Patents by Inventor Toyohiko Etoh

Toyohiko Etoh 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: 7125628
    Abstract: A battery pack comprises a plurality of rectangular shaped batteries, wherein each of the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries is formed into a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape, and wherein the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries are stacked side-by-side in a thickness direction, and a pair of pressurizing plates, wherein one of the pressurizing plates is located at each end of the stacked rectangular shaped batteries oriented in the thickness direction, wherein the pressurizing plates are elastically pushed against each other to pressurize the plurality rectangular shaped batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Ko Watanabe, Toyohiko Etoh, Keiji Shukuya, Shogo Yoneda
  • Patent number: 6953638
    Abstract: A fluid-cooled battery pack system can maintain the variation in battery temperature in a battery pack within the permissible temperature range even when the variation in the gaps between battery modules is considered. A plurality of battery modules are each provided with a plurality of convex portions and concave portions on the sides thereof, where the connections to other battery modules are made. When the battery modules are connected by bringing the opposite convex portions into contact with each other, coolant flow paths, through which a coolant flows, are formed. The target width of the coolant flow paths is set so that the variation in temperature relative to the target temperature of each battery module is maintained within a predetermined range when the coolant flows through the coolant flow paths; the variation in temperature is caused by a fabrication tolerance relative to the target width of the coolant flow paths between the battery modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiwamu Inui, Toyohiko Etoh
  • Publication number: 20030017387
    Abstract: A battery pack comprises a plurality of rectangular shaped batteries, wherein each of the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries is formed into a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape, and wherein the plurality of rectangular shaped batteries are stacked side-by-side in a thickness direction, and a pair of pressurizing plates, wherein one of the pressurizing plates is located at each end of the stacked rectangular shaped batteries oriented in the thickness direction, wherein the pressurizing plates are elastically pushed against each other to pressurize the plurality rectangular shaped batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Ko Watanabe, Toyohiko Etoh, Keiji Shukuya, Shogo Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20030003351
    Abstract: A secondary battery comprising: a battery case formed of a synthetic resin and formed into a thin rectangular-parallelepiped shape, and whose inner space is divided into a plurality of reaction chambers by walls formed with an appropriate space therebetween in a width direction; and a plurality of radiators respectively provided on a surface along the width direction of the battery case so as to correspond to the reaction chambers is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ogata, Toyohiko Etoh
  • Publication number: 20010026886
    Abstract: A fluid-cooled battery pack system can maintain the variation in battery temperature in a battery pack within the permissible temperature range even when the variation in the gaps between battery modules is considered. A plurality of battery modules are each provided with a plurality of convex portions and concave portions on the sides thereof, where the connections to other battery modules are made. When the battery modules are connected by bringing the opposite convex portions into contact with each other, coolant flow paths, through which a coolant flows, are formed. The target width of the coolant flow paths is set so that the variation in temperature relative to the target temperature of each battery module is maintained within a predetermined range when the coolant flows through the coolant flow paths; the variation in temperature is caused by a fabrication tolerance relative to the target width of the coolant flow paths between the battery modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiwamu Inui, Toyohiko Etoh
  • Patent number: 6211646
    Abstract: Battery power source device wherein a large number of battery modules (9) consisting of a row of a plurality of single cells (7) connected electrically and mechanically in series are arranged parallel to each other and held in a holder casing (10), bus bars (28) being provided that effect electrical connection between the terminals of battery modules (9) at respective end plates (19), (20) positioned at both ends of this holder casing (10) wherein the end plates (19), (20) are constituted of resin plates and the bus bars (28) are fixed to the end plates (19), (20) by insertion molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Kouzu, Takaki Kobayashi, Shuuhei Marukawa, Toyohiko Etoh, Koh Watanabe, Yasuyoshi Fukao, Manabu Kakino, Kiwamu Inui, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 6211645
    Abstract: Battery power source device wherein a large number of battery modules (9) consisting of a row of a plurality of single cells (7) connected electrically and mechanically in series are arranged parallel to each other and held in a holder casing (10), bus bars (28) being provided that effect electrical connection between the terminals of battery modules (9) at respective end plates (19), (20) positioned at both ends of this holder casing (10) wherein the end plates (19), (20) are constituted of resin plates and the bus bars (28) are fixed to the end plates (19), (20) by insertion molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Kouzu, Takaki Kobayashi, Shuuhei Marukawa, Toyohiko Etoh, Koh Watanabe, Yasuyoshi Fukao, Manabu Kakino, Kiwamu Inui, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 6130003
    Abstract: A battery assembly which has a number of battery modules (16). For manufacturing, a battery module (16) is built in a battery case (10) having a fixed bulkhead (14) and a middle bulkhead (20) such that the module (16) penetrates the bulkheads (14) (20) via a battery holding opening (18) and a battery passing opening (22). The battery module (16) consists of batteries (12), with the connection parts of the batteries (12) held and supported by the battery holding openings (18) of the fixed bulkhead (14). A cooling/warming medium which flows upward is blocked or the cross sectional area of the cooling/warming medium flow is adjusted by a turning projection (38) so that the batteries (12) are effectively cooled or warmed irrespective of their vertical positions. A separately formed middle bulkhead (20) can facilitate manufacturing and assembling of the assembly. Batteries (12) can be more effectively cooled or warmed by using a smaller number of parts at a smaller number of assembling steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyohiko Etoh, Koh Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6111387
    Abstract: Battery power source device wherein a large number of battery modules (9) consisting of a row of a plurality of single cells (7) connected electrically and mechanically in series are arranged parallel to each other and held in a holder casing (10), bus bars (28) being provided that effect electrical connection between the terminals of battery modules (9) at respective end plates (19), (20) positioned at both ends of this holder casing (10) wherein the end plates (19), (20) are constituted of resin plates and the bus bars (28) are fixed to the end plates (19), (20) by insertion molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Kouzu, Takaki Kobayashi, Shuuhei Marukawa, Toyohiko Etoh, Koh Watanabe, Yasuyoshi Fukao, Manabu Kakino, Kiwamu Inui, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 5937664
    Abstract: A vehicle-use battery cooling system for cooling a battery mounted in a vehicle whose vehicle compartment is air conditioned by an air conditioner, so as to maintain the battery in a predetermined temperature range, includes: a battery chamber for accommodating the battery; a cooling device having a cooling fan and adapted to cool the battery by supplying air in the vehicle compartment to an interior of the battery chamber by the cooling fan; a cooling-air circulating device for circulating air used in cooling the battery between the battery chamber and the vehicle compartment by guiding the air into the vehicle compartment; an exhausting device for exhausting the air used in cooling the battery to outside the vehicle; a changeover device for effecting a changeover between the cooling-air circulating device and the exhausting device; a temperature detecting device for detecting at least one of a temperature of the interior of the battery chamber and a temperature of the battery; and a changeover controlling d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayoshi Matsuno, Shunkichi Suzaki, Kiwamu Inui, Makoto Mimoto, Yoshiaki Kikuchi, Toyohiko Etoh