Patents Examined by Ula C. Ruddock
  • Patent number: 11677067
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an anode of a lithium-ion battery capable of controlling an expansion directionality of an anode material whose volume expands by charging, and a lithium-ion battery including the anode manufactured by the method. More specifically, the present invention provides a method capable of improving the life of a lithium-ion battery by adjusting the tensile strength of a current collector and thus controlling the expansion directionality of an anode material, which expands during charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Hui Kim
  • Patent number: 11677092
    Abstract: Provided is an assembly method using an assembly tool used when a component is assembled to each of a plurality of connection ports to provided at an upper surface of a fuel-cell stack and communicating with a plurality of communication holes. The assembly tool includes a base portion positioned on the upper surface of the fuel-cell stack and a plurality of covering portions covering the plurality of connection ports. Each of the plurality of covering portions is, relative to the base portion, provided movably between a covering position for covering a corresponding one of the connection ports and a non-covering position accessible to a corresponding one of the connection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Harada, Yo Shimomura, Naoki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 11677066
    Abstract: To provide an anode material configured to increase the reversible capacity of lithium ion secondary batteries, and a method for producing the anode material. The anode material is an anode material for lithium ion secondary batteries, comprising a P element and a C element and being in an amorphous state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuhki Yui, Hideyuki Yamamura
  • Patent number: 11670797
    Abstract: A metal-ion deposition regulator to regulate the flux and deposition of metal ions in an electrochemical cell. The regulator containing two membranes made of a polymer and a plurality of two-dimensional porous nanosheets sandwiched between the two membranes. The regulator is capable of distributing flux of metal ions passing through the metal-ion deposition regulator and regulating the deposition of the metal ions onto the cathode or anode thereby suppressing dendrite growth in the electrochemical cell. An electrochemical cell containing an anode, a cathode, a liquid electrolyte, and a metal-ion deposition regulator. A method of making a metal-ion deposition regulator. The method includes fabricating two-dimensional porous nanosheets utilizing graphene oxide as an expendable template, and sandwiching the porous nanosheets between two membranes made of a polymer such that the nanosheets are in contact with the two membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Vilas Ganpat Pol, Patrick J H Kim
  • Patent number: 11670759
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making porous zinc electrodes. Taken together, the steps are: forming a mixture of water, a soluble compound that increases the viscosity of the mixture, an insoluble porogen, and metallic zinc powder; placing the mixture in a mold to form a sponge; optionally drying the sponge; placing the sponge in a metal mesh positioned to allow air flow through substantially all the openings in the mesh; heating the sponge in an inert atmosphere at a peak temperature of 200 to 420° C. to fuse the zinc particles to each other to form a sintered sponge; and heating the sintered sponge in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a peak temperature of 420 to 700° C. to form ZnO on the surfaces of the sintered sponge. The heating steps burn out the porogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Brandon J. Hopkins, Joseph F. Parker, Jeffrey W. Long, Debra R. Rolison
  • 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: 11664529
    Abstract: A buffered negative electrode-electrolyte assembly includes: a porous negative electrode comprising a metal, a transition metal nitride, or a combination thereof; a solid-state electrolyte; and a buffer layer between the porous negative electrode and the solid-state electrolyte. The buffer layer comprising a buffer composition according to Formula (1) MmNnZzHhXx. The buffer composition has an electronic conductivity that is less than or equal to 1×10?2 times an electronic conductivity of the solid-state electrolyte, and the buffer composition has an ionic conductivity less than or equal to 1×10?6 times an ionic conductivity of the solid-state electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Andrea Maurano, Srinath Chakravarthy, Ju Li, Ziqiang Wang, Yuming Chen, Kai Pei, Jennifer Lilia Marguerite Rupp
  • Patent number: 11664516
    Abstract: An assembly includes an SOEC/SOFC-type solid oxide stack, a clamping system for clamping the stack, including at least two clamping rods that can be used to assemble upper and lower clamping plates, and a coupling system for high-temperature fluid-tight coupling of the stack to a heating system for supplying and discharging gas. The coupling system includes a collector with collection ducts for supplying and discharging gas, each provided with a collecting port positioned facing a corresponding communication port of at least one of the upper and lower clamping plates, and seals each placed between a collecting port and a corresponding communication port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Charlotte Bernard, Michel Planque, Guilhem Roux
  • Patent number: 11664549
    Abstract: A metal case has a cylindrical body section, an opening section at one end of the body section, the opening section having an opening, and a bottom section closing the other end of the body section. At least one of the body section and the opening section has a protrusion sticking outward in the direction of the radius of the body section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Takano, Oose Okutani, Takeshi Enomoto, Masayoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11658317
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of inspection for erroneous assembly of a fuel cell stack which allows for determination of whether the fuel cell stack has been properly assembled without depending on the appearance of the fuel cell stack. The erroneous assembly inspection method inspects for erroneous assembly of a fuel cell stack that is produced by stacking power generation cells and dummy cells in proper power generation positions and proper dummy positions. The erroneous assembly inspection method measures a pressure difference in anode gas passages and cathode gas passages when gas is supplied at different pressures respectively to an anode gas inlet and a cathode gas inlet of the workpiece to determine whether or not the workpiece is in a third erroneous assembly state including a first abnormal cell in which a dummy MEA and a power generation separator are assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kato, Toru Ikeda, Naohiro Kawakita, Keiichi Iio
  • Patent number: 11658345
    Abstract: The present disclosure aims to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which electrode plate deformation in association with charge/discharge cycles is suppressed. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which is one example of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a winding type electrode body (14). The electrode body (14) is provided with a tape (50) adhered to an exposed portion (42) which is provided at an outermost circumferential surface and at which a negative electrode collector is exposed. The tape (50) is adhered to the exposed portion (42) so as not to be overlapped with at least one of a winding-finish side end (31e) of positive electrode mixture layers and a winding-finish side end (41e) of negative electrode mixture layers in a radius direction of the electrode body (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Imanishi, Atsushi Mizawa, Takaki Nakao
  • Patent number: 11658368
    Abstract: A button-type battery including a package assembly and a cell assembly is provided. In actual application, as part of a sealing wall is recessed inwards in a direction to a battery reservoir so as to form a locking boss, as such, when a battery cover is being assembled, the locking boss is pressed against part of a sealing plastic ring so that the part of the sealing plastic ring is in tight contact with a sealing edge, and a battery cup can be locked to the battery cover by means of the locking boss, thereby preventing easy detachment of the battery cover from the battery cup to cause exposure of a rolled cell. The battery cover is applied with a strong locking force from the battery cup, greatly improving the safety of the button-type battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG MIC-POWER NEW ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao Jiang, Zhiyong Chen
  • Patent number: 11658291
    Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a lithium anode having a red poly(benzonitrile) coating covering at least a portion of the anode; a separator and an air cathode comprising reduced graphene oxide over gas diffusion layer; and an electrolyte comprising an ether solvent, benzonitrile, and a lithium salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC
    Inventors: Hsien-Hau Wang, Ritesh Jagatramka, Samuel Plunkett, Larry A. Curtiss, Khalil Amine
  • 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: 11652259
    Abstract: Provided is a method with which a separator-integrated electrode having a shutdown function can be easily produced using a water-insoluble polymer. The method for producing a separator-integrated electrode disclosed here includes the steps of: preparing a coating liquid in which a water-insoluble polymer is dissolved in a mixed solvent containing a good solvent for the water-insoluble polymer and a poor solvent for the water-insoluble polymer and in which polyethylene particles are dispersed; coating the coating liquid on an electrode; and vaporizing and removing the mixed solvent from the coating liquid coated on the electrode. A boiling point of the poor solvent is higher than a boiling point of the good solvent. A porous separator layer is formed by removing the mixed solvent through vaporization and thereby forming pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei Matsunobu, Akio Minakuchi
  • Patent number: 11652204
    Abstract: Provided is a metal negative electrode used for a secondary battery. The metal negative electrode includes an active material portion, a current collector, and a non-electronically conductive reaction space divider. The active material portion forms metal during charging and forms an oxidation product of the metal during discharging. The metal is used as a negative-electrode active material. The current collector is electrically connected to the active material portion. The non-electronically conductive reaction space divider is integrally formed with or connected to the current collector and/or the active material portion. The reaction space divider has a plurality of electrolyte holder portions configured to hold a liquid electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: THE DOSHISHA, DOWA HOLDINGS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatsugu Morimitsu
  • Patent number: 11641048
    Abstract: A battery terminal connector assembly for attaching to a terminal post of a battery includes a biasing portion and a post engagement portion. The biasing portion has a first terminal post receiving opening. A biasing wall extends about a circumference of the first terminal post receiving opening. The post engagement portion has a second terminal post receiving opening for receiving the battery terminal post therein. Engagement walls extend about a circumference of the second terminal post receiving opening. The biasing portion is movable relative to the post engagement portion between a first insertion position and a second termination position. As the biasing portion is moved from the first insertion position to the second termination position, the biasing wall engages the engagement walls and moves the engagement walls into mechanical and electrical engagement with the battery terminal post positioned in the second terminal receiving opening of the post engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: TE Connectivity Brasil Industria De Eletronicos LTDA
    Inventors: Gustavo Bonucci, Luis Altero, Agnelo Bartolomeu Cavallaro, Rafael Kazuo Sato T Leme
  • Patent number: 11637316
    Abstract: A ceramic powder material containing: a first garnet-type compound containing Li, La, and Zr; and a second garnet-type compound containing Li, La, and Zr and having a composition different from a composition of the first garnet-type compound, in which the first garnet-type compound and the second garnet-type compound are represented by Formula [1] Li7-(3x+y)M1xLa3Zr2-yM2yO12, where M1 is Al or Ga, M2 is Nb or Ta, the first garnet-type compound satisfies 0?(3x+y)?0.5, and the second garnet-type compound satisfies 0.5<(3x+y)?1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Daiichi Kigenso Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiro Niwa
  • Patent number: 11637351
    Abstract: At low cost, a porous film has high thermal film rupture resistance and outstanding battery characteristics. The porous film has a porous layer on at least one surface of a porous substrate, and if the surface porosity of the porous layer is defined as ? and the cross-sectional void ratio of the porous layer is defined as ?, then ?/? does not exceed 90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Kai, Kei Ikoma, Akimitsu Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 11637334
    Abstract: A cell system includes: a stacked-type cell module (100) having a plurality of lithium ion unit cells (1) being stacked and having through holes (3a, 3b) formed therein; a gas supply part (31); a cooling liquid supply part (32); a temperature sensor (35); and a control part (36) that controls switching between a normal control mode and a high-temperature control mode based on a signal from the temperature sensor (35). In the normal control mode, the control part (36) controls the gas supply part (31) to supply a gas to the through holes (3a, 3b), and at the same time, controls the cooling liquid supply part (32) to stop supply of a cooling liquid, and in the high-temperature control mode, the control part (36) controls the cooling liquid supply part (32) to supply the cooling liquid to the through holes (3a, 3b) to which the gas is supplied, and at the same time, controls the gas supply part (31) to stop supply of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: APB CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Horie, Yasuhiro Shindo, Yusuke Mizuno, Ryosuke Kusano, Yuki Nekohashi, Yusuke Nakashima, Kotaro Nasu, Naoya Omae