Patents Assigned to A123 Systems
  • Patent number: 10026942
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jason R. Davis, Robert Dickie, Kevin Martus, Michael Shenberger, David Allen, Michael Wiener
  • Patent number: 10008701
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy E. Hughes, Lingchang Wang, Arfan Ahmad
  • Patent number: 9979053
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Viet Vu, Michael R. Wixom
  • Patent number: 9954215
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Brian J. Pevear
  • Patent number: 9954228
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Beck, Jennifer Wilson, Chuanjing Xu, Zhong-You Shi, Maha Hammoud
  • Patent number: 9923180
    Abstract: Porous separators for use in electrochemical cells and methods of their manufacture are provided. The separators are porous structures comprising an electroactive material and an electronically insulating structural material, wherein the electroactive material forms a percolating path in the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Karen E. Thomas-Alyea, Susan J. Babinec, Richard K. Holman
  • Patent number: 9864014
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Paul W. Firehammer, John H. Floros
  • Patent number: 9793724
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a scalable battery controller are disclosed. In one example, a circuit board coupled to a battery cell stack is designed to be configurable to monitor and balance battery cells of battery cell stacks that may vary depending on battery pack requirements. Further, the battery pack control module may configure software instructions in response to a voltage at a battery cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Paul W. Firehammer, Brian C. Moorhead
  • Patent number: 9728759
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Gregory B. Less, Angela Knapp, Susan J. Babinec
  • Patent number: 9685678
    Abstract: A material suitable for use in an electrode, preferably an anode, and processes of its formation are provided. The material includes an electrode base material and an organic artificial solid electrolyte interface material including a water soluble organic polymer coating the electrode base material. The polymer is polymerized with a crosslinker to form the organic artificial solid electrolyte interface material. The resulting artificial SEI coated electrode material demonstrates superior discharge rate capacity and cycle stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Viet Vu, Jinjun Shi, Pu Zhang
  • Patent number: 9660267
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Beck, Jennifer Wilson, Chuanjing Xu, Zhong-You Shi, Maha Hammoud
  • Patent number: 9641004
    Abstract: Systems and methods for balancing charge of battery cells of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, battery cell balancing may be improved by balancing battery cells of a battery cell stack simultaneously. The system and method may be particularly useful battery packs that may be constructed with battery cell stacks that vary in a number of series battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: John H. Floros, Paul W. Firehammer
  • Patent number: 9618544
    Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying a reference voltage within a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, an assessment of a reference voltage is made via a band-gap voltage of a microcontroller. The system and method may be particularly useful determining whether or not the reference voltage has drifted from a desired voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: John H. Floros, Paul W. Firehammer
  • Patent number: 9608292
    Abstract: A lithium-ion battery is provided that has a fast charge and discharge rate capability and low rate of capacity fade during high rate cycling. The battery can exhibit low impedance growth and other properties allowing for its use in hybrid electric vehicle applications and other applications where high power and long battery life are important features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Antoni S. Gozdz, Andrew C. Chu, Ricardo Fulop, Yet-Ming Chiang, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., Roger Lin
  • Patent number: 9509019
    Abstract: Electroactive compositions are disclosed for use in lithium ion battery electrodes. The compositions, such as multifunctional mixed metal olivines, provide an electrochemical cell having a plurality of open circuit voltages at different states of charge. The compositions afford improved state-of-charge monitoring, overcharge protection and/or overdischarge protection for lithium ion batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Yet-Ming Chiang, Andrew C. Chu, Young-Il Jang, Nonglak Meethong, Yu-Hua Kao, Gilbert N. Riley, Jr., Anthony E. Pullen, Karen E. Thomas-Alyea
  • Patent number: 9450426
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Brian C. Moorhead, Brian D. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 9450276
    Abstract: A battery pack includes at least one voltaic cell module. A substrate is mechanically coupled to the module and configured to receive excess heat therefrom. A section of an electrically insulating thermal gap pad is arranged between the module and the substrate. The pad includes a dielectric sheet supporting a deformable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Allan Alimario, Jason R. Davis, Chad Allison, Jonathan Hostler, David Allen
  • Patent number: 9431146
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to compositions and methods of manufacture of electrodes for batteries, including rechargeable lithium batteries, wherein at least one electrode comprises an electroactive material and a malleable metal. The electrode may be substantially free of other conductive additives and organic binders. Manufacture of the electrode may be performed without solvent or sintering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Yet-Ming Chiang, Shen J. Dillon, Richard K. Holman
  • Patent number: 9350017
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are lithium or lithium-ion batteries that employ an aluminum or aluminum alloy current collector protected by conductive coating in combination with electrolyte containing aluminum corrosion inhibitor and a fluorinated lithium imide or methide electrolyte which exhibit surprisingly long cycle life at high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Konstantin Tikhonov, Tobias Johnson, Jesse Chau, Ka Ki Yip, Marc Juzkow
  • Patent number: 9343745
    Abstract: Provided are methods of passivating active materials for use in electrochemical cells as well as active materials and cell components prepared using such methods. Active material particles may be combined with passivating material particles, and this combination may be mixed together using high shear mixing. The mixed combination may not include any solvents or binders. As such, drying mixing may be performed on this combination of the active material particles and passivating material particles. A passivating layer is formed on the active material particles during mixing. This passivating layer later prevents direct contact between the active material particles and the electrolyte while still allowing ionic exchange. Furthermore, the passivating layer may increase electronic conductivity between active material particles in an electrode. The passivating layer may be mechanically bonded to the surface of the active material particles rather than chemically bonded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Tzu-Yuan Lin, Marc Juzkow, Francisco Madulid, Junghyun Kim