Patents Examined by Stephen J. Kalafut
  • Patent number: 8574766
    Abstract: A solid state battery excellent in pressure formability is provided. A positive electrode composite material layer includes sulfide glass unheated and a positive electrode active material. The sulfide glass and the positive electrode active material are pressure-formed and in contact with each other. A negative electrode composite material layer includes sulfide glass unheated and a negative electrode active material. The sulfide glass and the negative electrode active material are pressure-formed and in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Kimura, Masahiro Tatsumisago, Akitoshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8568933
    Abstract: A metal-air fuel cell module includes a cap seat connected detachably to a casing and having a plug portion extending into an inner accommodating space in the casing for plugging an opening in the casing; a conductive gas-diffusion sheet disposed in the casing for covering sealingly air inlets in the casing, and permitting air to pass through; an electrolyte solution filled in the inner accommodating space; a metal sheet disposed in the inner accommodating space and connected detachably to the plug portion of the cap seat; a first electrode plate mounted on the casing, extending into the inner accommodating space and in electrical contact with the gas-diffusion sheet; and a second electrode plate mounted in the cap seat, extending into the inner accommodating space and in electrical contact with the metal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Wen-Pin Lin
  • Patent number: 8563160
    Abstract: An interconnect member for use in a vibration welded battery module having a battery tab includes a portion weldable to the battery tab, and an inlay. The inlay is positioned with respect to the portion. The inlay may be the same material as the portion, with an insulating or heat-deterring outer ring, or may be the same material as the battery tab with or without the outer ring. Voids or openings may be provided in the interconnect member to reduce the thermal mass of the interconnect member. The voids may be defined by laminated or clad layers of the portion, and may be filled with an insulating material. A battery module is also disclosed having the battery tabs and the interconnect member noted above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wayne W. Cai, Susan M. Smyth, Robert S. Bucchi
  • Patent number: 8557417
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a case comprising a body having a cavity and a cover sealed to the body; and an electrode assembly in the cavity, the electrode assembly including a first electrode plate having a coated portion coated with a first active material and an uncoated portion not coated with the first active material; a second electrode plate having a coated portion coated with a second active material; and a separator between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, wherein the first electrode plate, the second electrode plate and the separator are stacked together, and wherein the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate have substantially the same surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Changbum Ahn
  • Patent number: 8557431
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pouch including a first sealing portion wherein an upper sheet and a lower sheet are sealed, and a second sealing portion present in a partial or entire region of the first sealing portion. The pouch further includes a second sealing portion present in a partial or entire region of the first sealing portion, thus efficiently preventing permeation of external moisture and leakage of electrolyte solution through the first sealing portion and enabling fabrication of batteries with improved capacitance maintenance and resistance increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Yeob Park, Han Ho Lee, Young Joon Shin
  • Patent number: 8551641
    Abstract: A pouch type secondary battery including a safety member. The pouch type secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including first and second electrode plates having opposite electrical polarities and a first separator between the first and second electrode plates; and a safety member including a first conductive plate located on an outside of the electrode assembly and electrically connected to the first electrode plate, a second conductive plate located on an outside of the first conductive plate and electrically connected to the second electrode plate, and an insulating plate between the first and second conductive plates for insulating the first and second conductive plates from each other, and the first conductive plate has a puncture strength that is greater than a puncture strength of the second conductive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changbum Ahn, Youngbae Sohn
  • Patent number: 8551634
    Abstract: A computer enclosure includes a frame portion and a battery holding structure. The frame portion defines a battery receiving groove for receiving a battery, a first sliding groove and a second sliding groove communicating with the battery receiving groove. The battery holding structure includes a first locking member movably received in the first sliding groove, a second locking member movably received in the second sliding groove, and a spring. The first locking member includes a first latching block. The second locking member includes a second latching block. The spring is compressed between the second locking member and an inner surface of the second sliding groove and configured to provide a force to push the second latching block into the battery receiving groove. The first and second latching members can be pushed into the battery receiving groove to cooperatively latch the battery in the battery receiving groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Wei Zhu, Chun-Bao Gu, Meng-Ping Xu, Wen-Hsiang Hung
  • Patent number: 8541137
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte battery, containing a case and provided in the case, a positive electrode containing at least one selected from the group consisting of spinel type lithium-manganese-nickel composite oxide and lithium phosphate oxide having an olivine structure, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode comprises a lithium-titanium composite oxide, wherein a crystallite diameter of the lithium-titanium composite oxide is not larger than 6.9×102 {acute over (?)}. The lithium-titanium composite oxide comprises: rutile TiO2; anatase TiO2; Li2TiO3; and a lithium titanate having a spinel structure. A main peak intensity relative to lithium titanate set at 100, as determined by X-ray diffractometry, of each of lithium titanate having a spinel structure, the rutile TiO2, the anatase TiO2 and Li2TiO3 is not larger than 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroki Inagaki, Norio Takami
  • Patent number: 8541118
    Abstract: This invention provides a lithium-ion battery in which a coating film forming agent degradation reaction is prevented. A lithium-ion battery 100 in which electrodes 1 and 2 and an electrolyte are accommodated in a battery container 13 , and which has a means of for adding a coating film forming agent 20 for adding a coating film forming agent 21 that forms a coating film on the surface of each of electrodes 1 and 2 to an electrolyte in a battery container 13 is provided. With the use of such means of adding a coating film forming agent 20, a reaction of electrochemical degradation of a coating film forming agent 21 is prevented, allowing long-term preservation. Also, with the addition of a coating film forming agent 21 to an electrolyte, a deteriorated coating film on the surface of each of electrodes 1 and 2 is repaired such that a lithium-ion battery 100 can be regenerated, resulting in extension of battery life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takefumi Okumura, Ryo Inoue, Toshio Abe
  • Patent number: 8530111
    Abstract: A fuel cell is disclosed. The fuel cell can include a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), converting a chemical energy to an electrical energy; a first end plate, stacked on one surface of the MEA and formed with a first coupling hole; a second end plate, stacked on the other surface of the MEA; and a protrusion, formed on the second end plate such that the protrusion penetrates the first coupling hole and an end part of the protrusion protrudes a surface of the first end plate, and the end part being transformed such that the end part couples the first end plate and the second end plate. With the present invention, the fuel cell can reduce contact resistance between elements and its overall size and prevent a leak of fuel. In the manufacturing process, the end plates and the MEA can be arranged, improving reproducibility and repetition for mass production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hye-Yeon Cha, Young-Soo Oh, Jae-Hyuk Jang, Sung-Han Kim, Craig Miesse
  • Patent number: 8524383
    Abstract: A power generating system includes: a plurality of cells forming a fuel cell battery for generating power; a cell temperature measuring unit provided for each cell; a thermoelectric converter provided for each cell; a heating unit which heats the plurality of cells; a first control unit which controls the heating unit; and a second control unit, provided for each thermoelectric converter, for controlling the thermoelectric converter, wherein the first control unit controls the heating unit so as to bring the temperature of the heating unit to within a predetermined control temperature range, and the second control unit performs control so that if the temperature of the cell lies outside a predetermined operating temperature range, the thermoelectric converter is switched to the thermal transfer mode and is controlled so as to bring the temperature of the cell to within the predetermined operating temperature range, and if the temperature of the cell lies within the predetermined operating temperature range, t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamanaka, Kazuaki Kurihara
  • Patent number: 8524397
    Abstract: The battery has an electrolyte activating one or more anodes and one or more cathodes. At least one of the one or more cathodes includes or consists of one or more first active materials selected from the group consisting of: fluorinated carbon (CFx),CuCl2, and LiCuCl2; and includes or consists of one or more second active materials selected from the group consisting of lithium vanadium oxide, such as Li1+yV3O8, where y is greater than zero and/or less than 0.3, TiS2, polypyrrole, MoO2, MoS2, MnO2, V2O5, V6O13, H2V3O8, and metal vanadium oxides represented by MyH1?yV3O8 where 0<y?1 and M represents Na, Mg, Ba, K, Co, and Ca and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Quallion LLC
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yumoto, Taison Tan, Nelly Bourgeon, Hisashi Tsukamoto, Lu Chow
  • Patent number: 8518577
    Abstract: An electrode assembly for a battery. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode with a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode with a negative electrode active material layer. The assembly further includes a separator that has a porous layer formed of a ceramic material and a binder and a polyolefin resin layer. The porous layer has a thickness of about 4 to 6 ?m and the polyolefin resin layer has a thickness of about 12 to 16 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wan-Mook Lim, Kyu-Nam Han, Myung-Ro Lee
  • Patent number: 8512910
    Abstract: A solid oxide electrolyte including an oxygen ion conducting solid solution, wherein the solid solution is represented by Formula 1 below: Zr1-x-y-zMaxMbyMczO2-???Formula 1 wherein x is greater than 0 and less than about 0.3, y is greater than 0 and less than about 0.1, z is greater than 0 and less than about 0.1, ? is selected to make the solid solution ionically neutral, Ma, Mb, and Mc are each independently a metal selected from the group consisting of elements of Groups 3, Groups 5 through 13, and Group 14, and an ionic radius of each of Ma+3, Mb+3, and Mc+3 are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung Electroncis Co., Ltd., Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University
    Inventors: Hee-jung Park, Sang-mock Lee, Chan Kwak, Soo-yeon Seo, Yong-ho Choa
  • Patent number: 8507138
    Abstract: An ejector for a fuel cell system of the present invention includes a nozzle having a nozzle hole for discharging hydrogen supplied via an inlet port of an ejector body, a diffuser for mixing hydrogen discharged from the nozzle hole and hydrogen off-gas discharged and returned via a circulation passage from a fuel cell, a needle displacing in the axial direction by a driving force of a solenoid, and a bearing member held in a hollow portion of the nozzle, and having a through hole that movably supports the needle in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Kouichi Yamada, Kazunori Fukuma, Makoto Wada
  • Patent number: 8507148
    Abstract: A benzoxazine-based monomer includes a halogen atom-containing functional group and a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group. A polymer formed from the benzoxazine-based monomer may be used in an electrode for a fuel cell and electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seongwoo Choi, Jungock Park
  • Patent number: 8492015
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a battery assembly and a cover for a battery fuse terminal. One embodiment of a battery fuse terminal cover comprises a base portion having a first end and a first hinge end opposite the first end, a movable portion having a second end and a second hinge end opposite the second end and a first hinge located between the first hinge end of the base portion and the second hinge end of the movable portion. The movable portion is configured to rotate relative to the base portion via the first hinge between a concealing position and an exposing position. A cover securing member is located on the base portion and configured to secure the cover to the battery fuse terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Avinaash Ramakrishnan, Tuan La, Bert Weinert
  • Patent number: 8492045
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention a fuel cell system comprises: (i) a plurality of fuel cell packets, each packet comprising at least one fuel inlet, at least one fuel outlet, a frame, and two multi-cell fuel cell devices, the fuel cell devices situated such that an anode side of one fuel cell device faces an anode side of another fuel cell device, and the two fuel cell devices, in combination, at least partially form a fuel chamber connected to the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet; (ii) a plurality of heat exchange packets, each packet comprising at least one oxidant inlet, at least one oxidant outlet, and an internal oxidant chamber connected to the at least one oxidant inlet and the least one oxidant outlet; the heat exchange packets being parallel to and interspersed between the fuel cell packets, such that the heat exchange packets face the fuel cell packets and form, at least in part, a plurality of cathode reaction chambers between the heat exchange packets and the fuel cell packets; (
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Peng Chen, Steven Joseph Gregorski
  • Patent number: 8486563
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite material for a negative electrode, including: a plurality of iron oxide particles; and a conductivity improver, which is selected form the group consisting of copper, cobalt, nickel, tin, antimony, bismuth, indium, silver, gold, lead, cadmium, carbon black, graphite, copper salt, cobalt salt, nickel salt, tin salt, antimony salt, bismuth salt, indium salt, silver salt, gold salt, lead salt, cadmium salt, copper hydroxide, cobalt hydroxide, nickel hydroxide, stannic hydroxide, antimony hydroxide, bismuth hydroxide, indium hydroxide, silver hydroxide, gold hydroxide, lead hydroxide, cadmium hydroxide and the combination thereof. In the case of applying the composite material for a negative electrode according to the present invention in an electrochemical device, the improved charge/discharge characteristics and high capacity can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Kan-Sen Chou, Chen-Yu Kao, Yun-Ru Tsai
  • Patent number: 8481192
    Abstract: A redox flow battery has a high energy density and an excellent charge and discharge efficiency because re-precipitation is prevented in an electrolyte solution or eduction is prevented in an electrode during reduction of a metal ion used as an electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-young Sun, Joung-won Park, Seung-sik Hwang, Doo-yeon Lee, Myung-jin Lee