Patents Examined by Tracy Dove
  • Patent number: 8999579
    Abstract: An anode includes a collector; and an anode active material layer disposed on the collector comprises an anode active material, which is lithium oxide coated Li4Ti5O12, a conductive material, and a binder, wherein the lithium oxide intercalates and/or deintercalates lithium ions into and from the lattice structure of Li4Ti5O12. By coating the surface of the anode active material with lithium oxide, an anode including the surface-treated anode active material has a high capacity, high-rate properties, and a high initial efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joung-won Park, Yoon-sok Kang, Han-su Kim, Jae-gu Yoon, Gue-sung Kim
  • Patent number: 8974984
    Abstract: A power generation system includes an alkaline fuel cell provided with an electrolyte membrane which is an anion exchange membrane and a pair of electrodes (an anode and a cathode) arranged on the both sides of the electrolyte membrane. The alkaline fuel cell can generate an electric power by supplying a fuel gas and an oxidizing agent gas to the anode side and the cathode side, respectively. The power generation system uses a hydrogen gas containing a basic compound such as ammonia as the fuel gas to be supplied to the anode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tokuyama Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Watanabe, Kenji Fukuta, Hiroyuki Yanagi
  • Patent number: 8945786
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack and a fuel cell system, the fuel cell stack including a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies, the membrane electrode assemblies being configured to generate electrical energy by an electrochemical reaction of a fuel and an oxidizer; and a plurality of bipolar plates positioned adjacent to the membrane electrode assemblies and between the membrane electrode assemblies, the bipolar plates including a fuel channel at one side thereof and an oxidizer channel at a second, opposite side thereof, wherein the bipolar plates include a plurality of cooling channels penetrating therethrough, the cooling channels having a curvature along a length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Jin An, Chi-Seung Lee, Jin-Hwa Lee
  • Patent number: 8940436
    Abstract: Provided is a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile manufacturing method that is characterized in that a starting base powder that comprises sulfur powder and polyacrylonitrile powder is mixed and the mixture is heated in a non-oxidizing environment while outflow of sulfur vapor is prevented. Also provided are a cathode for lithium batteries that uses, as the active substance, the sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile manufactured with the method, and a lithium secondary battery that includes the cathode as a component element. This enables the practical use of an inexpensive sulfur-based material as the cathode material for lithium secondary batteries, and in particular, a sulfur-based cathode material that enables higher output and has excellent cycle life characteristics, as well as other characteristics, and secondary lithium batteries using the same can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai, Junichi Niwa, Hitotoshi Murase
  • Patent number: 8940439
    Abstract: A secondary battery capable of suppressing resistance rise even after repeated charge and discharge is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The anode contains titanium-containing lithium composite as an anode active material, and the electrolytic solution contains cyclic disulfonic acid anhydride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsumichi Kawashima, Hiroshi Imoto, Tomoyuki Shiratsuchi, Takuma Sakamoto, Naoto Ueda, Atsushi Nishimoto, Tadahiko Kubota, Masayuki Ihara
  • Patent number: 8936867
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell, a protection circuit module (PCM) assembly having a connection member (A), an insulative mounting member having a connection member (B) embedded therein, and an insulative cap. The connection member (B) is coupled to a second electrode terminal of the battery cell by welding, such that the connection member (B) is electrically connected to the second electrode terminal of the battery cell, in a state in which the insulative mounting member is mounted on the battery cell. The connection member (A) is coupled to a first electrode terminal of the battery cell upward from a PCM, such that the connection member (A) is electrically connected to the first electrode terminal of the battery cell. The electrical connection between the PCM assembly and the connection member (B) is achieved in a physical contact fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju-Hwan Baek, Ki Eob Moon, Soonkwang Jung, Cheol Woong Lee
  • Patent number: 8916290
    Abstract: A battery having an electrode assembly located in a housing that efficiently utilizes the space available in many implantable medical devices is disclosed. The battery housing provides a cover and a shallow case a preferably planar, major bottom portion, an open top to receive the cover opposing the bottom portion, and a plurality of sides being radiused at intersections with each other and with the bottom to allow for the close abutting of other components located within the implantable device while also providing for efficient location of the battery within an arcuate edge of the device. The cover and the shallow case being substantially hermetically sealed by a laser weld technique and an insulator member disposed within the case to provide a barrier to incident laser radiation so that during welding radiation does not impinge upon radiation sensitive component(s) disposed within the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Aamodt, Franise D. Bartley, Steve M. Bruesehoff, Kurt J. Casby, David P. Haas, Karl E. Hokanson, Thomas M. Nutzman, Andrew J. Ries, Scott J. Robinson, Randy S. Roles, Sonja K. Somdahl, Walter C. Sunderland, Jason T. Papenfuss, William J. Farrell, Kimberly A. Chaffin
  • Patent number: 8895167
    Abstract: Disclosed is a secondary battery having a element for compensating for and preventing volumetric expansion during charging/discharging of the battery, in order to prevent the electrode assembly from deforming due to rising internal pressure and compensate for and prevent the expansion of the secondary battery case. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having positive and negative electrode plates having active materials formed on at least one surface of positive and negative electrode collectors and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrode plates, a case having a space for containing the electrode assembly and at least one element for compensating for and preventing volumetric expansion, and a cap assembly adapted to be coupled to the case and seal it and provided with a terminal portion in electrical connection to the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gil-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8877376
    Abstract: A secondary battery electrode which suppresses decrease in capacity and lithium deposition at low temperatures is provided. An electrode for a secondary battery includes an electrode active material layer containing a polymer having a cationic group, an anion corresponding to the cationic group, and an electrode active material, and the cation density in the polymer is 0.1 to 15 meq/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: ZEON Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Wakizaka, Kei Kobayashi, Toshiyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 8871389
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses as its positive electrode active material a mixture of a first lithium-containing transition metal oxide containing nickel and manganese as transition metals and having a crystal structure belonging to the space group R3m and a second lithium-containing transition metal oxide containing nickel, cobalt, and manganese as transition metals and having a crystal structure belonging to the space group R3m, or a mixture of the first lithium-containing transition metal oxide and a lithium cobalt oxide. The first lithium-containing transition metal oxide is LiaNixMnyO2 wherein 1?a?1.5, 0.5?x+y?1, 0<x<1, and 0<y<1. The second lithium-containing transition metal oxide is LibNipMnqCorO2 wherein 1?b?1.5, 0.5?p+q+r?1, 0<p<1, 0<q<1, and 0<r<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kitao, Yoshinori Kida, Noriyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8852807
    Abstract: A compound comprising a composition Ax(M?1?aM?a)y(XD4)z, Ax(M?1?aM?a)y(DXD4)z, or Ax(M?1?aM?a)y(X2D7)z, (A1?aM?a)xM?y(XD4)z, (A1?aM?a)xM?y(DXD4)z, or (A1?aM?a)xM?y(X2D7)z. In the compound, A is at least one of an alkali metal and hydrogen, M? is a first-row transition metal, X is at least one of phosphorus, sulfur, arsenic, molybdenum, and tungsten, M? any of a Group IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, VIIIA, IB, IIB, IIIB, IVB, VB, and VIB metal, D is at least one of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, or a halogen, 0.0001<a?0.1, and x, y, and z are greater than zero. The compound can be used in an electrochemical device including electrodes and storage batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yet-Ming Chiang, Sung-Yoon Chung, Jason T. Bloking, Anna M. Andersson
  • Patent number: 8846252
    Abstract: A battery electrode with a pasting textile, fabric, or scrim made with an electrode grid (e.g., a stamped grid or expanded metal grid) coated in battery electrode and covered with pasting textile formed of a bonded, non-woven fiber web. The web is formed from one or more fibers with an average length greater than 20 ?m. In various embodiments, the web is formed from one or more spun, continuous fibers. The battery electrode may be made in a continuous process where multiple grids are formed in a single sheet, coated with electrode active material, and the scrim before being cut into individual electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Dennis A. Wetzel, Ramachandran Subbaraman, Christopher P. Kaniut, William J. Ross, Annette Holbrook, Jerome R. Heiman, Eric A. Sattler, Derrick L. Jennings, Donald Hennessey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8846250
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cathode active material comprising a lithium-free metal oxide and a material with high irreversible capacity. A novel lithium ion battery system using the cathode active material is also disclosed. The battery, comprising a cathode using a mixture of a Li-free metal oxide and a material with high irreversible capacity, and an anode comprising carbon instead of Li metal, shows excellent safety compared to a conventional battery using lithium metal as an anode. Additionally, the novel battery system has a higher charge/discharge capacity compared to a battery using a conventional cathode active material such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel oxide or lithium manganese oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Young Goh, Seung Tae Hong
  • Patent number: 8841024
    Abstract: A secondary battery electrode which suppresses decrease in capacity and lithium deposition at low temperatures is provided. An electrode for a secondary battery includes an electrode active material layer containing a polymer having a cationic group, an anion corresponding to the cationic group, and an electrode active material, and the cation density in the polymer is 0.1 to 15 meq/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: ZEON Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Wakizaka, Kei Kobayashi, Toshiyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 8828580
    Abstract: Active metal and active metal intercalation electrode structures and battery cells having ionically conductive protective architecture including an active metal (e.g., lithium) conductive impervious layer separated from the electrode (anode) by a porous separator impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte (anolyte). This protective architecture prevents the active metal from deleterious reaction with the environment on the other (cathode) side of the impervious layer, which may include aqueous or non-aqueous liquid electrolytes (catholytes) and/or a variety of electrochemically active materials, including liquid, solid and gaseous oxidizers. Safety additives and designs that facilitate manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Visco, Bruce D. Katz, Yevgeniy S. Nimon, Lutgard C. De Jonghe
  • Patent number: 8822099
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell separator with a gasket manufactured by integrally forming a gasket on one side of a separator; independently injection molding a frame gasket on a frame such that a first airtight portion covers the entire surface of the frame to maintain the shape of the frame gasket and a second airtight portion projects upward and downward from both ends of the first airtight portion; and bringing the first airtight portion of the frame gasket into contact with the other side of the separator with the gasket formed on one side thereof. To create a fuel cell stack in certain embodiments, the invention stacks the second airtight portion of the frame gasket on another second airtight portion of an adjacent unit cell with a membrane-electrode assembly interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sang Mun Chin, Sae Hoon Kim, Yoo Chang Yang, Suk Min Baeck, Seong Il Heo
  • Patent number: 8815448
    Abstract: A negative active material containing super-conductive nanoparticles coated with a high capacity negative material and a lithium battery including the same are provided, wherein the super-conductive nanoparticles have a structure in which polycyclic nano-sheets are stacked upon one another along a direction perpendicular to a first plane. The polycyclic nano-sheets include hexagonal rings of six carbons atoms linked to each other, wherein a first carbon and a second carbon have a distance therebetween of L1. L2 is a distance between a third carbon and a fourth carbon, and the arrangement of the polycyclic nano-sheets is such that L1?L2. The super-conductive nanoparticle is used as a negative active material in a lithium battery, and the super-conductive nanoparticle increases the capacity, thereby improving the capacity and lifespan of the lithium battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: So-Ra Lee, Jae-Myung Kim, Kyu-Nam Joo, Jong-Hee Lee, Tae-Sik Kim, Ui-Song Do, Young-Su Kim, Deok-Hyun Kim, Gu-Hyun Chung, Beom-Kwon Kim, Yong-Mi Yu, Chang-Su Shin
  • Patent number: 8802271
    Abstract: Provided is a separator for non-aqueous batteries not only having shutdown property but also achieving both higher output and short-circuit resistance. The separator comprising a laminate comprising: a low melting-point polymer fiber layer (A) having a melting point of 100 to 200° C., the low melting-point polymer fiber layer (A) comprising nanofibers having a fiber diameter of 1000 nm or smaller and formed from the low melting-point polymer; and a heat-resistant polymer fiber layer (B) positioned on the low melting-point polymer fiber layer (A) and comprising a high melting-point polymer having a melting point over 200° C. or a heat infusible polymer, the heat-resistant polymer fiber layer (B) comprising a mixture of nanofibers having a fiber diameter of 1000 nm or smaller and non-nanofibers having a fiber diameter over 1000 nm and both formed from heat-resistant polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hayakawa, Hideo Hayashi, Hideki Kamada, Takayoshi Hosoya, Hiroyuki Kawai
  • Patent number: 8785034
    Abstract: A lithium battery includes a cathode, an anode including a component made of silicon, a separator element disposed between the cathode and the anode, an electrolyte, and a substrate. The anode is disposed over the substrate or the anode is integrally formed with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Technische Universitaet Graz
    Inventors: Magdalena Forster, Katharina Schmut, Bernhard Goller, Guenter Zieger, Michael Sorger, Philemon Schweizer, Michael Sternad
  • Patent number: 8785047
    Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery device comprises a positive electrode collector having a surface formed with a positive electrode active material layer containing a positive electrode active material; a negative electrode collector having a surface formed with a negative electrode active material layer containing a negative electrode active material; an electrically insulating porous separator; and an electrolyte containing a lithium salt and being in contact with the positive electrode active material layer, negative electrode active material layer, and separator. The negative electrode active material is a carbon material having a graphite structure. The amount of the carbon material supported by the negative electrode active material layer is 2.0 to 4.0 mg/cm2. The graphite structure in an X-ray diffraction pattern of the carbon material exhibits a peak intensity P101 of (101) plane and a peak intensity P100 of (100) plane having a ratio (P101/P100) of 2.0 to 2.8 therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Ogawa, Tsuyoshi Iijima, Satoshi Maruyama