Patents Assigned to A123 Systems, LLC
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Patent number: 10938002Abstract: The following description relates to systems and methods for a vehicle battery. The vehicle battery may be a Lithium-ion battery, and may comprise a plurality of prismatic shaped battery cells, arranged and stacked to form a series of battery cell groups, and where protective casings or partitioned chambers of a protective casing enclose each battery cell group. The protective casings, or component segments of a protective casing, may be coupled to one another by a series of ridges and mating grooves. A protective casing may alternatively comprise of a monolithic extrusion comprising a plurality of partitioned chambers. The protective casing may be configured to absorb a threshold compressive force without resulting in deformation of the battery cell groups.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventor: Timothy E. Hughes
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Patent number: 10862158Abstract: A silicon anode comprising a hybrid binder at a blending ratio of 10-90 wt. % for use in a Li-ion battery is provided. The combination of a hybrid binder in the Si anode for use in a rechargeable Li-ion cell shows the unexpected result of extending the cycle life and a balancing effect between adhesion strength and first cycle efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: A123 SYSTEMS LLCInventors: Jun Wang, Ronnie Wilkins, Paul Gionet
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Patent number: 10522833Abstract: An LFP electrode material is provided which has improved impedance, power during cold cranking, rate capacity retention, charge transfer resistance over the current LFP based cathode materials. The electrode material comprises crystalline primary particles and secondary particles, where the primary particle is formed from a plate-shaped single-phase spheniscidite precursor and a lithium source. The LFP includes an LFP phase behavior where the LFP phase behavior includes an extended solid-solution range.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Larry Beck, Jennifer Wilson, Chuanjing Xu, Zhong-You Shi, Maha Hammoud
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Patent number: 10497916Abstract: An electrode/separator assembly for use in an electrochemical cell includes a current collector; a porous composite electrode layer adhered to the current collector, said electrode layer comprising at least electroactive particles and a binder; and a porous composite separator layer comprising inorganic particles substantially uniformly distributed in a polymer matrix to form nanopores and having a pore volume fraction of at least 25%, wherein the separator layer is secured to the electrode layer by a solvent weld at the interface between the two layers, said weld comprising a mixture of the binder and the polymer. Methods of making and using the assembly are also described.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Gregory B. Less, Angela Knapp, Susan J. Babinec
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Patent number: 10305104Abstract: A lithium-ion battery having over-discharge protection includes an anode comprising at least an electrochemically active anode material, said anode having an anode irreversible capacity loss during a first charge of the lithium-ion battery; and a cathode comprising at least an electrochemically active cathode material characterized by the formula: xLi2MnO3.(1?x)LiMnaNibCocO2, where 0<x<1 and a+b+c=1, and x, a, b, and c are selected to provide a cathode irreversible capacity loss during a first charge of the lithium-ion battery that is greater than or equal to the anode irreversible capacity loss, and wherein the cathode possesses a voltage step less than about 2 V versus Li.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventor: Young-Il Jang
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Patent number: 10270129Abstract: A rechargeable battery is designed with cells having a specific combination of anode, cathode, and electrolyte compositions to maintain long cycle life at extreme high temperatures and deliver high power at extreme low temperatures. These properties can significantly reduce or altogether eliminate the need for thermal management circuitry, reducing weight and cost. Applications in telecommunications backup, transportation, and military defense are contemplated.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventor: Jeong Ju Cho
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Patent number: 10263300Abstract: A battery pack for supplying energy to propel a vehicle is disclosed. In one example, a battery pack includes a thermoplastic over mold for providing resistance to liquid is disclosed. The battery pack may have increased resistance to battery pack degradation.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventor: Michael P. Ciaccio
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Patent number: 10218027Abstract: A starter battery is provided comprising a plurality of pouch-type prismatic cells stacked to form an array and configured to output a voltage sufficient to start a vehicle engine. The starter battery further includes a housing configured to contain the array wherein the housing includes a tray and a lid attached with the tray such that the housing provides a compressive force sufficient to prevent cell delamination and to constrain expansion or swelling of the cells during operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2014Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Jerry Gohl, Timothy Hughes, Arfan Ahmad, Jason Davis, Robert Dickie, Kevin Martus, Michael Shenberger, David Allen
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Patent number: 10147911Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein include systems and methods that improve the speed of jelly roll assembly for large format and high capacity cells as compared to a stack-folding production method. In one embodiment, a higher speed winding process is achieved, and, in addition, a higher capacity and energy can be achieved by adding at least one (additional) cathode layer between the jelly roll. Such an addition minimizes the loss of use of an anode outer layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2013Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: A 123 Systems, LLCInventor: Sang Young Yoon
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Patent number: 10141605Abstract: A rechargeable battery cell having a specific combination of anode, cathode and electrolyte formulation is provided. The electrolyte formulation includes an additive system and a salt system. The additive system includes a first additive containing a sulfonyl group, an anti-gassing agent, and a second additive. The salt system includes a lithium salt and a co-salt. The disclosed electrolyte formulation has reduced gassing and improved performance over a wide temperature range.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2014Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Leslie J. Pinnell, Christopher Campion, Antoni S. Gozdz, Jeong Ju Cho
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Patent number: 10128536Abstract: Lithium ion (Li-ion) multi-cell batteries in which the requirements for individual monitoring and controlling charging of each cell, the requirements for monitoring and controlling charge balancing and the effects of repeated charging and discharging are ameliorated are presented. In one or more embodiments, the multi-cell battery includes configuration material that substantially provides a moisture barrier.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventor: William H. Gardner
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Patent number: 10084324Abstract: Systems and methods for balancing battery cells of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, a charge imbalance is determined while battery cells operate in a high charge resolution voltage range. The charge imbalance determined during operation in the high charge resolution voltage range may be removed when the battery cells are operated in a low charge resolution voltage range. The system and method may be particularly useful for balancing battery cells that operate in the low charge resolution voltage range for a large portion of their operating time.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2016Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Brian C. Moorhead, Brian D. Rutkowski
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Patent number: 10079371Abstract: An electrochemical storage multi-cell may comprise: a housing, including a plurality of concentric annular cell chambers; a plurality of electrochemical storage cells, wherein each of the plurality of annular cells are positioned in one of the plurality of annular cell chambers, and the plurality of annular cells are electrically connected in series; and conductive electrolyte filling each of the annular cell chambers.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: James E. Dawson, Mujeeb Ijaz
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Patent number: 10079377Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating a state of a battery to a vehicle controller are disclosed. In one example, a battery pack outputs a signal indicative of an amount of capability the battery pack has to source or sink current at present operating conditions. The system and method may improve vehicle drivability and reduce battery pack degradation.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Brian D. Rutkowski, Brian C. Moorhead
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Patent number: 10067197Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a plurality of battery cells within a battery pack, a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits detecting voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a voltage of a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells coupled to a first voltage threshold detecting circuit of the plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits, and a network that selectively couples a second battery cell to the first voltage detecting circuit while the first battery cell is coupled to the first voltage detecting circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Paul W. Firehammer, John H. Floros
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Patent number: 10026942Abstract: A battery module is provided. The battery module includes a set of stacked battery cells, each stacked battery cell including at least one cell tab and a bus bar assembly including a bus bar, a bus bar support overmolded around a sense line electrically coupled to the battery cells, the bus bar support including cell tab openings having the plurality of cell tabs extending therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2013Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems LLCInventors: Jason R. Davis, Robert Dickie, Kevin Martus, Michael Shenberger, David Allen, Michael Wiener
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Patent number: 10008701Abstract: A battery is provided comprising a plurality of cylindrical type cells. Three cylindrical cells may be arranged in a triangular configuration with an electrical isolation spacer positioned between the three cylindrical cells, and a casing may be wrapped around the cells to restrict relative movement of the cells forming a cell group. Multiple cells groups, separated by electrical isolation spacers, may be electrically coupled via bus bars and arranged to form a cell module, where multiple cell modules may be included in the battery, and where the cell modules may be electrically coupled via inter-module connectors.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2015Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Timothy E. Hughes, Lingchang Wang, Arfan Ahmad
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Patent number: 9979053Abstract: A rechargeable, hybrid battery system incorporates a high power battery component and a high energy density battery component. The voltage of the high energy density battery varies as a function of its state of charge, but remains greater than the voltage of the high power battery throughout the operating range of the battery system.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Viet Vu, Michael R. Wixom
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Patent number: 9954215Abstract: The present disclosure relates battery with an integrated power management system and scalable cutoff component, the battery system including a battery housing with first and second voltage output terminals, a plurality of rechargeable battery cells within the battery housing and having first and second voltage terminals; a power management system for generating an external control signal and an internal control signal based upon monitored operating parameters of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells, said external control signal for controlling an external power source and/or an external load, said power management system forming an integral part of the battery system; and a cutoff switch circuit within the battery housing and for making and breaking a conductive path between the first voltage terminal of the plurality of battery cells and the first voltage output terminal of the battery housing in response the internal control signal from the battery management system.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2010Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventor: Brian J. Pevear
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Patent number: 9954228Abstract: An LFP electrode material is provided which has improved impedance, power during cold cranking, rate capacity retention, charge transfer resistance over the current LFP based cathode materials. The electrode material comprises crystalline primary particles and secondary particles, where the primary particle is formed from a plate-shaped single-phase spheniscidite precursor and a lithium source. The LFP includes an LFP phase behavior where the LFP phase behavior includes an extended solid-solution range.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: A123 Systems, LLCInventors: Larry Beck, Jennifer Wilson, Chuanjing Xu, Zhong-You Shi, Maha Hammoud