Patents Examined by Helen O Conley
  • Patent number: 8920954
    Abstract: A battery tray for storing a battery comprises: a battery storage unit comprising: a first side and a second side facing each other, and a third side and a fourth side facing each other, wherein the third and fourth sides have planar portions for accommodating a prismatic battery cell and round portions for accommodating a cylindrical battery cell; a first guiding unit extending from a lower portion of the third side to secure a first end of a prismatic battery cell; and a second guiding unit extending from a lower portion of the fourth side to secure a second end of a prismatic battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaeil Seong, Soonki Woo, Kiyuon Jeon, Sehan Kim, Hideaki Yoshio
  • Patent number: 8911905
    Abstract: An anode of a lithium battery includes a composite film, the composite film includes a carbon nanotube film structure and a plurality of nanoscale tin oxide particles dispersed therein. A lithium battery includes at least a cathode, an electrolyte, and the anode mentioned above. A charge/discharge capacity of the lithium battery using the anode can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen Feng, Hao-Xu Zhang, Kai-Li Jiang, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 8900772
    Abstract: A fuel cartridge with which liquid leakage through an air induction hole from a fuel tank is able to be prevented and safety is able to be improved is provided. Switching drive for opening and closing an air induction hole 12 is performed by a valve 13 capable of controlling the switching drive according to a control signal. Thereby, air introduction to a fuel tank 100 containing a fuel is able to be controlled. Thus, for example, at the time of high temperature or fuel disorder, by closing the air induction hole 12 by the valve 13, fuel leakage from the fuel tank through the air induction hole of an existing check valve is able to be prevented, and safety is able to be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Yoshiaki Inoue, Yuto Takagi, Atsushi Sato, Jusuke Shimura
  • Patent number: 8883337
    Abstract: A support foot for a battery pack, a battery pack including the support foot and a method for manufacturing the battery pack are provided. The support foot is constructed with a first support part, and a second support part including a protrusion. The protrusion is inserted into the battery pack and is thermally welded to be attached to the battery pack, so that the support foot can be securely attached to the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Il-Joong Kim, Jang-Gun Ahn
  • Patent number: 8883359
    Abstract: A method of driving a fuel cell system is disclosed. The method of driving the fuel cell system may include supplying water to a reformer by pressing a pump pipe to pressing members to move the pressing members in a first direction, stopping power generation including stopping a supply of fuel and oxidant to the reformer, and discharging water in the reformer by moving the pressing members in a second direction opposite to the first direction while pressing the pump pipe with the pressing members. A fuel cell system is also disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a reformer, a fuel cell stack and a water transferring pump. The water transferring pump includes pressing members and a pump pipe. The pump pipe is in fluid communication with a water transferring pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woong-Ho Cho, Ming-Zi Hong, Dong-Hyun Kim, Dong-Rak Kim, Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8883370
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises at least one fuel cell with a high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane. The fuel cell is supplied with liquefied petroleum gas from a supply of liquefied petroleum gas. The liquefied petroleum gas can be directly fed into an anode reaction chamber of the fuel cell without complex reforming. Water vapor is admixed to the liquefied petroleum gas before it enters the anode reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Truma Gerätetechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Schiegl, Reinhard Frank
  • Patent number: 8871386
    Abstract: A secondary battery comprising an electrode assembly including: a first electrode plate connected to a first electrode tab, a second electrode plate connected to a second electrode tab, and a separator disposed therebetween; a can having an opening, to house the electrode assembly; and a cap assembly to seal the opening. The first electrode tab has a reinforcement portion. The first electrode tab has a welding portion connected to the cap assembly and a bent portion formed in the reinforcement portion, which is thicker than the welding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae-Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8859164
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a bipolar plate includes a wall area and a landing area defining a fluid flow channel, and a plurality of wires extending from at least one of the landing area and the wall area. In another embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes the aforementioned bipolar plate and a gas diffusion layer (GDL) adjacent the bipolar plate and contacting at least a portion of the plurality of wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Alireza Pezhman Shirvanian
  • Patent number: 8852785
    Abstract: A bipolar secondary battery has a battery element that includes first and second bipolar electrodes each having a collector disposed with a conductive resin layer containing a first resin as a base material and positive and negative electrode active material layers formed on opposite sides of the collector and a separator containing a second resin as a base material, arranged between the first and second bipolar electrodes and retaining an electrolyte material to form an electrolyte layer. The positive electrode active material layer of the first bipolar electrode, the electrolyte layer and the negative electrode active material layer of the second bipolar electrode constitute a unit cell. A melting point of the first resin is lower than or equal to a melting point of the second resin. Outer peripheries of the collectors of the first and second bipolar electrodes and an outer periphery of the separator are fused together to thereby seal an outer peripheral portion of the unit cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Hosaka, Motoharu Obika
  • Patent number: 8852801
    Abstract: A battery with more superior reliability is provided. The battery includes: a battery element in which a cathode having a cathode active material layer on a strip-shaped cathode current collector and an anode having an anode active material layer on a strip-shaped anode current collector are layered with a separator in between, wherein the anode active material layer is provided to occupy a first region that is overlapped with a cathode active material layer formation region in which the cathode active material layer is provided on the cathode current collector and a peripheral region thereof in the anode, and out of a second region adjacent to the first region in the longitudinal direction in the anode, a width of a third region in which the anode active material layer is not formed and the anode current collector is exposed is smaller than a width of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoo Takada, Kenichi Kawase
  • Patent number: 8852788
    Abstract: Disclosed is a porous membrane used for a secondary battery, such as lithium-ion secondary battery, wherein strength is improved and break is difficult to occur while maintaining lithium-ion conductivity. The porous membrane for a secondary battery comprising a binder for the porous membrane and a nonconductive particle, wherein the binder for the porous membrane is a polymer particle having a hetero phase structure, in which internal layer is a polymer wherein vinyl monomer components are polymerized and outer layer is a polymer wherein monomer components containing a hydrophilic functional group are polymerized. The hydrophilic functional group is at least one selected from the group consisting sulfonic acid group, carboxyl group, hydroxyl group and epoxy group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Zeon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Wakizaka, Nobukazu Kaihatsu
  • Patent number: 8835344
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell electrode, which has increased physical and chemical durability, and a method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) using the same. According to the present invention, the fuel cell electrode is manufactured by controlling the amount of platinum supported on a first carbon support used in an anode to be smaller than that used in a cathode to increase the mechanical strength of a catalyst layer and maintain the thickness of the catalyst layer after prolonged operation and by adding carbon nanofibers containing a radical scavenger to a catalyst slurry to decrease deterioration of chemical durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jae Seung Lee
  • Patent number: 8835073
    Abstract: Disclosed is a polymer membrane for a battery including a porous support including a fiber including a core including a high melting-point polymer; and a sheath including a low melting-point polymer surrounding the core, and a method of preparing the same. The polymer membrane for a battery may further include a proton conductive polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Sang-Il Han, Hee-Tak Kim, Dae-Young Lim, Jung-Nam Im, Guk-Hwan An, Ki-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 8822095
    Abstract: A fuel cell system including: a fuel cell stack including plural fuel cells sandwiched between two end plates; a fuel supply system supplying a stream of fuel gas to the fuel cell stack; an oxidizer supply system supplying a stream of oxidizer gas to the fuel cell stack; a closed loop coolant circulation system driving a cooling liquid through the fuel cell stack so that the cooling liquid enters the fuel cell stack, absorbs heat from the fuel cells, and exits the fuel cell stack. The coolant circulation system includes a circulation pump driving the cooling liquid, a heat exchanger removing heat from the cooling liquid and for at least partially transferring the heat to the stream of fuel gas and/or the stream of oxidizer gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Belenos Clean Power Holding AG
    Inventors: Uwe Hannesen, Akinori Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8822092
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell (1) supplied with fuel gas and oxidizing gas to generate electricity; a fuel gas supply unit supplying the fuel gas to the fuel cell (1); an oxidizing gas supply unit supplying the oxidizing gas to the fuel cell (1); an aftercooler (7) cooling the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell (1) by heat exchange with a coolant; an oxidizing gas temperature detector (16, 17) detecting temperature of the oxidizing gas; and a coolant circulation controller (21a) starting circulation of the coolant when the detected temperature of the oxidizing gas exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value of not higher than a minimum electricity generation temperature of the fuel cell (1), and a circulation timing and flow rate of the coolant for the aftercooler (7) are controlled such that the supplied oxidizing gas does not become cold. This enables the fuel cell (1) to generate electricity at cold start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuhiro Taniguchi, Hiromasa Sakai, Kotaro Akashi, Nobutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8822081
    Abstract: An electrode structure and an electrochemical cell including the electrode structure are provided. The electrode structure includes a porous three-dimensional (3D) outer net including an interconnected plurality of outer metal lines that define a plurality of outer holes between adjacent ones of the outer metal lines. The outer metal lines include a porous 3D inner net, a first layer coating the inner net, and a second layer coating the first layer. The inner net includes an interconnected plurality of inner metal lines that define a plurality of inner holes between adjacent ones of the inner metal lines. The inner metal lines include a first metal. The first layer includes a second metal. The second layer includes a third metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Ki Park, Jeong-Doo Yi, Ju-Yong Kim, Dong-Hee Han
  • Patent number: 8802313
    Abstract: A separator includes a first plate and a second plate. The separator has a first fuel gas supply unit, a second fuel gas supply unit, first sandwiching sections, second sandwiching sections, a first case unit and a second case unit. A fuel gas supply passage extends through the first fuel gas supply unit and the second fuel gas supply unit in a stacking direction. The first sandwiching sections are connected to the first fuel gas supply unit through first bridges, and the second sandwiching sections are connected to a second fuel gas supply unit through first bridges. The first sandwiching sections and the second sandwiching sections sandwich electrolyte electrode assemblies. Each of the first sandwiching sections and the second sandwiching sections sandwich electrolyte electrode assemblies. Each of the first sandwiching sections has a fuel gas inlet and each of the second sandwiching sections has an oxygen-containing gas inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ogawa, Koji Dan
  • Patent number: 8790820
    Abstract: A secondary battery and a method of manufacturing the same, the secondary battery including a bare cell for charging and discharging electricity; a protective circuit module for protecting the bare cell; an upper case, the upper case being coupled to the protective circuit module and disposed at an upper part of the bare cell; a protective film surrounding an external surface of the bare cell; and a resin molding unit disposed in the protective film, in the upper case, and in a lower part and on a bottom surface of the bare cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Woon-Seong Baek
  • Patent number: 8790846
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a gas diffusion layer having gas flow passages formed at its one main surface, which is capable of achieving a further improvement in power generation performance. The fuel cell-use gas diffusion layer (14A, 14C) of the present invention has a double-layer structure made up of a first diffusion layer (15A, 15C) having gas flow passages (21A, 21C) at its one main surface, and a second diffusion layer (16A, 16C) disposed on the other main surface of the first diffusion layer. The first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer are each structured with a porous member mainly comprised of conductive particles and a polymer resin, and the first diffusion layer is structured to be lower in porosity than the second diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Yoichiro Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8785054
    Abstract: In a lithium ion battery, one or more chelating agents may be attached to a microporous polymer separator for placement between a negative electrode and a positive electrode or to a polymer binder material used to construct the negative electrode, the positive electrode, or both. The chelating agents may comprise, for example, at least one of a crown ether, a podand, a lariat ether, a calixarene, a calixcrown, or mixtures thereof. The chelating agents can help improve the useful life of the lithium ion battery by complexing with unwanted metal cations that may become present in the battery's electrolyte solution while, at the same time, not significantly interfering with the movement of lithium ions between the negative and positive electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ion C. Halalay, Stephen J. Harris, Timothy J. Fuller