Patents Examined by John S. Maples
  • Patent number: 9017838
    Abstract: A spinning electrode fuel cell is disclosed. The spinning electrode fuel cell includes a housing and a stacked disk assembly which is rotatably mounted in the housing. The stacked disk assembly includes multiple electrochemical cells connected to each other. A motor engages the stacked disk assembly for rotating the stacked disk assembly in the housing. A fuel flow pathway is provided in the housing for distributing a fuel to the electrochemical cells. An oxidant flow pathway is provided in the housing and physically separated from the fuel flow pathway for distributing an oxidant to the electrochemical cells. A method of fabricating a fuel cell is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Ron Brost, William Schank, James Waldecker
  • Patent number: 8785073
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes an inlet manifold that communicates with an inlet pipe. The inlet pipe enters the inlet manifold at a port. A baffle is positioned about the port. The baffle captures and directs fuel away from a side of the inlet manifold that will face a cell stack. A fuel cell incorporating such an inlet manifold is also claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Phillips, Michael D. Harrington
  • Patent number: 8771862
    Abstract: A bus bar holder for connecting electrode terminals of a plurality of batteries arranged in a lengthwise direction, the bus bar holder including a bus bar holder plate having an opening in a lengthwise direction thereof and configured such that at least some electrode terminals of the plurality of batteries are extendable through the opening and slidable along the opening; and a bus bar for electrically connecting at least two electrode terminals of adjacent batteries, wherein the bus bar holder plate includes a settling groove in which the bus bar is settled, and the bus bar attached to the electrode terminals is slidable when the electrode terminal slides along the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Myung-Chul Kim, Tae-Yong Kim, Hyun-Ye Lee, Shi-Dong Park
  • Patent number: 8741467
    Abstract: Cooling air intake port (52), cooling air exhaust port (55), and securing walls (86, 87), which contact and secure the side surfaces of one or more battery cells (72), may be defined within two battery pack housing halves (50, 80). When battery pack (99) is assembled, at least one cooling air passage (91, 92) is defined by the side surfaces of the battery cells, the interior surface of the battery pack housing, and the securing walls. The cooling air passage connects the cooling air intake port to the cooling air exhaust port. By forcing cooling air through the cooling air passage, the battery cells can be effectively and efficiently cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 8735003
    Abstract: Hybrid solid-liquid electrolyte lithium-ion battery devices are disclosed. Certain devices comprise anodes and cathodes conformally coated with an electron insulating and lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Gi-Heon Kim, Yoon Seok Jung
  • Patent number: 8728665
    Abstract: A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery includes a negative electrode core member and a negative electrode mixture layer adhering to the negative electrode core member. The negative electrode mixture layer includes active material particles, a cellulose ether compound, and rubber particles. The cellulose ether compound has a degree of etherification of 0.25 or more and 0.7 or less and an average degree of polymerization of 20 or more and 1200 or less. The negative electrode mixture layer contains remaining particles including a water-insoluble portion of the cellulose ether compound and having a mean particle size of 1 ?m or more and 75 ?m or less. The bonding strength between the active material particles is 98 N/cm2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Taiki Satow, Shinji Kasamatsu, Nobuhiro Hirano, Masaya Ugaji
  • Patent number: 8722274
    Abstract: A subassembly for a fuel cell stack includes a fuel cell plate and a datum hole formed in the fuel cell plate for alignment of the fuel cell plate during assembly of the fuel cell stack. The subassembly also includes a datum insert disposed adjacent the datum hole of the fuel cell plate. The datum insert is configured to militate against a bending of the fuel cell plate at the datum hole during the assembly of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel P. Miller, Mark W. Keyser, Steven J. Spencer
  • Patent number: 8722260
    Abstract: An integrated apparatus includes: a gas-liquid separator that separates a gas and a liquid from a gas-liquid mixture fluid; a diluter disposed below the gas-liquid separator; and a communication pipe that communicates between the gas-liquid separator and the diluter, and that is disposed at a predetermined angle to a horizontal direction, and that introduces at least the liquid separated from the gas-liquid mixture fluid, into the diluter. The gas-liquid separator, the diluter, and the communication pipe are integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sekine, Mitsuo Kubota, Yoshinori Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8715876
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle is provided. At the time of regeneration of electric power by a motor, an ECU places a DC/DC converter in a direct connection state under control, and stores electric power in a battery while decreasing oxygen concentration or hydrogen concentration by a gas supply unit to decrease electric power generated by a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kazuno, Hibiki Saeki, Takuya Shirasaka, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8715850
    Abstract: A battery module 8 containing parallel blocks 9 connected to a protection circuit via a lead plate 2, wherein the parallel blocks 9 are welded to both sides of the lead plate without bending the lead plate 2 into a U shape. Thus it is possible to reduce the length of the lead plate 2 and suppress a voltage drop on the lead plate 2. Further, since the lead plate 2 is not bent into a U shape, the assembling accuracy of the battery module is improved and the battery module is easily packaged with a small size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Uchida, Kazuhiro Ikurumi, Seiji Kumazawa, Koji Funami, Masazumi Adachi
  • Patent number: 8715869
    Abstract: A fuel cell, a method for operating a fuel cell and a fuel cell system, which ensure no dew condensation for a wet reaction gas in the inlet area of gas channels in plates in a fuel cell stack, are provided. Gas channels 2 and heat medium channels are disposed on one surface and the other surface of one plate 1, respectively. Gas channels are disposed on the other plate such that they face the gas channels 2 in the plate 1. A gas inlet header 3 is disposed at the upper part of the gas channel 2 in the plate 1 and a heat medium inlet header is disposed at the upper part of the heat medium channels such that they face the gas inlet header on the other side. Cooling water such as heat medium is supplied from the heat medium supply manifold hole 7 to the heat medium inlet header, thereby warming up the same. The water vapor in the reaction gas (wet fuel gas) is prevented from being condensed in the inlet area of the gas channels 2 by heating up the gas inlet header by the heat conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Matsubayashi, Mitsuo Karakane, Yasunori Yoshimoto, Akira Hamada
  • Patent number: 8709654
    Abstract: A power storage device including a negative electrode having high cycle performance in which little deterioration due to charge and discharge occurs is manufactured. A power storage device including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode is manufactured, in which the negative electrode includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode active material layer includes an uneven silicon layer formed over the negative electrode current collector, a silicon oxide layer or a mixed layer which includes silicon oxide and a silicate compound and is in contact with the silicon layer, and graphene in contact with the silicon oxide layer or the mixed layer including the silicon oxide and the silicate compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Takeuchi, Minoru Takahashi, Takeshi Osada, Teppei Oguni, Takuya Hirohashi, Hiroyuki Tomisu
  • Patent number: 8709673
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell comprises a porous anode electrode, a dense non-porous electrolyte and a porous cathode electrode. The anode electrode comprises a plurality of parallel plate members and the cathode electrode comprises a plurality of parallel plate members. The plate members of the cathode electrode inter-digitate with the plate members of the anode electrode. The electrolyte comprises at least one electrolyte member, which fills at least one space between the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the parallel plate members of the cathode electrode. At least one non-ionically conducting member fills at least one space between the parallel plate members of the anode electrode and the parallel plate members of the cathode electrode and the at least one electrolyte member and the at least one non-ionically conducting member are arranged alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: LG Fuel Cell Systems Inc
    Inventors: Gerard D Agnew, Peter J Dixon
  • Patent number: 8703309
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery pack including a battery cell, an insulative mounting member coupled to the battery cell in a specific coupling structure, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element having a lower connection plate directly coupled to the battery cell while the lower connection plate is not bent, and an insulative cap, whereby the number of the members for electrical connection and electrical insulation is reduced, with the result that the assembly process of the battery pack is greatly simplified, the dead space is reduced, with the result that the capacity of the battery in the same-sized battery pack is maximized, and the structural stability of the battery pack against an external force is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheol Woong Lee, Ki eob Moon
  • Patent number: 8697274
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium ion battery including a battery can, a battery cell received in the battery can, electrolyte filled in the battery can, and a battery cover sealing the battery can. The battery can is formed with a flange portion, and the battery cover is formed with a skirt portion corresponding to the flange portion. The skirt portion of the battery cover tightly wraps the flange portion of the battery can, and the skirt portion and the flange portion wrapped in the skirt portion are tightly wound and bent to the battery can, so as to realize desirable sealing between the battery can and the battery cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Dongguan Amperex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Ji-bing Geng, Ping-hua Deng, Yu-jin Wang
  • Patent number: 8691421
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery module having a plurality of plate-shaped battery cells which are sequentially stacked, wherein the battery module is configured in a structure in which two or more battery cell units are connected in series to each other in a state in which the battery cell units are stacked, each of the battery cell units is configured in a structure in which two or more battery cells are connected in parallel to each other in a state in which the battery cells are in tight contact with each other, the battery cells being mounted in housings, and external input and output terminals, i.e., a module cathode terminal and a module anode terminal, of the battery module are located at the same side or opposite sides of the battery module depending upon the number of the battery cell units constituting the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Kyu Lee, Yongshik Shin, BumHyun Lee, Dal Mo Kang
  • Patent number: 8685569
    Abstract: An electrode for a power storage device with good cycle characteristics and high charge/discharge capacity is provided. In addition, a power storage device including the electrode is provided. The electrode for the power storage device includes a conductive layer and an active material layer provided over the conductive layer, the active material layer includes graphene and an active material including a plurality of whiskers, and the graphene is provided to be attached to a surface portion of the active material including a plurality of whiskers and to have holes in part of the active material layer. Further, in the electrode for the power storage device, the graphene is provided to be attached to a surface portion of the active material including a plurality of whiskers and to cover the active material including a plurality of whiskers. Further, the power storage device including the electrode is manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Oguni, Takeshi Osada, Toshihiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8685564
    Abstract: A magnesium battery includes a first electrode including an active material and a second electrode. An electrolyte is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrolyte includes a magnesium compound. The active material includes an inter-metallic compound of magnesium and antimony. The active material also includes antimony or an alloy of bismuth and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsui, Timothy Sean Arthur
  • Patent number: 8685590
    Abstract: An apparatus for pre-activation of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a first plate and a second plate hot pressing the unit cell stack, each having a flow channel supplying water vapor to opposing inner surfaces with the unit cell stack therebetween and including a resistor producing heat, a compressor, a temperature controller and a water vapor supplier connected to the flow channels of the plates. The apparatus for pre-activating a polymer electrolyte fuel cell may be used to prepare a prep-activated integrated body of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell membrane electrode assembly and gas diffusion layers by performing hot pressing while supplying water vapor to the unit cell stack to hydrate the polymer electrolyte membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Energy Research
    Inventors: Gu-Gon Park, Minjin Kim, Young-Jun Sohn, Young-Woo Choi, Seok-Hee Park, Sung-Dae Yim, Tae-Hyun Yang, Young-Gi Yoon, Won-Yong Lee, Chang-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8679697
    Abstract: Fuel cell subgaskets made of extrusion based, microcellular polymeric foam; fuel cell stacks comprising the provided subgaskets; methods of sealing between plates of a fuel cell stack using the provided subgaskets; and methods of manufacturing such subgaskets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Glenn W. Skala