Patents Examined by Allison Bourke
  • Patent number: 12731835
    Abstract: To suppress formation of wrinkles at any corner of a joint portion of an exterior body to suppress the breakage of the exterior body, a battery includes: an electrode body that is a quadrilateral in a plan view; and an exterior body housing the electrode body therein, wherein the exterior body has a joint portion along at least three sides thereof in a circumferential end thereof, a spacer is arranged between each corner of the electrode body and an inner surface of the exterior body, and the spacer has a projection extending toward the joint portion of the exterior body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Kagami
  • Patent number: 12731867
    Abstract: Provided is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator capable of satisfactorily maintaining ion permeability even after being compressed. The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator includes a polyolefin porous film in which an average of inclination angles of major axes of voids extracted from a two-dimensional image of a cross section of the polyolefin porous film is not less than 7.0, the inclination angles being calculated from respective circumscribed rectangles of the voids, the two-dimensional image being obtained by use of SEM, and the cross section being formed by cutting the polyolefin porous film (i) along a straight line that passes a center of a surface of the polyolefin porous film and is parallel to an MD or a TD and (ii) in a direction perpendicular to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: SSLM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiko Shin, Yuki Yoneguchi
  • Patent number: 12731829
    Abstract: A pouch-shaped battery case (and a pouch-shaped secondary battery including the same) includes a hidden-type gas pocket having a folded configuration such that, when gas is generated in the pouch-shaped case, the gas pocket unfolds to form a space for collecting the gas, whereby it is possible to reduce the extent of swelling of the battery when the gas is generated. The gas pocket may be configured so as not to occupy any space in a normal operating state of the battery, such that the gas pocket is unfolded to form the gas reception space only when the gas is generated, whereby it is possible to improve the efficiency of utilization of space in the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Han Ki Yoon, Kye Yeon Ryu
  • Patent number: 12731838
    Abstract: A button-type secondary battery includes an electrode assembly; a lower can in which the electrode assembly is disposed and on which a first screw thread is defined on an outer circumferential surface thereof; an upper can which is configured to cover an opening of an upper end of the lower can and on which a second screw thread corresponding to the first screw thread is defined on an inner circumferential surface thereof; and an insulator interposed between the upper can and the lower can to prevent the upper can and the lower can from being electrically short-circuited with each other, wherein an electrode tab extending from an electrode of the electrode assembly is in contact with the upper can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Min Gyu Kim, Yong Gon Lee, Je Jun Lee, Jae Won Lim, Geon Woo Min, Min Su Cho, Joo Hwan Sung, Sang Hak Chae
  • Patent number: 12731855
    Abstract: In a battery pack, an exterior case accommodates therein a core pack including battery blocks coupled to one another. Each battery cell includes battery cells held at predetermined positions by a battery holder. Each battery block includes exhaust passage passing through the battery holder. The core pack has a valve-side end surface arranged at a first end thereof, and includes a partition wall between battery blocks coupled to one another. The partition wall has a through-hole opening at a position facing the exhaust passage. In the core pack, the exhaust passage formed in each battery block and the through-hole formed in partition wall are arranged on a straight line to constitute an exhaust duct for the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas discharged from the valve-side end surface arranged at the first end passes through the exhaust duct and then is discharged from an exhaust portion to an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: PANASONIC ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hidemi Kurihara
  • Patent number: 12712184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material and a lithium secondary battery using the same, and more particularly, to a positive electrode active material that includes a lithium composite oxide comprising at least nickel and cobalt, and is capable of improving particle stability not only on the surface portion but also at the central portion of the lithium composite oxide due to the formation of a concentration gradient in which a cobalt concentration decreases from the surface portion to the central portion of the lithium composite oxide relative to the average radius of the lithium composite oxide to a predetermined thickness, a positive electrode comprising the positive electrode active material, and the lithium secondary battery using the positive electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2026
    Assignee: ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Bae Park, Moon Ho Choi, Young Nam Park, Chang Woo Lee, Chae Won Moon, Tae Ho Park, JunYeub Yang
  • Patent number: 12712208
    Abstract: An electrolyte solution, a secondary battery, and an electrical apparatus. Components of the electrolyte solution include an electrolyte salt and a fluorine-containing sulfonamide solvent. The fluorine-containing sulfonamide solvent includes a compound represented by formula (1) in the disclosure, wherein T1 is selected from any one of the following formulas (1-1) to (1-3) in the disclosure: R1 and R2 are each independently selected from any one of alkyl having 1-3 carbon atoms, phenyl, and a sulfone group; T2 is fluorine-substituted alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms; and * represents a site of connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2025
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2026
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Rupeng Zhang, Hansen Wang, Chengyong Liu, Pan Wan, Yuchun Wang, Fuxiang Feng, Shengyuan Huang
  • Patent number: 12712204
    Abstract: An electrolyte including a dinitrile compound, a multi-nitrile compound with more than 2 cyano groups, and a boron-containing lithium salt. Based on a total weight of the electrolyte, a content of the dinitrile compound is A %, a content of the multi-nitrile compound is B %, and a content of the boron-containing lithium salt is C %, and 0?(A/B)?C+1?11. The cycle performance of the electrochemical device including the electrolyte is improved at a high temperature and in a high state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2026
    Assignee: Ningde Amperex Technology Limited
    Inventors: ShuiRong Zhang, Xiao Yuan, Lilan Zhang, Chao Tang
  • Patent number: 12712223
    Abstract: A system and method for heating and cooling a battery. The system includes a thermoelectric device configured to attach to the battery and operate in a heating mode to elevate the operating temperature of the battery and in a cooling mode to reduce the operating temperature of the battery. Control circuitry is configured to: determine a temperature of the battery; supply an input voltage and a polarity of the thermoelectric device; and adjust the input voltage and the polarity based on a temperature of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2026
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Lijun Gao, Camron Ravell Call, Shengyi Liu
  • Patent number: 12706318
    Abstract: The voltage measuring device is configured for measuring the voltage of a plurality of electrochemical cells (10) of an electrochemical reactor formed by a stack of separators (6) and membrane-electrode assemblies (8), each electrochemical cell (10) being formed by a membrane-electrode assembly (8) interposed between two separators (6), the voltage measuring device comprising a support (22) having a base (24) and a plurality of teeth (26) extending from the base (24) in a common direction of extension (D), each tooth (26) having a proximal end (26A) connected to the base (24) and a free distal end (26B) carrying an electrical contact (28) adapted to engage a separator, the support comprising teeth (26) the distal ends of which are offset from each other in the direction of extension (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: ALSTOM HYDROGÈNE SAS
    Inventor: Pierrick Grand
  • Patent number: 12706340
    Abstract: A battery pack for efficiently supplying a power to a vehicle and including a battery assembly, a power supply terminal connectable to a connection terminal of the vehicle that is connected to a vehicle control unit and a vehicle motor, a power supply path located between the power supply terminal and the battery cell and supplying a power from the battery cell to the power supply terminal, a switching unit provided on the power supply path electrically turn on/off the power supply path, a mounting recognition unit recognizing whether the battery pack is mounted to the vehicle, and a processor controlling the switching unit so that a power is supplied from the battery cell to the vehicle control unit, when receiving a signal from the mounting recognition unit that the battery pack is recognized as being mounted to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Keun-Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 12700648
    Abstract: A cell connection unit (CCU) for connecting a plurality of aligned battery cells of a battery module and a battery module including the CCU, the CCU including a plurality of busbars, each busbar of the plurality of busbars being connected to cell terminals of at least two battery cells of the plurality of aligned battery cells; and a plurality of carrier rails, at least some carrier rails of the plurality of carrier rails being mechanically connected to at least three busbars of the plurality of busbars, wherein the at least some carrier rails of the plurality of carrier rails include a first reception region connected to at least one busbar of the at least three busbars of the plurality of busbars, and a separate second reception region connected to two busbars of the at least three busbars of the plurality of busbars and electrically insulating the two busbars from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Rock, Fritz Haring, Stefan Brandstätter, Thomas Brandner
  • Patent number: 12700611
    Abstract: Better joining between a wound electrode body and an electrode terminal is implemented. In a cross section orthogonal to a winding axis of a wound electrode body of the secondary battery herein disclosed, two separators respectively extend more inward of the wound electrode body than electrode sheets. A portion of one separator forming an innermost circumference of the wound electrode body is bound in a first curved part. An inner circumferential side end of the one separator is between a junction part of an electrode sheet and an electrode terminal, and a first top around the winding axis. A portion of the other separator forming the innermost circumference is bent in a second curved part, and the inner circumferential side end of the other separator is between the junction part and a second top around the winding axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: PRIME PLANET ENERGY & SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kawase
  • Patent number: 12700627
    Abstract: A battery module including a battery cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a housing for the battery cell stack; a pair of busbar frames that cover the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stack; and a pair of end plates that cover the busbar frames and are coupled to the housing, a busbar mounted on each of the busbar frames, and a thin film layer located between the busbar frame and the respective end plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignee: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyemi Jung, Junyeob Seong
  • Patent number: 12695119
    Abstract: An electrochemical device includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator, and an electrolyte, where the electrolyte contains a nitrile compound and transition metal ions, and satisfies 5?A/B?30000, where based on a molar mass of the electrolyte, a molar percentage of a cyano group in the electrolyte is A %, and based on a weight of the electrolyte, a weight percentage of the transition metal ions in the electrolyte is B %. The electrochemical device ensures that the cyano group and the transition metal ions in the electrolyte satisfy a specified relationship, to reduce leaching of the transition metal ions from a positive electrode active material and stabilize structural distortion of the positive electrode active material in a charge and discharge process, thereby improving high-temperature cycle performance and floating charge performance of the electrochemical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: Ningde Amperex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Hui Cui, Wenqiang Li, Yali Xiong, Jianming Zheng
  • Patent number: 12695109
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an apparatus for inspecting stacking of electrodes of a secondary battery. The apparatus includes a separator supply device, a stacking main body having a stacking table formed on one surface and configured to allow the separator to be stacked on the stacking table, a stacking jig configured to stack an electrode plate on the separator stacked on the stacking main body, a fixing jig, alighting device configured to emit light from one surface of the stacking table to allow the light to pass sequentially through the separator and the electrode plate, and a capturing unit configured to capture an image of the light that has passed through the separator and the electrode plate. Accordingly, reliability and efficiency may be secured in an electrode stacking process of a secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: SK On Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Rae Oh, Ji Won Yang, Jae Young Jung
  • Patent number: 12695121
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte, with a coulombic efficiency with respect to lithium of at least 80%, that includes a Group 1 salt dissolved in a mixture containing two sulfone compounds, a mixture containing a sulfone compound and a sultone compound, and/or a mixture containing a sulfone compound and a sulfonamide compound. The Group 1 salt can be a lithium salt, the sulfone compound can be a cyclic sulfone such as thietane-1,1-dioxide and sulfolane, the sultone compound can be a cyclic sultone such as 1,3-propane sultone, and the sulfonamide compound can be a partially fluorinated sulfonamide such as 1,1,1-trifluoro-N,N-dimethylmethanesulfonamide and N-butyl-1,1,1-trifluoro-N-methylmethanesulfonamide. Additives such as another lithium salt, a polyunsaturated compound, a cyclic anhydride, a cyclic unsaturated sultone, and/or a cyclic phosphate can be included in the non-aqueous electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Muldoon, Patrick J. Bonnick, Mikhail Redko
  • Patent number: 12689072
    Abstract: Provided are a lithium plating detection method, a battery management method and apparatus for safety diagnosis using the lithium plating detection method. The lithium plating detection method according to the present disclosure includes detecting, accumulating and tracking each of an open circuit voltage (OCV) after fully charging and an OCV after fully discharging of a battery every charge/discharge cycle of the battery, and determining if lithium plating took place in the battery using a result of tracking the OCV after fully charging and the OCV after fully discharging, wherein a range satisfying a condition of the reduced OCV after fully charging and the reduced OCV after fully discharging in the tracking result is determined as a range in which lithium plating starts to take place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Gi-Min Nam, Won-Tae Joe
  • Patent number: 12689024
    Abstract: Described herein are carbon-silicon composite structures and methods of producing such structures. A carbon-silicon composite structure comprises one or more carbon-containing structures that have pores at least partially filled with silicon-containing structures. Specifically, the silicon-containing structures are attached to the pore walls while maintaining void spaces within these pores. These void spaces can accommodate silicon expansion during lithiation. Carbon-silicon composite structures can be produced by submerging carbon-containing structures into a precursor liquid solution (comprising a precursor) and driving this solution into the pores. The silicon-containing structures are then formed (from the precursor) within the pores either electrochemically (e.g., by applying a voltage to the solution and structures) or chemically (e.g., by introducing the structures into a reducing liquid solution). In some examples, these void spaces are sealed from the environment by additional structures, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Clyra Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaohua Liu, Xiahui Yao, Sa Zhou, Song Han
  • Patent number: 12683155
    Abstract: A cathode active material including a compound represented by Formula 1 and having an olivine structure: Li1??CO1?x?yInxMyPO4??Formula 1 wherein in Formula 1, 0??<1, 0.01?x?0.1, and 0.01?y?0.1, and M in Formula 1 is a divalent element, a trivalent element other than In, a tetravalent element, a pentavalent element, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., THE ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING/MCGILL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Sangbok Ma, Shipeng Jia, Antranik Jonderian, Eric Mccalla