, (S3) coating the first solvent with a slurry containing inorganic particles dispersed therein and formed by dissolving a binder polymer in a second solvent, (S4) drying the first and second solvents simultaneously to form a porous organic-inorganic composite layer on the porous substrate. Since the phenomenon that the pores of the porous substrate are closing by the binder polymer is minimized, it is possible to prevent the resistance of the separator from increasing due to the formation of the porous organic-inorganic composite layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd., TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Joo Sung Lee, Jang-Hyuk Hong, Jong-Hun Kim
  • Patent number: 9941549
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery, which can improve safety by maintaining a short-circuit state when the internal pressure of the rechargeable battery exceeds a critical pressure due to overcharge (or any other reason). In one embodiment, the rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, a cap assembly sealing the case and including a cap plate, and a short-circuit member including a first short-circuit plate coupled to the cap plate and a second short-circuit plate on a surface of the first short-circuit plate facing toward the electrode assembly and coupled to the cap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sangwon Byun, Chiyoung Lee, Minseok Koo
  • Patent number: 9935344
    Abstract: The present invention provides a test battery case which is capable of conducting an internal short-circuit test with accuracy. The test battery case according to the present invention includes a container for housing a power generating element, and a closing member detachably secured to the container, wherein the container has an opening for the internal short-circuit test, the opening being closed by the closing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: ELIIY POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Sawanishi, Tomitaro Hara
  • Patent number: 9929393
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a jelly-roll battery comprising an alternating anode and cathode layers coated with intervening separator layers wound into a jelly-roll. The alternating anode and cathode layers are coated with, respectively, an anode active coating and a cathode active coating. A first common notch and a second common notch are formed along at least one side of the jelly-roll. A common cathode tab can be bonded to the cathode tabs within the first common notch, and a common anode tab can be bonded to the anode tabs within the second common notch. The jelly-roll battery also includes a pouch enclosing the jelly-roll. Common anode and cathode tabs can extend through the pouch to provide cathode and anode terminals for the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian K. Shiu, Qingcheng Zeng
  • Patent number: 9911981
    Abstract: An air-cathode battery includes a porous cathode current collector with an air interface, an ionic liquid electrolyte disposed in pores of the porous cathode current collector; a metal anode, and a separator in contact with the ionic liquid electrolyte and coupled between the porous cathode current collector and the metal anode. The porous cathode current collector is an ionogel formed from a silica sol-gel or a carbonized resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogel and the pores are functionalized with a thiol group-containing species that is functionalized with one or more catalytic nanoparticles or the pores are electroplated with catalytic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Marie C. Kane
  • Patent number: 9905867
    Abstract: A fuel cell system sets the larger one of a stack request compressor supply flow rate calculated based on a request of a fuel cell stack and a system request compressor supply flow rate calculated based on a request by the fuel cell system as a target compressor supply flow rate and controls a compressor according to the target compressor supply flow rate. The fuel cell system also controls a bypass valve based on a stack supply flow rate and a target stack supply flow rate to be supplied to the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell system fixes the bypass valve or limits the drive of the bypass valve when the system request compressor supply flow rate is set as the target compressor supply flow rate and the stack supply flow rate becomes smaller than the target stack supply flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Asai, Hiroshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 9893391
    Abstract: A battery water level detector assembly for a battery operated device comprising a control unit configured for use with a battery of the device, with the control unit including an electronic sensor operative to provide a signal indicative of the water level within the battery and with the control unit being operative to provide a control signal in response thereto. The electronic sensor is operative to detect when a visual indicator operably connected to the battery provides a display that the water level within the battery has decreased below a desired level. The control signal in turn may be used to generate an alert, including a remotely transmitted alert, and/or alter operational functionality of the battery operated device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Pacific Steamex Cleaning Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kipling J Kauffman