Patents Examined by Scott J Chmielecki
  • Patent number: 11791503
    Abstract: A method of managing a battery of a wireless sensor or other battery-powered remote wireless device includes pre-characterizing the device's energy usage during its various activities and modes, placing the device in operation, opportunistically gathering device operational data obtained for purposes other than battery management, and estimating a status of the battery according to an analysis of the operational data in light of the pre-characterized information. The method further includes taking a battery management action according to the estimated battery status, such as recharging or replacing the battery when it is nearly exhausted, and/or modifying the operation of the device so as to extend the battery lifetime, for example by reducing or increasing the frequency of data transmissions, measurements, calculations, and/or other dynamic current events. The status estimate can further be in light of measurements provided by a simple current measuring circuit included in the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Flowserve Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Stewart D. Reed
  • Patent number: 11791473
    Abstract: A method is proposed by means of which a composite layer is producible in as simple and controlled a manner as possible, and by means of which composite layers with different predetermined properties can be produced with as little expenditure as possible, and thus economically. The method includes: providing a nanofiber material, comminuting the nanofiber material while forming nanorods, providing a liquid medium, which comprises an ionomer component and a dispersant, dispersing the nanorods in the liquid medium while forming a nanorod ionomer dispersion, and applying the nanorod ionomer dispersion to a surface region of a substrate while forming a composite layer. An electrochemical unit including the composite layer is provided. The composite layer is useful in a fuel cell (hydrogen fuel cell or direct alcohol fuel cell), in a redox flow cell, in an electrolytic cell, or in an ion exchanger, and useful for anion or proton conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Matthias Breitwieser, Florian Lombeck
  • Patent number: 11784339
    Abstract: A battery cell for use in a redox flow battery, the battery cell including an electrode, a membrane facing one of both surfaces of the electrode, and a bipolar plate facing the other surface of the electrode, wherein the bipolar plate includes, in a surface thereof facing the electrode, a flow channel for an electrolyte, the electrode is a porous body containing carbon materials, and a compressive strain in a thickness direction of the electrode when a compressive stress of 0.8 MPa is applied in the thickness direction of the electrode is 20% or more and 60% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoaki Moriuchi, Yoshiyasu Kawagoe, Seiji Ogino, Shin-ichi Sawada, Takeshi Yamana
  • Patent number: 11764385
    Abstract: One embodiment is a redox flow battery system that includes an anolyte; a catholyte; an anolyte tank configured for holding at least a portion of the anolyte; a catholyte tank configured for holding at least a portion of the catholyte; a primary redox flow battery arrangement, and a second redox flow battery arrangement. The primary and secondary redox flow battery arrangements share the anolyte and catholyte tanks and each includes a first half-cell including a first electrode in contact with the anolyte, a second half-cell including a second electrode in contact with the catholyte, a separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell, an anolyte pump, and a catholyte pump. The peak power delivery capacity of the secondary redox flow battery arrangement is less than the peak power delivery capacity of the primary redox flow battery arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: COUGAR CREEK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Qingtao Luo
  • Patent number: 11757151
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode material for a lithium-air battery and a method of manufacturing a cathode using the same. The cathode material of the present invention includes a solvent component and thus includes an electrolyte in a small amount compared to a conventional cathode material, thereby reducing the weight of a cathode manufactured using the cathode material, ultimately increasing the energy density of a lithium-air battery including the cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Sam Ick Son, Young Joon Bae, Hyeok Jun Park, Ki Suk Kang, Young Min Ko, Sung Kwan Park
  • Patent number: 11742516
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte-cathode assembly including a plurality of cathode layers spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and an electrolyte layer including an amorphous solid electrolyte and a crystalline solid electrolyte including a plurality of crystalline solid electrolyte particles, wherein the amorphous solid electrolyte is on a surface of a cathode layer of the plurality of cathode layers and the crystalline solid electrolyte is within the amorphous solid electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungjin Lim, Huisu Jeong, Jin S. Heo, Kyounghwan Kim, Mokwon Kim, Hwiyeol Park
  • Patent number: 11728523
    Abstract: An improved high energy density rechargeable (HEDR) battery with an anode energy layer, a cathode energy layer, a separator between the anode and cathode energy layers for preventing internal discharge thereof, and at least one current collector for transferring electrons to and from either the anode or cathode energy layer, includes a resistive layer interposed between the separator and one of the current collectors for limiting the rate of internal discharge through the failed separator in the event of separator failure. The resistive layer has a fixed resistivity at temperatures between a preferred temperature range and an upper temperature safety limit for operating the battery. The resistive layer serves to avoid temperatures in excess of the upper temperature safety limit in the event of separator failure in the battery, and a fixed resistivity of the resistive layer is greater than the internal resistivity of either energy layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: American Lithium Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jiang Fan, Dengguo Wu
  • Patent number: 11728470
    Abstract: A negative electrode for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium metal battery is manufactured by a method in which a precursor solution is applied to a major surface of a lithium metal substrate to form a precursor coating thereon. The precursor solution includes an organophosphate, a nonpolar organic solvent, and a lithium-containing inorganic ionic compound dissolved therein. At least a portion of the nonpolar organic solvent is removed from the precursor coating to form a protective interfacial layer on the major surface of the lithium metal substrate. The protective interfacial layer exhibits a composite structure including a carbon-based matrix component and a lithium-containing dispersed component. The lithium-containing dispersed component is embedded in the carbon-based matrix component and includes a plurality of lithium-containing inorganic ionic compounds, e.g., lithium phosphate (Li3PO4) and lithium nitrate (LiNO3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Xingcheng Xiao, Mengyuan Chen, Qinglin Zhang, Mei Cai
  • Patent number: 11721833
    Abstract: A method of producing a lithium ion secondary battery disclosed here, includes a process of preparing an electrode body which includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode and in which the negative electrode contains a negative electrode material containing graphite having open pores and SiO2 disposed in the open pores; a process of producing a battery assembly including the electrode body and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution containing LiPF6 with a concentration of 1 mol/L or more; a process of initially charging the battery assembly; and a process of performing an aging treatment on the initially charged battery assembly in an environment of a temperature of 50° C. or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroto Asano, Shinsuke Matsuhara
  • Patent number: 11710844
    Abstract: A redox flow battery system includes an anolyte having chromium ions in solution, wherein at least a portion of the chromium ions form a chromium complex with at least one of the following: NH3, NH4+, CO(NH2)2, SCN?, or CS(NH2)2; a catholyte having iron ions in solution; a first half-cell including a first electrode in contact with the anolyte; a second half-cell including a second electrode in contact with the catholyte; and a first separator separating the first half-cell from the second half-cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: COUGAR CREEK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Qingtao Luo
  • Patent number: 11705549
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transparent anode thin film comprising a transparent anode active material layer, wherein the transparent anode active material layer comprises a Si-based anode active material having a composition represented by the following [Chemical Formula 1]: SiNx??[Chemical Formula 1] (wherein 0<x?1.5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ji-Won Choi, Jin Sang Kim, Chong Yun Kang, Seung Hyub Baek, Seong Keun Kim, Hyun-Cheol Song, Sang Tae Kim, Hyun Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 11682792
    Abstract: A lithium-sulfur battery includes: a substrate; a composite cathode disposed on the substrate; a solid-state electrolyte disposed on the composite cathode; and a lithium anode disposed on the solid-state electrolyte, such that the composite cathode comprises: active elemental sulfur, conductive carbon, and sulfide electrolyte, and the sulfide electrolyte is uniformly coated on at least one surface of the conductive carbon. A method of forming a composite cathode for a lithium-sulfur battery includes: synthesizing dispersed carbon fiber from cotton to form carbonized dispersed cotton fiber (CDCF) powder; in-situ coating of the CDCF with an electrolyte component to form a composite powder; and mixing active elemental sulfur powder with the composite powder to form the composite cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, Jun Jin, Zhen Song, Qing Wang, Zhaoyin Wen, Tongping Xiu
  • Patent number: 11664509
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a high-efficiency heat exchanger for a temperature control system of a fuel cell and a processing device thereof. The processing device includes a frame body and a power box. A bottom of the frame body is fixed to the ground by screws, and the power box is arranged at a side of the frame body for intelligent control. A displacement screw is arranged on a top of the frame body, and a sliding block driven by electricity is arranged on a surface of the displacement screw. Two ends of the displacement screw are respectively provided with a limit switch for controlling a limit position of the sliding block. A drive motor is arranged on a surface of the sliding block, and a displacement sensor is arranged on one side surface of the sliding block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Zhejiang University
    Inventors: Shusheng Xiong, Yonggen Zhang, Defeng Xuan, Wei Li, Qiujie Song, Zhaohan Hu
  • Patent number: 11652240
    Abstract: Provided are new solid-state electrochemical cells and methods for fabricating these cells. In some examples, a solid-state electrochemical cell is assembled using a negative electrode, a positive electrode, and a gel-polymer electrolyte layer, which is disposed and provides ionic communications between these electrodes. Prior to this assembly, the negative electrode is free from electrolytes. The negative electrode is fabricated using a coating technique, e.g., forming a slurry, comprising a polymer binder and one or more negative active materials structures, such as silicon, graphite, and the like. The porosity, size, and other characteristics of the negative active materials structures and of the resulting coated later are specifically controlled to ensure operation with the gel-polymer electrolyte layer or, more specifically, high-rate charge and discharge, e.g., greater than 1 mA/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GRU Energy Lab Inc.
    Inventors: Song Han, Sa Zhou
  • Patent number: 11646456
    Abstract: A battery system includes a battery that is a lithium ion battery including an electrode assembly containing a positive electrode active material. An ECU calculates a deterioration index value ?D corresponding a degree of progress of high rate deterioration, and when the deterioration index value ?D exceeds a threshold value, controls a power converter or a PCU to cause a voltage of the battery to fall within a voltage range including a specific voltage. The specific voltage is a peak voltage on a dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve, the peak voltage being derived from structural change of the positive electrode active material. The dQ/dV voltage characteristic curve is a curve indicating a relationship between dQ/dV that is a ratio of a change dQ of a stored electricity amount to a change dV of the voltage of the battery, and the voltage of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Tsujiko
  • Patent number: 11631861
    Abstract: A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same, the negative active material including a Si-carbon composite that includes Si nanoparticles and an amorphous carbon, wherein the negative active material has a sphericity of 0.7 or more, and a BET specific surface area of 10 m2/g or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Min Kim, Changsu Shin, Jongmin Won, Dae-Hyeok Lee, Jaemyung Kim, Jaehou Nah
  • Patent number: 11616232
    Abstract: Disclosed is a doped lithium manganese iron phosphate-based particulate for a cathode of a lithium-ion battery. The particulate includes a composition represented by a formula of Mm-LixMn1-y-zFeyM?z(PO4)n/C, wherein M, M?, x, y, z, m, and n are as defined herein. Also disclosed is a powdery material including the particulate, and a method for preparing the powdery material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HCM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chien-Wen Jen, Hsin-Ta Huang, Chih-Tsung Hsu, Yi-Hsuan Wang
  • Patent number: 11600848
    Abstract: An electrode structure for use in an energy storage device comprising a population of electrodes, a population of counter-electrodes and a microporous separator separating members of the electrode population from members of the counter-electrode population. Each member of the electrode population comprises an electrode active material layer and an electrode current conductor layer, and each member of the electrode population has a bottom, a top, a length LE, a width WE and a height HE, wherein the ratio of LE to each of WE and HE is at least 5:1, the ratio of HE to WE is between 0.4:1 and 1000:1, and the electrode current collector layer of each member of the electrode population has a length LC that is measured in the same direction as and is at least 50% of length LE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Enovix Corporation
    Inventors: Harrold J. Rust, III, Ashok Lahiri, Murali Ramasubramanian, Robert M. Spotnitz, Robert A. Cole, Gunther A. Koblmiller, Nirav S. Shah, Brian E. Brusca, Christopher G. Castledine, Laurie J. Lauchlan, James D. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 10991986
    Abstract: A battery includes first and second power generating elements laminated to each other. In the first power generating element, the inner layer of a first electrode current collector is in contact with a first electrode active material layer. In the second power generating element, the inner layer of a second electrode current collector is in contact with a second electrode active material layer. The outer layers of the first electrode current collector and the second electrode current collector are in contact with each other. The inner layer of the first electrode current collector contains a first material; the inner layer of the second electrode current collector contains a third material different from the first material; the outer layer of the second electrode current collector contains a second material different from the first material; and the outer layer of the first electrode current collector contains the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Honda
  • Patent number: 10991921
    Abstract: A multilayer dielectric and sealing film is disclosed. The multi-layer dielectric sealing film comprises a layer of dielectric material and at least one layer of sealing material. The multilayer film may be positioned between the current collector tabs and the packaging material of a thin film battery to prevent shorting between the tabs and the edge of a metal foil layer in the packaging material. The multi-layer film also provides additional sealant which can flow around and seal around the terminals. By combining the sealing material and the dielectric material into one multi-layer assembly, manufacturing steps can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: BRIGHTVOLT, INC.
    Inventor: Neil Kreitman