With Measuring, Testing, Or Indicating Means Patents (Class 429/90)
  • Patent number: 10355306
    Abstract: A cathode material suitable for use in non-aqueous electrochemical cells that includes copper manganese vanadium oxide and, optionally, fluorinated carbon. A non-aqueous electrochemical cell comprising such a cathode material, and a non-aqueous electrochemical cell that additionally includes a lithium anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: EaglePicher Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ernest Ndzebet, Joshua Dean, Mario Destephen, Umamaheswari Janakiraman, Gregory Miller, Min Qi Yang
  • Patent number: 10333144
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming a metal-ion battery electrode with large interstitial spacing. A working electrode with hexacyanometallate particles overlies a current collector. The hexacyanometallate particles have a chemical formula AmM1xM2y(CN)6.zH2O, and have a Prussian Blue hexacyanometallate crystal structure, where A is either alkali or alkaline-earth cations. M1 and M2 are metals with 2+ or 3+ valance positions. The working electrode is soaked in an organic first electrolyte including a salt including alkali or alkaline earth cations. A first electric field is created in the first electrolyte between the working electrode and a first counter electrode, causing A cations and water molecules to be simultaneously removed from interstitial spaces in the Prussian Blue hexacyanometallate crystal structure, forming hexacyanometallate particles having the chemical formula of Am?M1xM2y(CN)6.z?H2O, where m?<m and z?<z, overlying the working electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuhao Lu, Jong-Jan Lee
  • Patent number: 10326180
    Abstract: A submodule for high voltage batteries, in which a voltage sensing module and an electrode tap of a high voltage battery cell are elastically coupled to each other, thereby protecting the high voltage battery cell from an external force and preventing a contact defect between the electrode tap and the voltage sensing module. A pair of fastening holes, allowing a pair of first bending portions to communicate with each other are also provided. The voltage sensing module includes a first sensing module bolt-fastened to the pair of fastening holes and electrically connected to the first electrode tap and a second sensing module disposed in a direction opposite to the first sensing module, fastened to the pair of second bending portions through hook coupling, and electrically connected to the second electrode tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gi Seok Son
  • Patent number: 10319974
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lithium-sulfur battery separator. The lithium-sulfur battery separator comprises a separator substrate and a functional layer covered on the separator substrate. The functional layer comprises at least two carbon nanotube layers and at least two graphene oxide composite layers. Each of the at least two graphene oxide composite layers comprises a plurality of graphene oxide sheets and a plurality of manganese dioxide nanoparticles, and the plurality of manganese dioxide nanoparticles are adsorbed on the plurality of graphene oxide sheets and embedded in an interlayer formed by the carbon nanotube layer and the plurality of graphene oxide sheets. The present disclosure also relates to a lithium-sulfur battery comprising the lithium-sulfur battery separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Bang Kong, Jia-Ping Wang, Kai-Li Jiang, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 10312496
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a cap assembly coupled with the case, the cap assembly including a terminal; a first current collecting member, the first current collecting member including a fuse portion connecting the terminal with the first electrode, and an electrode bonding portion fixed to the electrode assembly, the fuse portion having a lower melting point than other portions of the first current collecting member; and a current distribution member fixed to the first current collecting member, the current distribution member electrically connecting the first current collecting member with the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-June Bae, Seok-Joon Yoon
  • Patent number: 10305073
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a battery cell including an electrode tab, a cell holder through which the electrode tab is inserted, and a support rib protruding from the cell holder toward the battery cell, the support rib supporting a terrace of the battery cell from which the electrode tab extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jieun Lee
  • Patent number: 10283744
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a battery module and a battery pack. The battery module, having a plurality of battery cells, includes a unit module stack configured to have a structure in which a plurality of unit modules, each of which has a structure in which the battery cells are mounted to a cartridge, are stacked in a vertical direction on the basis of a ground, an upper end plate and a lower end plate for supporting an upper end and a lower end of the unit module stack, respectively, the upper end plate being provided with first fastening holes, the lower end plate being provided with second fastening holes, and a module housing provided with third fastening holes communicating with the second fastening holes, wherein first fastening members and second fastening members are inserted and fastened into the first fastening holes, the second fastening holes, and the third fastening holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaihyun Seo, Seong Tae Kim, Jin Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 10276901
    Abstract: An energy storage module for a vehicle includes an energy storage enclosure adapted to accommodate an energy storage cell, the energy storage enclosure having an enclosure wall, an optical sensor including an optical fiber, an optical receiver and an optical emitter, the optical fiber attached to an inner side of a first enclosure wall along a distance of a portion of the inner side. The optical receiver is configured to detect an optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber, and the optical sensor is configured to detect an alteration of the optical signal being indicative of a deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Jianfeng Yao
  • Patent number: 10254344
    Abstract: The invention is directed toward a primary AA alkaline battery. The primary AA alkaline battery includes an anode; a cathode; an electrolyte; and a separator between the anode and the cathode. The anode includes an electrochemically active anode material. The cathode includes an electrochemically active cathode material. The electrolyte includes potassium hydroxide. The primary AA alkaline battery has an integrated in-cell ionic resistance (Ri) at 22° C. of less than about 39 m?. The electrochemically active cathode material includes electrolytic manganese dioxide. The electrolytic manganese dioxide has a specific cathode loading from about 2.9 g/cm3 to about 3.45 g/cm3. The separator has a porosity of greater than 75%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Pozin, Brianna Rose Derooy, Nikolai N. Issaev
  • Patent number: 10256502
    Abstract: A lithium-ion battery module with large-capacity and without parallel batteries is provided. The lithium-ion battery module includes a lithium-ion battery pack with large-capacity and without parallel group, and a battery management unit. To this end, the lithium-ion battery pack is defined by at least two single polymer lithium-ion batteries connected in series, each with a capacity of 50-2000 AH. The battery management unit includes a master module, a data acquisition module, an equalizer, and detecting components which include at least one current sensor, at least two voltage sensors and at least two temperature sensors. The lithium-ion battery module allows for the working voltage and current of each single polymer lithium-ion battery to be monitored in real time, while also operating at a low temperature thanks to a low internal resistance and good heat conducting qualities provided at the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Wang
  • Patent number: 10236485
    Abstract: A battery module, including a plurality of battery units each including a plurality of bare cells, each bare cell having a first electrode tab and a second electrode tab; a holder at one side of each of the battery units, the holder including a plurality of penetrating holes into each of which the first electrode tab and the second electrode tab are penetrated; a plurality of electrode plates in the holder, the plurality of electrode plates electrically connecting the bare cells in each of the battery units; connection members coupled to ends of one of the plurality of electrode plates, the connection members electrically connecting the plurality of battery units to each other, and a pair of mounting protrusions protruding from one side of the holder and being spaced apart from each other, a portion of one of the plurality of electrode plates passing between the pair of mounting protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sanghoon Bae
  • Patent number: 10224529
    Abstract: Disclosed are a stacked-electrode battery cell that has offset electrode-to-terminal bonds, and a method for manufacturing such a cell. The stacked-electrode battery cell can comprise an external connection terminal that includes a flat tab, and a plurality of flat electrodes stacked along a first coordinate axis and collectively forming at least a portion of an anode or a cathode of the battery cell. A first electrode of the plurality of flat electrodes is bonded to a first bond region of the tab and a second electrode of the plurality of flat electrodes is bonded to a second bond region of the tab, where the first bond region and the second bond region are non-overlapping along at least one coordinate axis perpendicular to the first coordinate axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dongli Zeng, Tzu-Yuan Lin, Vijayasekaran Boovaragavan, John Christopher Collins, Michael Nikkhoo
  • Patent number: 10217978
    Abstract: An energy storage device arrangement, including a plurality of electrical energy storage devices that are mutually electrically contacted with each other, including a first receiving part having at least one bore-like receiving space for receiving at least one electrical energy storage device, at least one other receiving part connectable with the first receiving part, provided with at least one bore-like receiving space for receiving at least one electrical energy storage device, and at least one plate-like connecting part that is or can be arranged between two receiving parts that are or can be arranged adjacently for electrical contacting of electrical energy storage devices arranged in respective receiving spaces on the side of the receiving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Erdal Acikgoez, Jörg Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10199622
    Abstract: A battery cell (2) comprising at least one electrode unit (10) having an anode (82), a cathode (84) and a separator (83) which is arranged between the anode (82) and the cathode (84). In this case, the separator (83) has an electrically conductive core layer (93) and at least one ionically permeable edge layer (91, 92). The invention also relates to a method for controlling ion flow within the battery cell (2), wherein an electrical connection is established between the electrically conductive core layer (93) of the separator (83) and a current collector (81) of the anode (82) or a current collector (85) of the cathode (84).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Sebastian, Calin Iulius Wurm
  • Patent number: 10177421
    Abstract: Light is transmitted from a light source through or from a separator of a battery cell and received by one or more light detectors. The light that is normally transmitted through the separator is scattered, absorbed, wavelength-shifted or otherwise distorted by an impending fault in the vicinity of or within the separator. The change in light due to the impending fault is measured by a detector and a signal from the detector is processed to identify the impending fault so that a warning can be generated indicative of the impending fault. In particular, one or both of the light source and detector are enclosed within a battery cell housing and receive power from the electrodes of the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: James H. Saunders, Steven M. Risser, C. Alexander Morrow
  • Patent number: 10145900
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining critical operating states in a fuel cell stack, consisting of single cells connected in series, wherein a low-frequency current or voltage signal is applied to the fuel cell stack, the resulting voltage or current signal is measured and the distortion factor thd is determined. According to the invention, the weighted sum of a term dependent on the membrane resistance Rm and a term dependent on the distortion factor thd is used to determine an indicator THDAdryout correlating with the drying out of the fuel cell membranes of the fuel cell stack, the membrane resistance Rm being detected by impedance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AVL LIST GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Prenninger, Katharina Renner
  • Patent number: 10141611
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and techniques for identifying a dendrite material within a battery. The method comprising receiving, by a battery management system, an output from sensing circuitry within the battery indicative of a first voltage level, detecting, by the battery management system, a change from the first voltage level to a second voltage level that is indicative of an internal short within a sensing sheet, determining by the battery management system, a resistance and a two-dimensional position of the internal short within the sensing sheet, and identifying, by the battery management system, a dendrite material based on the resistance of the internal short.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: John F. Christensen, Aleksandar Kojic
  • Patent number: 10141553
    Abstract: A secondary battery is provided. The secondary battery may include an electrode assembly; a pouch including a sealing portion along outer edges thereof and configured to accommodate and seal the electrode assembly; an electrode lead inserted through the sealing portion and connected to the electrode assembly, the electrode lead including a first vent hole opened toward the electrode assembly; and lead films disposed between the electrode lead and the sealing portion of the pouch, the lead films including second vent holes opened toward the electrode assembly. The second vent holes may overlap the first vent hole to form a path penetrating the lead films and the electrode lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Go Kim, Seung Noh Lee, Yong Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 10128528
    Abstract: A micro-hybrid battery system includes a lithium ion battery module configured to be coupled to an electrical load. The lithium ion battery module includes a housing. The lithium ion battery module also includes a first lithium ion battery cell disposed in the housing and having a first active material chemistry including a first cathode active material and a first anode active material. The lithium ion battery module also includes a second lithium ion battery cell electrically connected to the first lithium ion battery cell and disposed in the housing. The second lithium ion battery cell has a second active material chemistry including a second cathode active material and a second anode active material. The first and second active material chemistries are different such that the first and second lithium ion battery cells have different open circuit voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Zhenli Zhang, Brian C. Sisk, Thomas M. Watson
  • Patent number: 10110024
    Abstract: An all-solid-state battery system includes: an all-solid-state battery; a light detection unit; and a control unit. The all-solid-state battery includes a battery element having a positive electrode layer, a negative electrode layer and a solid electrolyte layer. The light detection unit detects light emitted from at least one of the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer. The control unit controls charge of the all-solid-state battery on the basis of intensity of light detected by the light detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Tsujiko
  • Patent number: 10090568
    Abstract: A battery assembly has excellent performance for sensing temperature by a temperature sensing element. The battery assembly includes a bus bar for electrically connecting the battery or cell units to each other by connecting electrode members provided with the battery or cell unit. The battery assembly further includes a bus bar extension portion extended from the bus bar. The bus-bar extension portion is disposed out of the area between the adjacent electrode members and provided with a temperature sensing or detection element that detects the temperature of the battery or cell unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Hatta, Ryo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10062931
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery module that includes a stack of battery cells disposed in a housing, where each battery cell of the stack of battery cells has a terminal, and a bus bar having a body and an indicator disposed on the body, where the bus bar is configured to couple a first terminal of a first battery cell of the stack of battery cells to a second terminal of a second battery cell of the stack of battery cells. The battery module also includes a sensing component disposed on the indicator and configured to monitor a condition of at least one battery cell of the stack of battery cells and a weld physically and electrically coupling the sensing component to the bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Matthew R. Tyler, Jennifer L. Czarnecki, Christopher M. Bonin
  • Patent number: 10044211
    Abstract: A battery pack and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the battery pack includes a master battery management system (BMS) and a plurality of battery modules each including a slave BMS connected to the master BMS. In another aspect, the method includes first determining the number of slave BMS? electrically connected to the master BMS, receiving a plurality of voltage values of the battery modules from the slave BMS? and first calculating an average value of the voltage values. The method also includes second determining a terminal voltage of the battery pack, comparing the average voltage value with the terminal voltage of the battery pack to calculate the number of the battery modules connected in series, and third determining a first series connection relationship of the battery modules, in one of a plurality of serial unit sets, based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngdong Seo, Gilchoun Yeom, Seotaek Oh
  • Patent number: 10003203
    Abstract: An all-solid-state secondary battery system comprising: a sealed battery having formed by housing, in an outer package, a stacked battery; a jig adapted to constrain the sealed battery in the stacking direction; one or more contact pressure sensors provided at least either between an outermost layer surface of the stacked battery and the outer package or in the inside of the stacked battery; one or more gas pressure sensors provided in a space inside the outer package; and a control device adapted to stop charging by judging as an overcharge state only when the change in contact pressure sensed by at least one of the contact pressure sensors is equal to or more than a threshold value, and the change in gas pressure sensed by at least one of the gas pressure sensors is equal to or more than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisataka Fujimaki, Koichi Sugiura, Yuki Matsushita, Satoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9991645
    Abstract: In order to provide a cell contact-making system for an electrochemical device which includes a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein the cell contact-making system includes a current conductor system having one or more cell connectors, for electrically conductively connecting cell terminals of different electrochemical cells, a signal conductor system having one or more signal conductors for electrically conductively connecting a respective signal source to a signal conductor terminal connector of the cell contact-making system, and a monitoring unit for monitoring signals from the signal sources, which is of compact construction and is assemblable from a relatively small number of parts, it is proposed that the monitoring unit should include a plug contact terminal connector which is directly connectable by a plug connection to the signal conductor terminal connector of the signal conductor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fritz, Stefan Kazmaier
  • Patent number: 9923187
    Abstract: A vehicle power system may include a battery array having at least one battery with a bus bar connected to an electrical bus. The power system may also include a conductive lead of a sensor welded to the bus bar to form a joint defined by a plurality of stitches, a net cross-sectional area of the plurality being less than a cross-sectional area of the lead such that short-circuit current from the battery array melts the joint to protect the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Masahiro Kimoto, Debbi Callicoat, Rajesh Narayanan, Francisco Fernandez-Galindo
  • Patent number: 9911316
    Abstract: An alarm device for feedthrough assembly is proposed. The device comprises a body having a chamber, a sealing module configured on a first surface of the body for connecting to a feedthrough assembly, wherein a first surface has a hole across the chamber, and an alarm assembly configured in the chamber. In addition, if a shaft seal of the feedthrough assembly is failure, a pressure difference produced between the chamber and inner shaft seal forces the alarm assembly to move toward the feedthrough assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventors: Hongchi Lin, Minsu Hsiao
  • Patent number: 9905892
    Abstract: A battery module and a method are provided. The battery module includes a first battery cell having a first electrical terminal, a second battery cell having a second electrical terminal, and an interconnect assembly having a plate portion, first and second finger portions, a blade portion, and first and second voltage sense members. The first and second voltage sense members are coupled to the first and second finger portions, respectively. The blade portion is disposed between the first and second finger portions such that a first gap is defined between the first finger portion and the blade portion, and a second gap is defined between the second finger portion and the blade portion. The first and second electrical terminals extend through the first and second gaps, respectively, and are coupled to the first and second voltage sense members, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Merriman, Heekook Yang
  • Patent number: 9859545
    Abstract: A power supply device includes: a battery assembly including stacked battery cells and electrodes of the battery cells, the electrodes of the adjacent battery cells being arranged to face each other; a connecting portion of an electric wire for voltage detection directly connected to a pair of the electrodes of the adjacent battery cells arranged to face each other; and an insulating block body disposed on a side on which the electrodes of the battery assembly project, including the electric wire for voltage detection wired in the insulating block body, and configured to hold the connecting portion of the electric wire for voltage detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki Yoshioka, Kazuaki Kai
  • Patent number: 9853586
    Abstract: A motor driven appliance comprises a battery, a motor, at least one switch, a control unit, an abnormality detection unit, a determination unit, and a processing unit. The at least one switch comprises an operation switch. The control unit controls driving of the motor by controlling power supply from the battery to the motor when the operation switch is turned on. The abnormality detection unit detects abnormality of the appliance. The determination unit determines whether the detected abnormality is a first type abnormality that can be cleared when the operation switch is switched from on to off, or is a second type abnormality that cannot be cleared even if the operation switch is merely switched from on to off. The processing unit is configured to perform a specific process when it is determined that the detected abnormality is the second type abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Kusakawa, Goshi Ishikawa, Motohiro Omura
  • Patent number: 9831531
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a battery proposed herein includes the following steps A to D. Step A is the step of preparing a battery case in which an electrode assembly is enclosed. Step B is the step of depressurizing an interior of the battery case prepared in step A. Step C is the step of filling an electrolyte solution and a leakage testing gas into the battery case depressurized in step B. Step D is the step of sealing the battery case containing the electrolyte solution and the leakage testing gas filled in step C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Tsukui
  • Patent number: 9823310
    Abstract: A state of charge indicator including an indicator with a display threshold and an indicator circuit electrically coupled to the indicator such that when a main cell voltage of a main cell is greater than a display threshold, the indicator circuit applies a driver voltage to the indicator such that the indicator is inactive and when the main cell voltage is less than the display threshold, the indicator circuit applies the driver voltage to the indicator such that the indicator is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan Todorov Bourilkov, Steven Jeffrey Specht
  • Patent number: 9793543
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards a battery. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a conductive additive and an electrochemically active cathode material. The electrochemically active cathode material includes a beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide. The beta-delithiated layered nickel oxide has a chemical formula. The chemical formula is LixAyNi1+a?zMzO2.nH2O where x is from about 0.02 to about 0.20; y is from about 0.03 to about 0.20; a is from about 0 to about 0.2; z is from about 0 to about 0.2; and n is from about 0 to about 1. Within the chemical formula, A is an alkali metal. The alkali metal includes potassium, rubidium, cesium, and any combination thereof. Within the chemical formula, M comprises an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, a non-transition metal, and any combination thereof. The anode includes an electrochemically active anode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David Lloyd Anglin, Jennifer Anne Nelson, Paul Albert Christian
  • Patent number: 9755212
    Abstract: A vehicle including an array of pouch battery cells, a pair of carriers, and a plurality of busbars is provided. The array of pouch battery cells may each have terminal tabs of opposite polarity extending from opposing cell faces. The pair of carriers may extend along the cell faces and each may define a plurality of apertures sized to receive the terminal tabs. The plurality of busbars may be arranged with the carriers and terminal tabs such that an electrical connection across the cells includes parallel and series connections. The pouch battery cells may be arranged in clusters of adjacent cells connected in parallel, and the busbars may be arranged in spaced apart groups on each of the carriers and joined to adjacent terminal tabs to connect the clusters in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Temam Kedir, Steven Droste, Debbi Callicoat
  • Patent number: 9748612
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery pack having a plurality of electrochemical battery cells, comprising a device for measuring a difference between two cell currents of two different battery cells, wherein a first battery cell has a first wound element, consisting of a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, which causes a first magnetic field via a first of the cell currents, and a second battery cell has a second wound element, consisting of a third electrode layer and a fourth electrode layer, which causes a second magnetic field via a second of the cell currents, wherein the first and the second wound elements are arranged relative to each other such that the first magnetic field counteracts the second magnetic field in the case of the first and second cell current being rectified, wherein the battery pack additionally comprises a magnetic field sensor which is configured to measure a superimposed field consisting of the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, and comprises an eval
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Bergmann, Alexander Reitzle, Sarmimala Hore
  • Patent number: 9748540
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a power supply apparatus capable of suppressing a short circuit that occurs between adjacent battery cells. The power supply apparatus includes: a plurality of battery cells in which positive electrodes and negative electrodes are provided alternately and inversely with each other; a plurality of bus bars arranged in a straight line so as to series-connect the plurality of battery cells; a sheet-like insulation film disposed on at least one surface side of the plurality of bus bars; and a resin frame for fixing the plurality of battery cells, wherein an insulation portion for insulating the adjacent battery cells from each other is provided on the insulation film or in the resin frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ikeda, Daiki Nagata
  • Patent number: 9698405
    Abstract: An electric connector and a battery comprising the same may be provided. The electric connector (3) may comprise a core fixing part and an extension part (32) connected to the core fixing part. The core fixing part may include at least two hosting portions (31) each configured to hold an electrode tab of a winding core of a battery, respectively, and a connection portion (33) configured to connect the two adjacent hosting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: SHENZHEN BYD AUTO R&D COMPANY LIMITED, BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuanyuan He, Weixin Zheng
  • Patent number: 9634505
    Abstract: Within a range of a second limit current (±I_adj_max) set based on the performance of a secondary battery (140), a charging and discharging control device (170) determines an upper limit value (I_adj_limit) or a lower limit value (?I_adj_limit) of a state of charge (SOC) adjustment current (I_adj) in accordance with load power (required power and regeneration power) of a vehicle (100). Using an adjustment logic determined based on these limit values of the SOC adjustment current (I_adj), the charging and discharging control device (170) also determines the SOC adjustment current (I_adj) corresponding to an actually measured SOC value of the secondary battery (140).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kono, Katsuaki Morita
  • Patent number: 9624585
    Abstract: A fluid chamber device for a reaction unit of a redox device, includes at least one first wall element and at least one second wall element which at least partially delimit a fluid chamber, and a sealing region which closes off the fluid chamber against a fluid exchange, in particular a gas exchange, in relation to a surrounding space. At least one of the wall elements, in an installed state, has at least one sealing contour in the sealing region, which is intended for providing a sealing effect and by means of which a spacing of the at least two wall elements in the sealing region is reduced in relation to a surrounding area of the sealing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus DS GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Jehle, Stefan Kaul
  • Patent number: 9570781
    Abstract: Light is transmitted from a light source through or from a separator of a battery cell and received by one or more light detectors. The light that is normally transmitted through the separator is scattered, absorbed, wavelength-shifted or otherwise distorted by an impending fault in the vicinity of or within the separator. The change in light due to the impending fault is measured by a detector and a signal from the detector is processed to identify the impending fault so that a warning can be generated indicative of the impending fault. In particular, the separator and a battery cell electrolyte can be selected to provide waveguide properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: James H. Saunders, C. Alexander Morrow, Steven M. Risser, Kevin B. Spahr
  • Patent number: 9559358
    Abstract: A battery structure is provided for making alkali ion and alkaline-earth ion batteries. The battery has a hexacyanometallate cathode, a non-metal anode, and non-aqueous electrolyte. A method is provided for forming the hexacyanometallate battery cathode and non-metal battery anode prior to the battery assembly. The cathode includes hexacyanometallate particles overlying a current collector. The hexacyanometallate particles have the chemical formula A?n?AmM1xM2y(CN)6, and have a Prussian Blue hexacyanometallate crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhao Lu, Jong-Jan Lee, Motoaki Nishijima, Seizoh Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 9553287
    Abstract: A battery pack including a plurality of bare cells electrically connected to one another; and a housing including a bottom portion accommodating the bare cells therein, a middle portion mounted on the bottom portion, and a top portion on the middle portion, the top portion including a first fastening portion, and the middle portion including a second fastening portion facing the first fastening portion, and at least a portion of the first fastening portion or the second fastening portion is spaced apart from the other of the first fastening portion or the second fastening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Chul Kim, Jang-Gun Ahn, Hee-Joon Jin, Young-Bin Lim
  • Patent number: 9437878
    Abstract: An electricity storage module includes a plurality of electricity storage cells and a plurality of electricity storage cell holders. Each of the plurality of electricity storage cell holders includes a thermistor holding portion. At least one of the thermistor holding portions of the plurality of electricity storage cell holders is provided to support a thermistor. The thermistor holding portion includes a spring member contact portion, a first engaging portion, and a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion of one of adjacent thermistor holding portions engages with the second engaging portion of another of the adjacent thermistor holding portions to prevent a spring member contact portion from being deformed away from one of the electricity storage cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomomi Kurita
  • Patent number: 9435865
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for diagnosing a fault of a fuel cell stack, including: applying a summed current obtained by summing currents of different frequency regions to the fuel cell stack; passing output voltages of the fuel cell stack through each of the different frequency filters to extract the respective diagnosis data; and diagnosing whether or not a fault has been generated in the fuel cell stack using the respective diagnosis data. Therefore, it is possible to further improve diagnosis analysis capability by applying the summed current obtained by summing the currents of the different frequency regions to the fuel cell stack and then rapidly diagnosing the fault of the fuel cell stack using the diagnosis data obtained by filtering the output voltages of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Autron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Seok Park, Uck-Soo Kim, Sun-Doo Kang
  • Patent number: 9412989
    Abstract: Each of connection units integrally includes a cover via a hinge, and the cover covers an accommodation portion in which a connecting member is arranged. The connection unit includes a unit stopper and a unit stopper receiver that is fitted to the unit stopper that is formed on an adjacent connection unit. The cover includes a cover stopper and a cover stopper receiver that is fitted to the cover stopper formed on the cover of the adjacent connection unit. The connection units are connected to each other by fitting of the unit stoppers and the unit stopper receivers and fitting of the cover stoppers and the cover stopper receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko Kinoshita, Hiroomi Hiramitsu, Kensaku Takata, Hiroki Hirai, Katsunori Hamana, Tomofumi Tsuji, Mitsuhiro Akasaka, Tetsuya Nakagawa, Yoshinao Kobayashi, Masaru Shitamichi, Daiki Hirano
  • Patent number: 9413004
    Abstract: A MnO2 electrode active material of high capacity is provided. The high capacity MnO2 has a surface area which is greater than 60 m2/g and the MnO2 is obtained by a process comprising a redox reaction of a Mn (II) salt and permanganate at a reaction temperature less than 30° C. and a pH of 2 to 4. Also provided are a magnesium electrochemical cell having a cathode containing the MnO2 and a rechargeable magnesium battery having a cathode containing the MnO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ruigang Zhang, Fuminori Mizuno
  • Patent number: 9385366
    Abstract: A positive electrode for a secondary battery which enables both good battery characteristics and electrode strength at a predetermined level, a secondary battery, and a method for fabricating the positive electrode for a secondary battery are provided. The positive electrode for a secondary battery includes a current collector and an active material layer over the current collector. The active material layer includes an active material, graphene, and a binder. A carbon layer is on a surface of the active material. The proportion of the graphene in the active material layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 wt % and less than or equal to 1.0 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Yamakaji, Takahiro Kawakami, Mako Motoyoshi, Rika Yatabe
  • Patent number: 9356326
    Abstract: A top cover includes a cover plate covering a plurality of battery cells and having an opening in at least one portion thereof, and at least one temperature measuring member mounted in the opening so as to measure a temperature of one the battery cells, the temperature measuring member having a temperature measuring portion coming in contact with the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD., ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventor: Myung-Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 9328532
    Abstract: An electronic lockset with a radio frequency harvesting circuit. In one embodiment, the electronic lockset includes a mechanical locking portion movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. One or more energy consumption devices are provided that actuate the mechanical locking portion between the locked position and the unlocked position. A rechargeable battery provides electrical power to the energy consumption devices. A radio frequency (“RF”) transmitter and RF energy harvesting circuit are used to wirelessly recharge the battery. Typically, the RF transmitter is configured to transmit at a predetermined frequency. The RF energy harvesting circuit is tuned to the predetermined frequency and is electrically coupled with the rechargeable battery to recharge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Kwikset Corporation
    Inventors: Thuan Nguyen, Michael Maridakis, Troy Brown, Nedal Akram Almomani
  • Patent number: 9324997
    Abstract: Technologies are generally described for a battery, a method for implementing a battery and a rechargeable battery system. In some examples, the rechargeable battery system includes a battery. The battery may include a first electrode including a tantalum component, a vanadium component and a boron component. The battery may further include a second electrode and an electrical insulator between the first and the second electrode. The battery system may include a housing, where the housing includes the first electrode, and where the housing is effective to communicate light and oxygen to the first electrode. A sensor may be disposed so as to be effective to detect a reaction of tantalum and oxygen in the housing and generate a reaction signal in response. A processor may be in electrical communication with the sensor and effective to receive the reaction signal and generate an indication based on the reaction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Arockiadoss Thevasahayam