Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a housing, a suction conduit with an opening, and a leading roller mounted in front of a brush roll. An inter-roller air passageway may be defined between the leading roller and the brush roll wherein the lower portion of the leading roller is exposed to a flow path to the suction conduit and an upper portion of the leading roller is outside of the flow path. Optionally, a combing unit includes a plurality of combing protrusions extending into the leading roller and having leading edges not aligned with a center of the leading roller. Optionally, a sealing strip is located along a rear side of the opening and along a portion of left and right sides of the opening. The underside may define side edge vacuum passageways extending from the sides of the housing partially between the leading roller and the sealing strip towards the opening.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.

Abstract: A sealed secondary battery cell chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell comprises a hermetically sealed case, an electrode assembly enclosed by the hermetically sealed case, and a rated capacity of at least 100 mAmp·hr, The hermetically sealed case has opposing first and second case ends separated in the longitudinal direction, and a case sidewall that connects the first and second case ends, the opposing first and second case ends and case sidewall forming a hermetic seal about the electrode assembly, wherein the case sidewall comprises upper and lower sidewalls separated from each other in the vertical direction, and first and second transverse sidewalls that are separated from each other in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A battery pack having a population of secondary battery cells chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state, and a frame to hold secondary battery cells in the battery pack is provided, members of the population of secondary battery cells having an electrode assembly comprising a substantially polyhedral shape, and where the frame holds a cell array comprising a subset of the population of secondary batteries that are arranged adjacent to one another. A sealed secondary battery cell, electrode assembly, and methods of charging are also described.

Abstract: A sealed secondary battery cell that is chargeable between a charged state and a discharged state is provided. The sealed secondary battery cell comprises a hermetically sealed enclosure comprising a polymer enclosure material, an electrode assembly enclosed by the hermetically sealed enclosure, a set of electrode constraints, and a rated capacity of at least 100 mAmp·hr. A thermal conductivity of the secondary battery cell along a thermally conductive path between the vertically opposing regions of the external vertical surfaces of hermetically sealed enclosure in the vertical direction is at least 2 Wm·K.

Abstract: In an aspect, an electrode for an electrochemical cell comprises: a structure having a nano- or micro-architected three-dimensional geometry; said structure comprising one or more active carbon allotrope materials; wherein said structure is characterized by an average density less than or equal to 2.3 g cm?3 and an average specific strength (strength-to-density ratio) greater than or equal to 0.004 GPa g?1 cm3. Also disclosed herein are methods for making an electrode for an electrochemical cell, and methods for making an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: In an aspect, an electrode for an electrochemical cell comprises: a structure having a nano- or micro-architected three-dimensional geometry; said structure comprising one or more active carbon allotrope materials; wherein said structure is characterized by an average density less than or equal to 2.3 g cm?3 and an average specific strength (strength-to-density ratio) greater than or equal to 0.004 GPa g?1 cm3. Also disclosed herein are methods for making an electrode for an electrochemical cell, and methods for making an electrochemical cell.

Abstract: A sodium ion battery. The battery includes a cathode that includes sodium, an electrolyte that include sodium, and an electrochemically active anode material. The electrochemically active anode material includes an electrochemically active phase and an electrochemically inactive phase. The electrochemically active phase and the electrochemically inactive phase share at least one common phase boundary. The electrochemically active phase does not comprise oxygen, sulfur, or a halogen. The electrochemically active phase is essentially free of crystalline grains that are greater than 40 nm.

Abstract: A device for launching a plastic, saucer-shaped game disc is disclosed which spins such a saucer-shaped game disc up to a high rotational rate, and then discharges the rotating saucer-shaped game disc from the apparatus in a generally upward direction. The device uses a drive wheel and a spring-biased idler wheel to retain the inner rim of a saucer-shaped game disc thereon, whereby the saucer-shaped game disc may be accelerated to a desired rotational speed. The device then uses a foot pedal-actuated rod bearing on the bottom of the center of the saucer-shaped game disc to propel it upwardly, from which launching the disc may be used to perform various free-style maneuvers.