Patents by Inventor Munehisa Ikoma

Munehisa Ikoma has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20020012847
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a positive electrode for an alkaline storage battery that achieves excellent filling characteristics for an active material for the positive electrode and longer lifetime of the battery is provided. The method includes a first process of filling a paste of the active material for the positive electrode in a first porous metal sheet provided with a plurality of oblate pores whose major axes are arranged substantially in one direction, and a second process of pressing the first porous metal sheet that has undergone the first process using a roller press such that the one direction and a direction of a rotation axis of a roller in the roller press substantially are parallel, so as to produce a positive electrode sheet provided with a second porous metal sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Morishita, Kazuyuki Kusama, Satoshi Uda, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6340453
    Abstract: The instant specification discloses a method for producing nickel hydroxide from an aqueous solution containing an ammonium ion and dissolved nickel hydroxide in an alkaline state, which is characterized in that pH of the solution is controlled by supplying a hydroxide ion generated by water electrolysis thereto. The method of the invention is an environmentally friendly one for producing nickel hydroxide, which enables an easy control of physical properties of nickel hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hayashi, Nobuyasu Morishita, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Publication number: 20020006541
    Abstract: A battery assembly includes a plurality of battery modules electrically connected together, each battery module acting as a secondary battery and including an electrode group, an electrolyte, a container for housing the electrode group and the electrolyte, and a safety valve operating in accordance with the internal pressure of the container. The working pressure of each safety valve is set so that the safety valve of at least one battery module is opened when the at least one battery module has its maximum internal pressure or less during the charge equalization. It is possible to provide a battery assembly that can improve the reliability of the container strength by keeping the working pressure of each safety valve lower than the pressure that the container resists even under elevated temperature conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: Naoto Arai, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma, Masayoshi Iwase, Tomokazu Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20010051296
    Abstract: A square shaped battery includes: an electrode plate group including a belt-like positive electrode plate, a belt-like negative electrode plate, and a belt-like separator, the belt-like positive electrode plate, the belt-like negative electrode plate, and the belt-like separator being laminated and rolled up to form the electrode plate group; and a pair of power collectors disposed on sides of the electrode plate group for collecting electric power from the electrode plate group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Morishita, Shinichi Yuasa, Akihiro Taniguchi, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Publication number: 20010049058
    Abstract: Disclosed is an active material for constituting a nickel electrode for alkaline storage batteries which has a high utilization at high ambient temperatures and therefore realizes a battery of higher energy density and a longer cycle life. The nickel electrode active material comprises a nickel hydroxide powder prepared from nickel sulfate and contains SO42− at 0.4 wt % or less in the crystal of the powder. The nickel hydroxide is preferably solid solution nickel hydroxide incorporating therein at least one element selected from the group consisting of cobalt, cadmium, zinc and magnesium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: KIYOSHI HAYASHI, NOBUYASU MORISHITA, MUNEHISA IKOMA
  • Publication number: 20010044050
    Abstract: An active material for a positive electrode of an alkaline storage battery comprising particles containing nickel hydroxide and provided with pores, and a conductive material filled in the pores. The conductive material includes a cobalt compound and at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements and zinc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hayashi, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Publication number: 20010031392
    Abstract: A mount frame of the present invention includes a frame in which a plurality of openings are formed. Battery modules can be inserted removably into a plurality of openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd and Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ogata, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6304057
    Abstract: A battery module is constructed with a plurality of prismatic cells. Each cell comprises a prismatic cell case having short lateral walls and long lateral walls, a group of electrode plates constituted by laminating a plurality of positive and negative electrode plates parallel to the long lateral walls of the cell case with intervening separators therebetween, and collector plates of positive and negative polarities, respectively bonded to the positive and negative electrode plates at lateral opposite ends of the group of electrode plates. Connection projections are formed on the collector plates, these being fitted into corresponding holes in the short lateral walls of the cell case, whereby the collector plates are fixed on the short lateral walls of the cell case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Noriyuki Fujioka, Nobuyasu Morishita, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Publication number: 20010014999
    Abstract: After joining strips of lead plates in a lengthwise direction to a strip of porous metal sheet having a three-dimensional structure, the metal sheet is rolled entirely or in the vicinity of the lead plates. The porous metal sheet is then cut into several electrode substrates, which are coated with active materials and further cut into several electrode plates having a lead plate on one side thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Matsumura, Hiroshi Inoue, Mitsugu Takaki, Noriyuki Fujioka, Munehisa Ikoma, Kohei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6255013
    Abstract: A sealed storage battery includes a battery case containing a group of electric power-generating elements each comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, a battery case lid closing an opening in the battery case to seal the battery case, and a safety valve of the assembling type mounted on the battery case lid. The safety valve is welded to the battery case lid. With this construction, a hermetic seal at an area of contact between the safety valve and the battery case lid is enhanced, and also the reliability of the safety valve is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Hiroshi Inoue, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6235419
    Abstract: A sealed storage battery includes a battery case containing a group of electric power-generating elements each comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, a battery case lid closing an opening in the battery case to seal the battery case, and a safety vent of the assembling type mounted on the battery case lid. The safety vent is welded to the battery case lid. With this construction, a hermetic seal at an area of contact between the safety vent and the battery case lid is enhanced, and also the reliability of the safety vent is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Hiroshi Inoue, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6235430
    Abstract: The present invention employs non-woven fabrics of an olefin resin comprising first filaments having diameters in a range of 3 to 10 &mgr;m as a main component and second filaments having diameters in a range of 20 to 40 &mgr;m contained at {fraction (1/200)} to {fraction (1/10)} of the whole filaments, as separators for separating positive electrodes from negative electrodes. The first filaments are formed by splitting the second filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuko Hoshina, Miho Okamoto, Noboru Ito, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6207323
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrogen storage alloy electrode for use in alkaline storage batteries that can reduce internal resistance of the battery and can give an excellent output characteristic and a long cycle life to the battery. The electrode comprises an AB5-type hydrogen storage alloy powder, a yttrium compound and a compound of a light rare earth element. The total content of the yttrium compound and the compound of a light rare earth element is in a range of 0.5 to 2.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of hydrogen storage alloy powder. Preferable ratios of the yttrium compound and the compound of a light rare earth element selected from La, Ce, Pr and Nd are, respectively, 60 wt % or more and 7 wt % or less in the total amount of the yttrium compound and the compound of the light rare earth element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Yamaguchi, Shinichi Yuasa, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6120564
    Abstract: A connector for connecting a first cell and a second cell of a battery in series. Each one of the first cell and second cell has (a) a metal casing as the negative electrode, and (b) a metal electrode installed at one end of the casing, including a first flat portion as the positive electrode. The connector has a side wall capable of fitting the casing inside, and a second flat portion orthogonal to the side wall. A first projection for welding to the electrode member is installed on the second flat portion. A second projection for welding to the casing is installed on an inside surface of the wall. The first projection of the electrode abuts against the first surface of the first cell and are welded together. The side wall of the connector is coupled to the outside of the casing of the first cell, and the second projection of the connector abuts against the surface of the casing of the second cell, and are welded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Fumihiko Yoshii, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6103319
    Abstract: A battery electrode substrate which is constituted of a porous metallic body structure having communicating pores at a porosity of at least 90% and an Fe/Ni multilayer structure wherein the skeletal portion of the porous metallic body is composed mainly of Fe and has an Ni covering layer on the surface thereof while pores communicating with the inside and outside of Fe skeletal portion exist in the Fe skeletal portion and the inside of the pores is covered with Ni. The electrode substrate is produced by applying an iron oxide powder of at most 20 .mu.m in an average particle size on a porous resin core body; heat treating the core to remove an organic resin component while simultaneously sintering Fe to obtain a porous Fe body; and then covering the Fe skeletal portion with Ni by electroplating. In this process, the iron oxide can be used in combination with carbon powder. Further, a nickel porous sintered body can also be produced using nickel oxide in place of iron oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keizo Harada, Kenichi Watanabe, Shosaku Yamanaka, Kiyoshi Hayashi, Nobuyasu Morishita, Hiroki Takeshima, Hideo Kaiya, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6103418
    Abstract: A closed secondary battery having a sealing structure for preventing electrolyte leak for a long period is presented. An annular packing is chemically bonded in a ring form to the surface of a disk-shaped flange formed inside of a battery of a terminal pole projecting from inside to outside of the battery, by penetrating through a cover member of closed secondary battery. Fitting an annular spring while pulling the terminal to outside of the battery, the terminal pole is fixed in the cover member. At this time, the annular packing is compressed against the cover member, and the passage of electrolyte leak is shut by this compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sato, Hiroshi Inoue, Nobuyasu Morishita, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6033800
    Abstract: A battery container for containing battery elements includes large thickness sections formed on the outer rims of walls that compose the container and small thickness areas formed in the areas surrounded by the large thickness sections. A spacer that is formed of straight-line ribs, a combination of latticed ribs and projections, cylindrical projections or the like is disposed on the small thickness areas and the outer surface of the spacing means protruded out of the outer surfaces of the large thickness sections, thereby ensuring the mechanical strength and durability of the container and at the same time allowing cooling air to circulate efficiently along the walls of the battery envelope. This facilitates the transfer of heat produced inside of the battery to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ichiyanagi, Manabu Kakino, Kenji Sato, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6027831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a square type enclosed storage battery of medium to large capacity, more particularly to a technology for realizing high volume capacity density or high output density, and is hence intended to present a square type enclosed storage battery of medium to large capacity of high reliability and small temperature rise, comprising a electrode plate group laminating plural layers of positive plates 8a and negative plates 8b through separators 8c, and a synthetic resin case 10 for accommodating the electrode plate group 8, in which a nickel-made terminal 2 has a pair of screws 2a as external output terminals of positive and negative electrodes, a pole portion 2b, a sealing groove 2c, and a current collector 2f, their central axes are designed to be nearly on a same line, plural current collectors 2f project from a flange 2d to the electrode plate group side, and the terminal 2 is fixed by a synthetic resin cover
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inoue, Kenji Sato, Munehisa Ikoma, Hiromi Kajiya
  • Patent number: 6027834
    Abstract: For providing an alkaline storage battery having a high energy density in a broader temperature range, the charge efficiency of a nickel positive electrode at the time of charging at high temperatures is enhanced by incorporating verbium and at least two elements selected from the group consisting of yttrium, and ytterbium in the form of a compound those and further at least one element selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, thulium, cerium, promethium, europium, and lutetium in the form of a compound into a positive electrode paste containing a major component of nickel oxide as an active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hayashi, Katsuyuki Tomioka, Nobuyasu Morishita, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: D437287
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Noriyuki Fujioka, Munehisa Ikoma