Patents Examined by Angela Martin
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Patent number: 9160012Abstract: According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Harada
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Patent number: 9151545Abstract: The invention is directed at devices, systems, and processes for managing the temperature of an electrochemical call including a device 10 comprising an inlet for receiving a heat transfer fluid; one or more electrochemical cell compartments 12 for receiving one or more electrochemical calls 20; one or more thermal energy storage material compartments 14 containing one or more thermal energy storage materials 18; and one or more heat transfer fluid compartments 16 for flowing the heat transfer fluid through the device; wherein the space between the one or more heat transfer fluid compartments 16 and the one or more electrochemical cell compartments 12 preferably includes one or more first regions 22 (i.e. portion) that are substantially free of the thermal energy storage material 18; and the space between the one or more heat transfer fluid compartments 16 and the one or more thermal energy storage material compartments 14 preferably includes one or more second regions 24 (i.e.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLCInventors: Andrey N. Soukhojak, Kalyan Sehanobish
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Patent number: 9147892Abstract: According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2007Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Harada
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Patent number: 9147893Abstract: A failure diagnostic device for accurately determining a failure of a discharge valve. A failure diagnostic device (50) serves to perform failure diagnostic of a discharge valve (62) installed in a discharge flow channel (32) of an anode discharge gas that is discharged from a fuel cell stack (20). The device comprises a detection unit (70) for detecting a status quantity of the anode discharge gas between a discharge port (27) for the anode discharge gas of the fuel cells tack (2) and the discharge valve (62) and a determination unit (51) for determining a failure of the discharge valve (62) based on the status quantity of the anode discharge gas detected by the detection unit (70) and a failure determination quantity corresponding to the operating state of the fuel cell stack (20).Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2005Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Norimasa Ishikawa, Naoki Kanie
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Patent number: 9123960Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state electrolyte battery using a cathode activating substance which functions as such in an amorphous state and has a high ionic conductivity and provides a cathode activating substance used for the same. This solid-state electrolyte battery includes a laminated body. In the laminated body, a cathode-side current collector film, cathode activating substance film, solid-state electrolyte film, anode potential formation layer and anode-side current collector film are stacked above a substrate in this order. The cathode activating substance film is made of LixMyPO4?zNz, i.e., a lithium complex oxide in an amorphous state.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2010Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Yuichi Sabi
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Patent number: 9099709Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system 100 for performing power generation using hydrogen-containing gas generated from a raw material containing a hydrocarbon component and an odorizer component includes a raw material supply section 4 for controlling a flow rate of the raw material; a water supply section 3 for supplying water; an adsorptive removal section 5 for causing the raw material to pass therethrough and adsorbing the odorizer component contained in the raw material; a reformer 1 for generating the hydrogen-containing gas by a reforming reaction of the raw material which has passed the adsorptive removal section and water supplied from the water supply section; a fuel cell 8 for performing power generation using the hydrogen-containing gas as a fuel; and an operating control section for, as an accumulated flow volume of the raw material supplied to the adsorptive removal section 5 from the raw material supply section 4 increases, decreasing the flow rate of the raw material to be supplied to the adsorpType: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Yukimune Kani, Hiroaki Kaneko
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Patent number: 9088021Abstract: A system and method for processing the electric signals from a plurality of fuel cells in a fuel cell system is disclosed. Groups of the plurality of fuel cells, such as five bipolar plates, are electrically coupled to a conductive compressible connector or a circuit board, where some of the bipolar plates have a plate contactor for providing the electrical contact to either the conductive compressible connector or the circuit board. The system allows for the processing of the electric signals of every cell using fewer electrical components, thereby reducing the amount of space required and the costs associated therewith.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Jeffrey A. Rock, Jeff D. Williams
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Patent number: 9077015Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules including a plurality of cells 100 aligned and accommodated in a case, wherein a battery assembly 200 in which the plurality of cells 100 are aligned in a row is used as a unit, and the multiple ones of the battery assembly 200 are aligned in each battery module. The battery modules are a first battery module 300 in which the plurality of battery assemblies 200 are aligned in parallel and second battery modules 400A, 400B in which the plurality of battery assemblies 200 are aligned in series, and the first battery module 300 and the second battery modules 400A, 400B are combined with each other to form the battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2010Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Shunsuke Yasui, Toshihiko Kurosaki, Toshiki Itoi
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Patent number: 9070910Abstract: According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2011Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Harada
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Patent number: 9065092Abstract: A secondary battery having a protecting circuit module (PCM) and a secondary protection device. The battery includes a metal tab of the PCM and a metal tab of the secondary protection device that are connected to each other on the top of the PCM. One or more of the tabs are bent to bring the tabs in closer proximity to facilitate welding therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Woon-Seong Baek, Woo-Choul Kim, Jong-Wook Yoon
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Patent number: 9065083Abstract: Disclosed is a lithium polymer battery, which includes: an electrode assembly; an outer case receiving the electrode assembly, where an electrode tab of the electrode assembly is withdrawn out of the outer case; a protection circuit module provided at one side of the outer case, where an inner connection terminal of the protection circuit module is connected to the electrode tab of the electrode assembly and provided in parallel to the withdrawn direction of the electrode tab. The lithium polymer battery can improve reliability and safety of an electrical coupling state between a bare cell and a protection circuit module and assembling workability between the electrode tab and connection terminals by mechanically and electrically coupling them to each other without bending the electrode tab.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2009Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.Inventors: Youngcheol Jang, Eunok Kwak
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Patent number: 9054401Abstract: An energy storage system comprising at least one energy storage module adapted to supply electrical energy to a hybrid vehicle. The energy storage module comprises an enclosure, at least one battery array located within the enclosure comprised of one or more battery cells held in place between side rails and secured by end plates and mounting pins. The end plates also include flanges which secure the end plates behind the pins. The pin arrangement provides more secure holding and helps prevent torque loosening during operation. The battery array also includes cell retainers between each cell to reduce thermal transfer between cells, and an insulation liner between the battery cells and the side rails to improve creepage and clearance.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Russell B. Hopkins, Clyde H. Johnson, Robert A. Lawrence, Dean M. Ford, Steven T. Reyburn, Derek A. Delrymple, Bruce E. Miller
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Patent number: 9040192Abstract: A lithium rechargeable battery including: a bare cell including an electrode assembly disposed in a pouch, the electrode assembly including two electrodes, a separator, and first and second electrode tabs that extend from the electrodes, through a first side of the bare cell; a protecting circuit board electrically connected to the first and second electrode tabs; a first lead plate connected to the protecting circuit board and the first electrode tab, and a second lead plate connected to the protecting circuit board and the second electrode tab. The protecting circuit board is provided on a second side of the bare cell, which is adjacent to the first side. The first and second lead plates are bent to extend along the first and second sides of the pouch.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2009Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seongjoon Lee, Myungjun Lee, Kisung Hong
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Patent number: 9029041Abstract: To an internal vessel that houses cells of a solid oxide fuel cell, an external vessel is further disposed. In the internal vessel, a plurality of planar cells is disposed vertically with a gap between the cells, a mixed gas of a fuel and air is descended from top down through the gap having a predetermined width between the cells, and, at a bottom portion of the housing space, the mixed gas is burned to generate electricity.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2007Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.Inventors: Michio Horiuchi, Yasue Tokutake, Shigeaki Suganuma, Jun Yoshiike, Fumimasa Katagiri
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Patent number: 9023504Abstract: A secondary battery module and a battery spacer, the secondary battery module including a plurality of unit cells; and a battery spacer between the unit cells, the battery spacer including a base portion, the base portion including a portion contacting a large side surface of a unit cell, a wing portion projecting from the base portion toward an adjacent battery spacer and enclosing at least a portion of a small side surface of the unit cell, and a fastening portion on the wing portion, the fastening portion being for coupling the battery spacer to an adjacent battery spacer.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2010Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventor: Miso Kim
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Patent number: 9023546Abstract: There is disclosed a fuel cell in which an insulating material is disposed, whereby the thermal diffusion of the inside and outside of a fuel cell can be suppressed to suppress the deterioration of the performance of the fuel cell due to a temperature drop. Moreover, the physical properties of the insulating material are specified, whereby appropriate insulating properties required in the fuel cell can be obtained, and startup properties are improved. A fuel cell has a cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells are stacked, and terminal plates disposed on both sides of the cell stack in a cell stack direction thereof. The fuel cell comprises an insulating portion having an insulating material and holding plates which hold the insulating material from both the sides of the insulating material in the cell stack direction, the insulating material is held between the holding plates, and the insulating material has a thermal conductivity of 0.1 W/mK or less and a porosity of 70% or more.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2008Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nitto Denko CorporationInventors: Yoshinori Yamamoto, Koichiro Yamashita, Takashi Wano, Ryoichi Matsushima
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Patent number: 9017894Abstract: A fuel cell is provided with a separator that supports an electrolyte/electrode assembly sandwiched therebetween. The separator is provided with: first and second fuel gas supply parts in the center of which fuel gas supply holes are formed; first and second cross-link parts connected to the first and second fuel gas supply parts; and first and second surrounding support parts connected to the first and second cross-link parts. Each first surrounding support part is provided with a set of fuel gas exhaust passages that discharge fuel gas that has gone through a fuel gas passage and been used. The cross-sectional areas of the fuel gas exhaust passages are larger on the downstream sides than on the upstream sides, in terms of the direction of fuel gas flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2010Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuya Ogawa, Yukihiko Kiyohiro, Koji Dan, Yuki Yoshimine
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Patent number: 9005846Abstract: A partly oxidized substrate is disclosed. According to one aspect, the substrate is formed by subjecting a substrate made of a porous metal or metal alloy including particles of at least one metal or metal alloy bound by sintering. The substrate includes a first main surface and a second main surface. The porosity of the substrate gradually changes from the first main surface to the second main surface. The substrate is partially oxidized by an oxidizing gas such as oxygen and/or air. A method for preparing the substrate and high temperature electrolyzer (THE) cell including the substrate are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternativesInventors: Julie Mougin, Thomas Pietri
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Patent number: 9005792Abstract: The invention relates to a locking system for locking a lid of a portable electronic device, comprising at least a latch, a detent and a first return member. The latch has at least a first position of the latch and a second position of the latch, wherein the latch is connected to the lid in the first position of the latch, and the latch is disconnected from the lid in the second position of the latch. The detent has at least a first position of the detent and a second position of the detent, and the detent is adjusted to detain the latch in the second position of the latch. The first return member is adjusted to move the latch from the second position of the latch to the first position of the latch.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2007Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Nokia CorporationInventor: Arto Ilari Pelkonen
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Patent number: 8980498Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell stack that has a separator arranged between fuel cells, the separator including: a sandwiching section which sandwiches an electrolyte electrode assembly and includes a fuel gas channel and a separately provided oxygen-containing gas channel; a bridge which is connected to the sandwiching section and includes a reactant gas supply channel; a reactant gas supply section which is connected to the bridge and includes a reactant gas supply passage; and a connecting section that connects the sandwiching section to the bridge.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuya Ogawa, Kimiko Fujisawa, Ayatoshi Yokokawa