Patents by Inventor Shinji Hamada
Shinji Hamada 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).
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Patent number: 7785377Abstract: A sealed battery includes a metal case which functions as a connection terminal of one polarity and an electrode post which is mounted to the case in an insulated manner and functions as a connection terminal of the other polarity. A sealing section with electrical insulation properties is disposed between the electrode post formed from a hollow cylinder with one closed end and an electrode post through-hole provided in the case. A compression deformation section is produced by deforming the closed end of the electrode post radially outward, for compressing and sealing the sealing section, and for securing the electrode post to the case.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2008Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic CorporationInventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Shinichi Yuasa
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Publication number: 20100209769Abstract: A sealed-type secondary battery is disclosed. A battery module of a sealed-type secondary battery is formed by heating and fusing a top lid member and an integrated battery container. The integrated battery container is formed with a polymer alloy including a polyphenylene ether resin and a polyolefin resin, and the top lid member or a lateral lid member is formed with a polypropylene-based resin. A nucleating agent is added to the polypropylene-based resin of the top lid member or the lateral lid member, to improve mechanical strength, and the molecular weight is increased to reduce a melt flow rate MFR to approximately the same degree as the polymer alloy.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Kyouei Miura, Kenji Fukumoto, Daisuke Muramatsu
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Patent number: 7758994Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery is provided capable of suppressing changes in discharge reserve and charge reserve of a negative electrode to prevent lowering of battery characteristics for a long term. A nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 of the present invention comprises a battery main part (an electrode plate group 150, an electrolyte, and others), a case 102 housing this battery main part, and a safety valve device 101. The safety valve device 101 includes a valve member 110 of a closed-end substantially cylindrical shape. This nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 is arranged such that a hydrogen leak rate V1(?l/h/Ah) of the battery having been charged and discharged and then charged to 60% SOC satisfies a relationship: 2?V1?4, the hydrogen leak rate being per unit of battery capacity under an atmosphere at a battery temperature of 45° C., and a reduced pressure of 10 kPa.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Katsunori Komori, Tomohiro Matsuura, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Yoshiyuki Nakamura
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Patent number: 7759000Abstract: A prismatic battery module includes a prismatic battery case having a plurality of prismatic cell cases connected to one another through separation walls, a planar electroconductive connector forming part of the separation wall between the cell cases, an electrode plate group arranged in each cell case, and an electrolyte placed in each cell case. Lead portions of positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates of the electrode plate group are directly connected to the electroconductive connector. The prismatic battery module requires fewer connection points and provides shorter electrical communication paths, thereby reducing internal resistance.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Shinsuke Fukuda
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Patent number: 7740978Abstract: The battery pack uses a restraining tool capable of secure restraint despite relatively low rigidity to achieve weight and cost reductions. The battery pack is formed of a plurality of parallel arranged battery modules (2), each consisting of a plurality of cells (5) electrically connected in series and coupled together in one piece with gaps (8) formed therebetween (5, 5), each cell being formed of elements for electromotive force encased in a prismatic case. The restraining tool includes connecting members (4) extending through the gaps (8) at both ends of the parallel arranged battery modules (2) and between two given cells (5, 5).Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2004Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinji Hamada, Takashi Asahina, Yoshitaka Sunagawa, Toyohiko Eto
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Patent number: 7700229Abstract: Packing according to the invention includes a cylinder portion which extends in a direction of an axis, and in which a diameter of a portion in one end side is increased when the packing is fitted to an object. The cylinder portion includes a fold portion which has a tortuous periphery in a cross section orthogonal to the direction of the axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2005Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
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Patent number: 7691532Abstract: A sealed prismatic battery has a battery case made of a plurality of prismatic cell cases coupled together via partition walls. Electrode plate groups are accommodated together with liquid electrolyte in each of the cell cases. Each electrode plate group consists of alternately stacked-up positive and negative electrode plates with separators interposed therebetween, lead portions of positive and negative electrode plates being protruded on opposite sides. Collectors are bonded to these lead portions. Between the collectors and end walls (and/or partition walls) of the battery case are provided conductive plates that are connected to the collectors one or more than one location in their middle part so as to decrease the resistance between connection terminals and the electrode plate groups.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Asahina, Hiromi Kajiya, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
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Patent number: 7618740Abstract: In a battery pack including rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel, a cooling medium path for allowing a cooling medium to horizontally flow be formed between the rechargeable batteries. A cooling medium delivery device for delivering the cooling medium to the cooling medium path is provided so as to reduce a height of the battery pack including a cooling device. The cooling medium delivery device is constituted by a pair of cooling medium introduction ducts provided on both right and left sides of the battery pack, each having delivery ports for delivering the cooling medium alternately in horizontally opposed directions to each of the cooling medium paths, and a cooling medium compression transport device for supplying the cooling medium to both of the cooling medium introduction ducts.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2006Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic CorporationInventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
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Publication number: 20090240974Abstract: Provided is a data replication method capable of reducing the number of communication times when a processing result of an active system is replicated to a standby system. The data replication method, in which a first computer receives a first message containing a first processing request, and a plurality of second computers replicates the first message, includes the steps of: sending, by a third computer, the first message to the first computer and the second computers; sending, by each of the second computers, a message receive notification of the first message to the first computer; sending, by the first computer, after reception of the message receive notification from the second computers, the message receive notification of the first message to the third computer; and sending, by the first computer, a notification indicating that the first processing request becomes executable by the first computer to the second computers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2008Publication date: September 24, 2009Inventors: Tsunehiko Baba, Tomohiro Hanai, Shinji Hamada, Kenji Kushi, Norihiro Hara
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Publication number: 20090155672Abstract: A secondary battery comprises a power generating element, a battery case including a gas release hole, and a valve safety device configured to close the gas release hole and release gas out of the battery case when inner pressure in the battery case exceeds a predetermined value. The safety valve device comprises a valve member and a holding member. The valve member includes a sealing portion hermetically making contact with a sealed surface around the gas release hole, and the holding member is fixed to the battery case to elastically press the sealing portion by its elastic deformation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2008Publication date: June 18, 2009Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
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Publication number: 20090138757Abstract: There is provided a method executed in a cluster system comprising a first computer and at least one second computer that stores the data transmitted from the first computer. The method comprising the steps of: judging whether the failure-occurred processing is restarted by the first computer or the failure-occurred processing is switched over by the second computer based on the system information; receiving the stored data from the second computer and re-executing the processing in which the failure has occurred by the first computer, in the case of which it is judged that the processing in which the failure has occurred is restarted by the first computer; and executing, by the second computer, the processing in which the failure has occurred, in the case of which it is judged that the processing in which the failure has occurred is switched over by the at least one second computer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventors: Hirokazu Matsumoto, Tsunehiko Baba, Shinji Hamada, Takashi Ichimura, Noriaki Takahashi
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Patent number: 7504799Abstract: A battery pack 100 has plural battery modules 110 each of which constituted with plural unit cells 120 arranged in a row. Furthermore, a spacer 130 intervenes between adjoining battery modules 110 to constitute a cooling passage 160 which makes cooling medium flow and cools down the unit cells 120. The spacer 130 is designed to flow the cooling medium in a row direction of unit cell cases 121 integrated in a battery module 110. The spacer 130 is structured such that touch area of the cooling medium and the unit cell cases 121 becomes lager as going from inlet side to outlet side of the cooling passage 160 with respect to each of the plural battery modules 110.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2005Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Yoshiaki Ogata
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Publication number: 20090068549Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride secondary battery includes: a plurality of power generating elements each having a negative plate containing hydrogen absorbing alloy; a battery case provided with partition walls and a plurality of compartments arranged adjacently on both sides of each partition wall, each of the compartments accommodating each power generating element, and the compartments allowing gas intercommunication between compartments through communication holes formed in the partition walls; and at least one of safety valves placed on the battery case, the safety valves being less in number than the number of the compartments; wherein each of the communication holes has a hole sectional area per battery module capacity in a range 0.03 to 0.30 mm2/Ah.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: PANASONIC EV ENERGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Hideki Kasahara, Shinichiro Ito, Hideki Ando, Toyohiko Eto
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Publication number: 20090061289Abstract: An inexpensive battery pack including a battery module wherein a safety valve is provided for each cell in which battery pack gas leakage can be prevented. A battery pack 100 has a plurality of battery modules 110 each including a plurality of cells 120 respectively provided with a safety valve 123. The plurality of cells 120 included in each battery module 110 are arranged such that safety-valve mounting walls 121a are oriented in the same direction. Each battery module 110 comprises a gas duct member 130 covering all the safety valves 123 of the cells 120 included therein and forming a gas discharge path 131 between the gas duct member 130 and the safety-valve mounting walls 121a, and a sealing member 160 for hermetically sealing the gaps between each cell case 121 and the gas duct member 130.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2005Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Yoshitaka Sunagawa
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Publication number: 20090029244Abstract: Provided are a low-cost battery in which an outermost first electrode plate is designed to be bent at a bent portion farther from a current collector than its own joint end so that a near portion extending from the bent portion to the joint end is positioned inward in a lamination direction than a distant portion positioned farther from the current collector than the bent portion, and first electrode plates including the outermost first electrode plate are connected to a collector joint part, and a manufacturing method thereof. In the battery of the invention, a negative collector joint part is connected to a negative joint end of an inside negative electrode plate with a fillet formed of metal melted from the negative collector joint part itself and also connected to a negative joint end of an outermost negative electrode plate with a fillet formed of metal melted from the negative collector joint part itself.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2007Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Masanori Ito
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Publication number: 20090023063Abstract: A sealed battery includes a metal case which functions as a connection terminal of one polarity and an electrode post which is mounted to the case in an insulated manner and functions as a connection terminal of the other polarity. A sealing section with electrical insulation properties is disposed between the electrode post formed from a hollow cylinder with one closed end and an electrode post through-hole provided in the case. A compression deformation section is produced by deforming the closed end of the electrode post radially outward, for compressing and sealing the sealing section, and for securing the electrode post to the case.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Takashi ASAHINA, Shinji HAMADA, Toyohiko ETO, Shinichi YUASA
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Patent number: 7393611Abstract: A sealed rechargeable battery includes: a metal case having an elliptical or rectangular cross section; a metal sealing plate for sealing an opening at one end of the case; and an electrode plate assembly being housed in the case with an electrolyte solution. In this configuration, a plurality of projecting ridges are formed in a continuous or discontinuous manner on both longer side faces of the case between a bottom face and the opening so as to enhance the cooling performance and to improve the strength of the side faces of the case.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2003Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
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Patent number: 7390592Abstract: An electrode plate unit capable of suppressing the internal short circuit caused by flashing that is formed on the end portion of a positive electrode plate and a battery using the same. The electrode plate unit includes a group of electrode plates in which a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates are laminated alternately via separators, a positive electrode collector plate connected to one side face of the group of electrode plates for connection to the positive electrode plate, and a negative electrode collector plate connected to another side face of the group of electrode plates for connection to the negative electrode plate, wherein the edge portion of the positive electrode plate is protruded from the edge portion of the negative electrode plate on the entire side face excluding the side face to which the negative electrode collector plate of the group of electrode plates is connected.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2003Date of Patent: June 24, 2008Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinsuke Fukuda, Naoto Arai, Noriyuki Fujioka, Shinji Hamada
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Publication number: 20080124622Abstract: An object is to provide a battery pack which can restrict movements of battery a module and a spacer even after use for a long period. A battery pack 100 comprises a plurality of battery modules 110, a plurality of holding spacers 130 each being placed in a space between the battery modules, and a first and second spacer support members 160, 170 which hold the holding spacers 130 in a vertical direction Z. Each holding spacer 130 includes a plurality of first elastic members 143 and a plurality of second elastic members 145 which protrude in the vertical direction Z. The holding spacer 130 is elastically held between the first and second spacer support members 160, 170 while the first and second elastic members 143, 145 are elastically deformed into elastic pressure contact with the first and second spacer support members 160, 170.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2006Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Yoshitaka Sugimoto, Toyohiko Eto
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Publication number: 20080096096Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery is provided capable of suppressing changes in discharge reserve and charge reserve of a negative electrode to prevent lowering of battery characteristics for a long term. A nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 of the present invention comprises a battery main part (an electrode plate group 150, an electrolyte, and others), a case 102 housing this battery main part, and a safety valve device 101. The safety valve device 101 includes a valve member 110 of a closed-end substantially cylindrical shape. This nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 is arranged such that a hydrogen leak rate V1 (?l/h/Ah) of the battery having been charged and discharged and then charged to 60% SOC satisfies a relationship: 2?V1?4, the hydrogen leak rate being per unit of battery capacity under an atmosphere at a battery temperature of 45° C., and a reduced pressure of 10 kPa.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2005Publication date: April 24, 2008Inventors: Katsunori Komori, Tomohiro Matsuura, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Yoshiyuki Nakamura