Patents by Inventor Shinya Motokawa

Shinya Motokawa 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).

  • Patent number: 11967690
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a plurality of bus bars serving to form a plurality of parallel battery structures that each have parallel connection of two or more of a plurality of prismatic batteries. The plurality of bus bars electrically connect the plurality of prismatic batteries to connect the plurality of parallel battery structures in series. The plurality of parallel battery structures connected in series form a battery connection structure that includes a turn causing a reversal of direction of series connection of the plurality of parallel battery structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Keisuke Shimizu, Chifumi Murayama
  • Patent number: 11811039
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery stack having a plurality of prismatic batteries being stacked. The battery pack further includes a cooling plate extending in a stack direction of the prismatic batteries in the battery stack. The cooling plate includes a plurality of coolant passages and a plurality of grooves. The coolant passages extend in a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the stack direction of the prismatic batteries, and allow a coolant to flow in the coolant passages. The grooves constitute heat conduction inhibitors configured to inhibit heat conduction in the stack direction of the prismatic batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chifumi Murayama, Shinya Motokawa, Keisuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11811100
    Abstract: A cell module includes a plurality of battery cells each having a safety valve at a first end in a height direction, a first current collector plate including a main body having a through hole that at least partly overlaps the safety valve when viewed along the height direction and a lead extending into the through hole from the main body and being electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the battery cells, an exhaust duct disposed over a surface of the first current collector plate remote from the battery cells, and an insulating film being made of an insulating material and covering an area of the first current collector plate facing the exhaust duct. The safety valve opens when an internal pressure of any of the battery cells reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Daisuke Kishii, Keisuke Shimizu, Akira Takano
  • Patent number: 11721867
    Abstract: A battery module has a battery stack that includes a plurality of prismatic batteries and an inter-battery separator disposed between every two of the prismatic batteries adjacent to each other in an X direction along which the plurality of prismatic batteries is stacked. The inter-battery separator includes: a middle member having a plate shape; a first side plate-shaped member disposed on a first side of the middle member in the X direction and made of a material that is superior in thermal insulation to the middle member; and a second side plate-shaped member disposed on a second side of the middle member in the X direction and made of a material that is superior in thermal insulation to the middle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chifumi Murayama, Shinya Motokawa
  • Publication number: 20230060668
    Abstract: A cell module includes a plurality of battery cells each having a safety valve at a first end in a height direction, a first current collector plate including a main body having a through hole that at least partly overlaps the safety valve when viewed along the height direction and a lead extending into the through hole from the main body and being electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the battery cells, an exhaust duct disposed over a surface of the first current collector plate remote from the battery cells, and an insulating film being made of an insulating material and covering an area of the first current collector plate facing the exhaust duct. The safety valve opens when an internal pressure of any of the battery cells reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Shinya MOTOKAWA, Daisuke KISHII, Keisuke SHIMIZU, Akira TAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230037843
    Abstract: An assembled battery includes a plurality of Peltier elements, a plurality of control circuits each of which controls an associated one of the plurality of Peltier elements, a plurality of battery cells at least one of which is connected to one end of each of the plurality of Peltier elements, and a heat transfer plate connected to the other end of each of the plurality of Peltier elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Tomoyuki NAKAMURA, Shinya MOTOKAWA, Hiroyuki YAMADA
  • Patent number: 11532860
    Abstract: A cell module includes a plurality of battery cells each having a safety valve at a first end in a height direction, a first current collector plate including a main body having a through hole that at least partly overlaps the safety valve when viewed along the height direction and a lead extending into the through hole from the main body and being electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the battery cells, an exhaust duct disposed over a surface of the first current collector plate remote from the battery cells, and an insulating film being made of an insulating material and covering an area of the first current collector plate facing the exhaust duct. The safety valve opens when an internal pressure of any of the battery cells reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Daisuke Kishii, Keisuke Shimizu, Akira Takano
  • Patent number: 11387502
    Abstract: A battery module includes a first heat transfer component and a first thermal expansion material member that are disposed between the battery cells adjacent to each other. The first thermal expansion material member has a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of the first heat transfer component and expands at a first predetermined temperature or higher, in which when temperature of the first thermal expansion material member is less than the first predetermined temperature, the adjacent battery cells are connected to each other via a high thermal conductive route including the first heat transfer component and having a first thermal conductivity, and in which when the temperature of the first thermal expansion material member reaches the first predetermined temperature or higher, the adjacent battery cells are connected to each other via a low thermal conductive route having a second thermal conductivity lower than the first thermal conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Shinya Motokawa, Chifumi Murayama
  • Patent number: 11380948
    Abstract: A battery module includes a battery assembly and a thermally-conductive member to hold or support battery assembly. The battery assembly has a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries that are alternately stacked. The thermally-conductive member includes a first component and a second component that are each disposed along a stacking direction of the batteries. The first component has a heat resistance to the second batteries higher than to the first batteries. The second component has a heat resistance to the first batteries higher than to the second batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Akira Takano, Shinya Motokawa, Yoshito Kaga, Takeshi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11355800
    Abstract: A battery pack includes first and second battery modules arranged in a first direction. In the first battery module, a first heat transfer part and a first heat insulator are disposed between battery cells adjacent in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. In the second battery module, a second heat transfer part and a second heat insulator are disposed between battery cells adjacent in the second direction. The first heat transfer part constitutes a part of a heat transfer component that is put across and connected to both the first and the second battery modules. The first heat transfer part is connected to one of the battery cells in the first battery module so as to enable heat transfer. The second heat transfer part constitutes another part of the heat transfer component and is connected to one of the battery cells in the second battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Shinya Motokawa, Chifumi Murayama
  • Patent number: 11322793
    Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of cylindrical batteries that each include a safety valve surrounded by an annular breaking portion configured to break when internal pressure of each of the batteries exceeds a predetermined level. The battery module further includes an exhaust duct to guide gas emitted from the cylindrical battery to outside the module when safety valve is opened, and a gas direction regulator component disposed between the cylindrical batteries and the exhaust duct. The gas direction regulator component has a plurality of openings to expose the respective safety valves. Portions of the gas direction regulator component overhang areas overlapping the respective safety valves so as to cover an end of each safety valve opposite another end of each safety valve adjacent to an exit of the exhaust duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTEILECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Shinya Motokawa, Daisuke Kishii, Akira Takano
  • Patent number: 11239524
    Abstract: A cell module includes: a battery cell group configured with a plurality of cylindrical battery cells; a positive current collector; and a negative current collector. The negative current collector has: a substrate disposed on a sealing body side of the cylindrical battery cells such that the negative current collector covers the battery cell group; and a current collecting pin protruding toward the battery cell group from the substrate. The current collecting pin is inserted into a gap between the cylindrical battery cells along an axial direction of such battery cells, and presses the side surfaces of outer cans of at least two cylindrical battery cells neighboring each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Shingo Kume
  • Publication number: 20210328310
    Abstract: Electricity storage device includes: outer can having opening; electrode body housed in outer can; sealing plate that closes opening; a pair of output terminals arranged on sealing plate; current collector by which electrode body are electrically connected to the pair of output terminals and electrode body holder that is housed in outer can, includes flat plate extending in a direction intersecting a direction in which each of electrode body and sealing plate are arranged, and is fixed to sealing plate to suppress displacement of electrode body, electrode body holder having an insulating property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventor: Shinya MOTOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210296721
    Abstract: Battery module includes a plurality of batteries (secondary batteries), one or more bus bars that electrically connect the plurality of batteries, and cooling plate that is in contact with bus bar and has one or more passages through which a coolant flows. Each of the plurality of batteries has: an electrode body; an outer can that accommodates the electrode body; a lid that seals an opening of the outer can; and positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal that are individually inserted through a pair of through holes provided on the lid, are insulated from the lid, and are electrically connected to the electrode body. One of positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal is connected to bus bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Tetsuji OMURA, Toshiya GOTOU, Shinya MOTOKAWA
  • Patent number: 11081764
    Abstract: A battery module has a plurality of battery cells each including a cell case and a battery element contained in the cell case. The battery module includes a lead to electrically connect a terminal of each of the battery cells to a current collector and a heat shutoff mechanism to break electrical connection between the terminal and the current collector by heat from the cell case when the cell case reaches a predetermined temperature or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Yoshito Kaga, Keisuke Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20210151842
    Abstract: A cell module includes a plurality of battery cells each having a safety valve at a first end in a height direction, a first current collector plate including a main body having a through hole that at least partly overlaps the safety valve when viewed along the height direction and a lead extending into the through hole from the main body and being electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the battery cells, an exhaust duct disposed over a surface of the first current collector plate remote from the battery cells, and an insulating film being made of an insulating material and covering an area of the first current collector plate facing the exhaust duct. The safety valve opens when an internal pressure of any of the battery cells reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Shinya MOTOKAWA, Daisuke KISHII, Keisuke SHIMIZU, Akira TAKANO
  • Patent number: 10938018
    Abstract: A cell module includes a plurality of battery cells each having a safety valve at a first end in a height direction, a first current collector plate including a main body having a through hole that at least partly overlaps the safety valve when viewed along the height direction and a lead extending into the through hole from the main body and being electrically connected to a first terminal of each of the battery cells, an exhaust duct disposed over a surface of the first current collector plate remote from the battery cells, and an insulating film being made of an insulating material and covering an area of the first current collector plate facing the exhaust duct. The safety valve opens when an internal pressure of any of the battery cells reaches or exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Motokawa, Daisuke Kishii, Keisuke Shimizu, Akira Takano
  • Publication number: 20200365855
    Abstract: A battery module has a battery stack that includes a plurality of prismatic batteries and an inter-battery separator disposed between every two of the prismatic batteries adjacent to each other in an X direction along which the plurality of prismatic batteries is stacked. The inter-battery separator includes: a middle member having a plate shape; a first side plate-shaped member disposed on a first side of the middle member in the X direction and made of a material that is superior in thermal insulation to the middle member; and a second side plate-shaped member disposed on a second side of the middle member in the X direction and made of a material that is superior in thermal insulation to the middle member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: CHIFUMI MURAYAMA, SHINYA MOTOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20200358058
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery stack having a plurality of prismatic batteries being stacked. The battery pack further includes a cooling plate extending in a stack direction of the prismatic batteries in the battery stack. The cooling plate includes a plurality of coolant passages and a plurality of grooves. The coolant passages extend in a perpendicular direction substantially perpendicular to the stack direction of the prismatic batteries, and allow a coolant to flow in the coolant passages. The grooves constitute heat conduction inhibitors configured to inhibit heat conduction in the stack direction of the prismatic batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: CHIFUMI MURAYAMA, SHINYA MOTOKAWA, KEISUKE SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20200358152
    Abstract: A battery pack includes first and second battery modules arranged in a first direction. In the first battery module, a first heat transfer part and a first heat insulator are disposed between battery cells adjacent in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. In the second battery module, a second heat transfer part and a second heat insulator are disposed between battery cells adjacent in the second direction. The first heat transfer part constitutes a part of a heat transfer component that is put across and connected to both the first and the second battery modules. The first heat transfer part is connected to one of the battery cells in the first battery module so as to enable heat transfer. The second heat transfer part constitutes another part of the heat transfer component and is connected to one of the battery cells in the second battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: KEISUKE SHIMIZU, SHINYA MOTOKAWA, CHIFUMI MURAYAMA