Patents Assigned to Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20140093761
    Abstract: There is provided a lithium secondary battery. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode mixture layer provided on one side or both sides of the current collector. The positive electrode active material includes a lithium-containing composite oxide including lithium and a transition metal. At least a part of the lithium-containing composite oxide includes nickel as transition metal. The non-aqueous electrolyte includes a halogen-substituted cyclic carbonate at a content of 0.5 to 5 mass %, when manufacturing the lithium secondary battery. The side part of the battery case includes two wide surfaces opposed to each other. The two wide surfaces are wider than the other surfaces in a side view. The side part has such a cleavable groove that is cleaved when an internal pressure of the battery exceeds a threshold. The cleavable groove is provided at a portion to intersect with a diagonal of the wide surfaces in the side view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventor: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
  • Publication number: 20130136988
    Abstract: [Objectives] The present invention provides a non-aqueous secondary battery in which a material containing Si and O as constituent elements is used in a negative electrode. The present invention provides a non-aqueous secondary battery having good charge discharge cycle characteristics, and suppressing the battery swelling associated with the charge and the discharge. Also, the present invention relates to a negative electrode that can provide the non-aqueous secondary battery. [Solution] The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material, including a composite of a material containing Si and O as constitution elements (atom ratio x of O to Si is 0.5?x?1.5) in combination with a carbon material, and graphite. The graphite has an average particle diameter dg(?m) of 4 to 20 ?m. The material containing Si and O as constitution elements has an average particle diameter ds(?m) of 1 ?m or more. The ratio ds/dg (i.e., ds to dg) is 0.05 to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naokage Tanaka, Akira Inaba, Keiichiro Uenae, Masayuki Yamada, Kazunobu Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130078509
    Abstract: A non-aqueous secondary battery contains a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution. The positive electrode contains a layered structure lithium-containing compound oxide, or a spinel lithium-containing compound oxide containing manganese as an active material. The non-aqueous electrolytic solution contains at least one additive selected from a sulfonic acid anhydride, a sulfonate ester derivative, a cyclic sulfate derivative and a cyclic sulfonate ester derivative, and a vinylene carbonate or a derivative of the vinylene carbonate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130071758
    Abstract: The nonaqueous electrolyte for an electrochemical device of the present invention includes at least one selected from an imide compound represented by the general formula (1) and an imide compound represented by the general formula (2): where R1 is an organic residue or an F-containing organic residue, X1 and X2 are each H, F, an organic residue or an F-containing organic residue, and X1 and X2 may be the same or different from each other; and where R2 is an organic residue or an F-containing organic residue, and H of a benzene ring may be partially or entirely replaced with F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki OYA, Mitsuhiro KISHIMI, Fusaji KITA
  • Publication number: 20120321939
    Abstract: Provided is a flat battery with a molded gasket extending from the opening edge of the seal can to the flat portion, where the gasket may be prevented from exfoliating from the inner surface of the seal can. A flat battery (1) includes: a negative electrode can (10) (exterior can) shaped as a cylinder with a bottom; a positive electrode can (20) (seal can) having a peripheral wall (22) (cylinder portion) and a flat portion (21), the positive electrode can being disposed as an inverted dish with respect to the negative electrode can (10); and a gasket (30) molded at least on an inner surface of the positive electrode can (20), extending from the opening edge of the peripheral wall (22) to the flat portion (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamaguchi, Toshihiko Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20120276437
    Abstract: A flat nonaqueous secondary battery with improved reliability is provided. The flat nonaqueous secondary battery (1) includes an electrode assembly disposed in a space formed by an exterior case (2) and a seal case (3). The electrode assembly includes a plurality of positive electrodes (5) and a plurality of negative electrodes (6) alternately stacked upon each other and a separator (7). The separator (7) has a joint (7c) formed by welding together at least a portion of its periphery. When the separator (7) and the positive electrode (5) are measured along a cross section in their thickness direction, the ratio A/B of the shortest distance A between the end of the joint (7c) of the separator (7) facing the positive electrode (5) and the outer periphery of the positive electrode (5) sandwiched by the separator (7) to the thickness B of the positive electrode (5) is not smaller than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko Onishi, Toshikazu Yoshiba, Megumu Takai
  • Patent number: 8221509
    Abstract: Sheet-shaped mixture layers are placed on both sides of a current collector to form an electrode (positive electrode) with a layered structure. The electrode with a layered structure and a counter electrode (negative electrode) thereof are wound via a separator, while a positional shift in a winding direction is caused between the current collector and the sheet-shaped mixture layers of the electrode with the layered structure, whereby a winding body is formed. The winding body is placed in a battery case (outer can) to constitute a battery. Particularly, in the electrode with a layered structure, by forming the current collector of a plain-woven wire net, a metal foil, expanded metal, a lath, or punching metal, a battery with satisfactory productivity suitable for an intermediate load can be provided at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoko Masuyoshi, Mitsutoshi Watanabe, Tetsuo Kawai, Toshiyuki Edamoto
  • Patent number: 8216719
    Abstract: A non-aqueous secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode material mixture layer containing a lithium-containing transition metal oxide. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode material mixture layer and a porous layer containing an insulating material unreactive with lithium formed thereon. The negative electrode material mixture layer includes a negative electrode material including a core and a carbon covering layer covering a surface of the core. The core includes a material containing silicon and oxygen at an atomic ratio x of the oxygen to the silicon of 0.5?×?1.5. The material containing silicon and oxygen has a peak at least in a range of 1850 to 1860 eV in an X-ray absorption near edge structure spectrum at the K absorption edge of Si in a state in which discharge of the battery is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Yamada, Kazutaka Uchitomi, Qiao Shi, Hiroshi Fukunaga, Kazunobu Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8197954
    Abstract: A battery pack that allows a cover to be firmly fixed with a simple structure and that has superior impact resistance is provided. The battery pack is a battery pack 1 in which a protection circuit 10 and a protection element 7 are attached to a unit cell 2 and the protection circuit 10 and the protection element 7 are housed within a cover 11, the battery pack 1 including an internal frame 6 provided within the cover 11, wherein the internal frame 6 is fixed to the unit cell 2 and supports the protection circuit 10, a boss 13 projecting from the internal frame 6 which passes through a hole 12 formed in the cover 11, and the cover 11 is fixed to the internal frame 6 by melting and deforming the boss 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadayoshi Dobata, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Youg-hyun Shin, Rie Morisaki
  • Patent number: 8153298
    Abstract: A positive electrode for an alkaline battery of the present invention includes a spinel-type manganese oxide as a positive electrode active material, wherein the spinel-type manganese oxide has a potential of 0.26 to 0.34 V with respect to a Hg/HgO reference electrode, and the content of the spinel-type manganese oxide in the entire positive electrode active material is not less than 30 mass %. Further, an alkaline battery of the present invention includes the above-described positive electrode for an alkaline battery of the invention, a negative electrode and an electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Iwamoto, Yoshihisa Hirose
  • Patent number: 8137840
    Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery containing a positive electrode having a positive electrode mixture layer, a negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte, in which the positive electrode comprises, as active materials, three or more lithium-containing transition metal oxides having different average particle sizes, those transition metal oxides comprise a transition metal element, the transition metal element of the transition metal oxide having the smallest average particle size is partially substituted with a metal element other than the transition metal element, and the density of the positive electrode mixture layer is t 3.8 g/cm3 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fusaji Kita, Hideki Tsubata, Hiroyasu Inoue
  • Publication number: 20110318631
    Abstract: The electrochemical device of the present invention comprises a positive electrode (2), a negative electrode (1), a nonaqueous electrolyte and a separator (3). The separator (3) includes a porous layer (I) composed of a microporous film composed predominantly of a thermoplastic resin and a porous layer (II) containing a filler having a heat-resistant temperature of 150° C. or higher as the main component. The negative electrode (1) contains graphite having an R value of 0.1 to 0.5 and d002 of 0.338 nm or less as a negative electrode active material, where the R value is a ratio of a peak intensity at 1360 cm?1 to a peak intensity at 1580 cm?1 in an argon ion laser Raman spectrum and the d002 is a lattice spacing between 002 planes. The ratio of the graphite to the negative electrode active material is 30 mass % or more, and the nonaqueous electrolyte contains vinyl ethylene carbonate or a derivative thereof, or a dinitrile compound or acid anhydride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI MAXELL ENERGY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nomura, Akira Yamashita, Fusaji Kita
  • Patent number: 8043740
    Abstract: The flat-shaped battery includes an electrode material containing an active material, and a battery case which has the electrode material housed inside and in which a plurality of protruding members extending inwardly from an inner surface of the battery case are fixed to the inner surface. The electrode material is housed in the battery case with those individual protruding members inserted in the electrode material. As a result, even if the flat-shaped battery is subjected to such external influences as accelerations and vibrations, the electrode material can securely be prevented from moving within the battery case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Yabushita, Koji Yamaguchi, Toshikazu Yoshiba
  • Patent number: 8021793
    Abstract: A hydrogen producing apparatus according to the present invention includes a hydrogen-generating-material containing vessel 1 for containing a hydrogen generating material, a water containing vessel 2 for containing water, a water supply portion for supplying water from the water containing vessel 2 to the hydrogen-generating-material containing vessel 1, a hydrogen outflow portion for leading out hydrogen from the hydrogen-generating-material containing vessel 1, a gas-liquid separating part 7 for separating water from a mixture of hydrogen and water discharged from the hydrogen-generating-material containing vessel 1, and a water collecting portion for collecting water separated by the gas-liquid separating part 7 into the water containing vessel 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nakai, Hiroshi Kashino, Takeshi Miki, Shoji Saibara
  • Patent number: 8007691
    Abstract: A catalyst for electrodes in solid-polymer fuel cells which comprises metal oxide particles themselves. The catalyst contains fine transition-metal oxide particles having, in the main phase, a perovskite structure represented by the general formula ABO3 (wherein A represents one or more elements selected among lanthanum, strontium, cerium, calcium, yttrium, erbium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, silicon, magnesium, barium, niobium, lead, bismuth, and antimony; and B represents one or more elements selected among iron, cobalt, manganese, copper, titanium, chromium, nickel, and molybdenum), the fine oxide particles having lattice constants satisfying the following relationship (1): 1.402<2b/(a+c)<1.422??(1) wherein a and c represent the minor-axis lengths of the perovskite type crystal lattice and b represents the major-axis length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Sawaki, Mikio Kishimoto, Haruyuki Nakanishi, Shigeaki Murata, Masahiro Imanishi, Shinichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8003247
    Abstract: A button-type alkaline battery in which an anode 3 containing an anode active material and an alkaline electrolyte is disposed in a sealed space formed by sealing a cathode housing 4 with an anode sealing member 5, with a gasket 6 being interposed between the cathode housing 4 and the anode sealing member 5. The anode active material includes mercury-free zinc or a mercury-free zinc alloy. The button-type alkaline battery includes a metal layer 7 that is disposed between and in contact with the anode sealing member 5 and the anode 3. The metal layer 7 includes a base material containing zinc, and at least one metal M selected from the group consisting of indium, bismuth, and tin, with the metal M having segregated in the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Tamakoshi, Hisanori Sugahara, Yoshihisa Hirose, Minoru Ichijo, Kiyoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7989100
    Abstract: A sealed prismatic battery according to the present invention comprises a laterally long cap sealing an opening of an upper surface of a battery can and a safety vent placed on the cap and having a thin-walled valve body which opens in an abnormal rise of a battery internal pressure. The safety vent has an oval-shaped circumferential groove formed inside an oval-shaped coining section provided on an outer surface of the cap and on one end side in a lateral direction of the cap and a thin-walled valve body surrounded thereby, and the oval-shaped circumferential groove is composed of lateral side sections parallel to the lateral direction of the cap and circular arc sections connecting these lateral side sections, with one lateral side section, other lateral side section, and the thin-walled valve body of the safety vent respectively having a thickness increased in this order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Matsumoto, Osamu Watanabe, Yoshiki Somatomo