Patents Examined by Adam A Arciero
  • Patent number: 10680277
    Abstract: Rechargeable, high-density electrochemical devices are disclosed. These electrochemical devices may, for example, include high energy densities that store more energy in a given, limited volume than other batteries and still show acceptable power or current rate capability without any liquid or gel-type battery components. Certain embodiments may involve, for example, low volume or mass of all of the battery components other than the cathode, while simultaneously achieving high electrochemically active mass inside the positive cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Sapurast Research LLC
    Inventors: Shawn W. Snyder, Bernd J. Neudecker
  • Patent number: 10658661
    Abstract: An electrode and a power storage device each of which achieves better charge-discharge cycle characteristics and is less likely to deteriorate owing to separation of an active material, or the like are manufactured. As the electrode for the power storage device, an electrode including a current collector and an active material layer that is over the current collector and includes a particle containing niobium oxide and a granular active material is used, whereby the charge-discharge cycle characteristics of the power storage device can be improved. Moreover, contact between the granular active material and the particle containing niobium oxide makes the granular active material physically fixed; accordingly, deterioration due to expansion and contraction of the active material which occur along with charge and discharge of the power storage device, such as powdering of the active material layer or its separation from the current collector, can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Kuriki, Kiyofumi Ogino, Nobuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 10651475
    Abstract: An electrode plate manufacturing apparatus includes: a first roll; a second roll that consolidates a particle aggregate and forms an undried active material film; and a third roll that transcribes the undried active material film on the second roll onto a current collector foil. A circumferential velocity A of the first roll, a circumferential velocity B of the second roll, a conveyance velocity C of the current collector foil, a contact angle ? of the first roll, a contact angle ? of the second roll, and a contact angle ? of the current collector foil satisfy conditions (i) ?????1.6×B/A+40 where ???>0 and B/A?1 and (ii) ?????1.6×C/B+40 where ???>0 and C/B?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Mesuda
  • Patent number: 10644274
    Abstract: A battery cell holder that may be used to form interconnection of cells in series and/or parallel arrangements. The cell holder includes slots for receiving battery cells, conductive apertures within the slots for attaching a conductor to the cells, and a hinge. The cell holder is foldable about the hinge and includes a keying system that allows multiple cell holders to be interconnected to form battery packs of multiple sizes and arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Eetrex, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle William Butterfield
  • Patent number: 10644307
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a slurry composition for non aqueous electrolyte battery electrodes that includes a binder composition, an active material, and a solvent, in which the active material is a lithium-containing metal oxide, the binder composition contains a neutralized salt of an ?-olefin-maleic acid copolymer in which an ?-olefin and a maleic acid are copolymerized, and the degree of neutralization for carboxylic acid generated from the maleic acid in the copolymer is from 0.3 to 1.0. The present invention further pertains to a non aqueous electrolyte battery positive electrode and a non aqueous electrolyte battery using the slurry composition for non aqueous electrolyte battery electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Ohta, Toshimitsu Tanaka, Junji Fujioka, Jun-Sang Cho, Hideharu Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10637096
    Abstract: An electrochemical battery cell having a negative electrode, an electrolyte containing a conductive salt, and a positive electrode, the electrolyte being based on SO2 and the intermediate chamber between the positive electrode and the negative electrode being implemented such that active mass deposited on the negative electrode during the charging of the cell may come into contact with the positive electrode in such manner that locally delimited short-circuit reactions occur on its surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Hambitzer GmbH
    Inventors: Guenther Hambitzer, Laurent Zinck, Heide Biollaz, Markus Borck, Christiane Ripp
  • Patent number: 10629862
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electrochemical cells that generally relate to the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to primary lithium electrochemical cells possessing insulator pocket structures, which substantially envelope cathode components to prevent lithium cluster formation therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Greatbatch Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark J. Roy, Gary Freitag, Joseph M. Lehnes, David Dianetti
  • Patent number: 10629933
    Abstract: A process for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon gas comprising contacting at elevated temperature the hydrocarbon gas with a catalyst to catalytically convert the hydrocarbon gas to hydrogen and solid carbon; wherein, the catalyst comprises one or both of the following: (a) a calcined Fe-containing catalyst; or (b) a bimetallic MxNiy-type catalyst supported on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HAZER GROUP LTD
    Inventors: Hui Tong Chua, Andrew Cornejo, Colin Llewellyn Raston, Lizhen Gao
  • Patent number: 10618428
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter connected to an energy store having a variable output voltage and including a first pair of battery partitions. The vehicle includes a controller configured to operate a first set of switches to arrange electrical connections between the first pair such that the variable output voltage is greater than battery voltage of a one of the battery partitions. The operation of switches is responsive to a parameter indicative of speed of an electric machine electrically coupled to the inverter exceeding a first predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Shuitao Yang, Yan Zhou, Fan Xu, Khorshed Khorshed Alam
  • Patent number: 10622642
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode having a first region located adjacent to a fuel inlet and a second region located adjacent to a fuel outlet. The anode electrode includes a cermet having a nickel containing phase and a ceramic phase. The first region of the anode electrode contains a lower ratio of the nickel containing phase to the ceramic phase than the second region of the anode electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Emad El Batawi
  • Patent number: 10615444
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte and an anode electrode containing a first portion having a cermet containing a nonzero volume percent of a nickel containing phase and a nonzero volume percent of a ceramic phase and a second portion having a cermet containing a nonzero volume percent of a nickel containing phase and a nonzero volume percent of a ceramic phase, such that the first portion is located between the electrolyte and the second portion. The SOFC is an electrolyte-supported SOFC and the first portion of the anode electrode contains a lower ratio of the nickel containing phase to the ceramic phase than the second portion of the anode electrode. The first portion of the anode electrode has a porosity of 5-30 volume percent and the second portion of the anode electrode has a porosity of 31-60 volume percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Gasda, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Tad Armstrong, Vijay Radhakrishnan, Emad El Batawi
  • Patent number: 10615388
    Abstract: A membrane is a microporous sheet made of a blend of a first ultra high molecular weight polyolefin and a second ultra high molecular weight polyolefin. Each polyolefin has a molecular weight, both of those molecular weights are greater than 1 million, and one molecular weight is greater than the other. Additionally, the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the membrane may be greater than or equal to 6.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Celgard, LLC
    Inventors: Donald K. Simmons, Joseph G. Yaritz
  • Patent number: 10614967
    Abstract: A mixture of amorphous PAHs and at least one of a carrier ion storage metal, a Sn compound, a carrier ion storage alloy, a metal compound, Si, Sb, and SiO2 is used as the negative electrode active material. The theoretical capacity of amorphous PAHs greatly exceeds that of a graphite-based carbon material. Thus, the use of amorphous PAHs enables the negative electrode active material to have a higher capacity than in the case of using the graphite-based carbon material. Further, addition of at least one of the carrier ion storage metal, the Sn compound, the carrier ion storage alloy, the metal compound, Si, Sb, and SiO2 to the amorphous PAHs enables the negative electrode active material to have a higher capacity than the case of only using the amorphous PAHs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yumiko Saito, Rie Yokoi, Mayumi Mikami
  • Patent number: 10593957
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a gas diffusion layer for fuel cells includes a fine porous layer formed on a carbon fiber support and being interposed between a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) and a separator. The carbon fiber support includes a fine pore area having a predetermined average pore size in a separator direction (thickness direction) in the membrane electrode assembly, and a coarse pore area having a larger predetermined average pore size than the average pore size of the fine pore area in the separator direction (thickness direction) in the membrane electrode assembly. The fine pore area and the coarse pore area are alternately formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Man Park, Kook Il Han, Ji Han Lee
  • Patent number: 10586995
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, and a polymeric blend proton exchange membrane interposed between the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer. The polymeric blend proton exchange membrane includes a scaffold polymer and a polyacid polymer. The polyacid polymer being formed from a polyacid polymer precursor. Characteristically, the scaffold polymer and the polyacid polymer precursor have matching solubility parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Thieo E. Hogen-Esch, Ming Li, Surya G. K. Prakash
  • Patent number: 10573890
    Abstract: A cathode material for a lithium-ion secondary battery including: granulated bodies in which primary particles are aggregated, wherein an average particle diameter of the granulated bodies is 0.90 ?m or more and 2.00 ?m or less, particle diameters of 90% or more of the granulated bodies are 0.25 ?m or more and 3.50 ?m or less, wherein particle diameters of the granulated bodies are evaluated such that 300 granulated bodies are randomly selected from a view of the granulated bodies using a scanning electron microscope, a plurality of diameters of each of the 300 granulated bodies that pass through a central point thereof are evaluated, and a maximum diameter selected from said plurality of diameters is considered as a particle diameter of each of the granulated bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Oyama, Ryuuta Yamaya, Takao Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10566669
    Abstract: A lithium oxygen or air battery (80) is disclosed having two halves (81) that are joined together along their edges. Each battery half (81) has a carbon cloth or mesh cathode current collector (82), a cathode (83), a cathode terminal (84), an anode (85), an anode current collector, anode terminal (88) and a solid separator (87). The cathode includes randomly distributed carbon fibers throughout. The manufacturing of the cathode includes embedding a carbon cloth between two layers of cathode material in a slurry state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: JOHNSON IP HOLDING, LLC
    Inventor: Lonnie G. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10566638
    Abstract: A radiolytic electrochemical system that comprises a cathode, an anode that comprises a semiconductor, an aqueous electrolyte solution disposed between the cathode and anode, and ionizing radiation, wherein the ionizing radiation splits water molecules and forms solvated free radicals that migrate to the anode or cathode, depending upon a radical's charge, and participate in redox reactions at the anode and cathode thereby producing electrical current capable of performing work when the anode and cathode are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Jae Wan Kwon, Baek Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 10559786
    Abstract: Battery systems according to embodiments of the present technology may include a battery cell having an electrode tab extending from an edge of the battery cell. The systems may also include a module electrically coupled with the battery cell. The module may be characterized by a first surface, a height, and a second surface opposite the first surface. A conductive tab coupled along the first surface of the module may extend from a first end parallel to a plane of the first surface. The conductive tab may be characterized by a curvature proximate a midpoint of the conductive tab. A distal region of the conductive tab may return back across the first surface of the module substantially parallel to the first surface. A distal portion of the electrode tab may be fixedly coupled with the distal region of the conductive tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo V. Marasco, Nathan J. Bohney
  • Patent number: 10556400
    Abstract: Battery packaging material wherein a sheet-like laminated body is formed by sequentially stacking at least a base layer, metal layer, and sealant layer, the battery packaging material being equipped with substantially rectangular space that is formed to protrude from the sealant layer side toward the base layer side, and accommodates a battery element on the sealant layer side. In planar view from the base layer side view, a first and second curved sections are provided from the center portion toward the battery packaging material end parts, in a cross section in the thickness direction on a line connecting opposing corner parts protruding in a substantially rectangular shape. The thickness (a) of the metal layer at the first curved section, (c) of the metal layer at the second curved section, and (b) of the metal layer at the section located between the first and second curved sections, satisfy the following relationship a?b>c or a?c>b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Amano, Rikiya Yamashita, Atsuko Takahagi