Patents Examined by Barbara Gilliam
  • Patent number: 9722262
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack preventing deterioration of an end cell, which has a structure for preventing cooling of a neighbor cell adjacent to a closed end plate, is provided. To this end, an open end plate and a closed end plate, which are provided on a first side and a second side, respectively, of the fuel cell stack, fasten a plurality of working cells together. More specifically, a hollow flow space is formed in an inner wall of the closed end plate to form an air pocket therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jong Sung Kim, Jae Jun Ko, Jung Do Suh
  • Patent number: 9716270
    Abstract: An electrode material including electrode active material particles having a carbonaceous film formed on the surfaces thereof in which the coatability of the carbonaceous film can be guaranteed even when a crushing process is carried out, and the rate characteristics and the like are not degraded during charge and discharge, an electrode and a lithium ion battery having excellent charge and discharge characteristics for which the electrode material is used are provided. The electrode material includes electrode active material particles having a carbonaceous film formed on surfaces thereof, and an affinity value to N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone measured through pulse NMR is in a range of 5000 to 20000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kenta Ooishi, Takao Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9716285
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a proton conducting fuel cell composite membrane includes the step of electrospinning a non-charged polymeric material, such as PVDF and PSF, into fiber mats. The fibers are fused to one another to provide a welded porous mat. The welded porous mat is filled with proton conducting electrolyte, such as PFSA polymer, to generate a proton conducting composite membrane. The resulting proton conducting fuel cell membrane comprises a randomly oriented, three dimensional interlinked fiber lattice structure filled with proton conducting electrolyte, such as PFSA polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Mallika Gummalla, Zhiwei Yang, Peter Pintauro, Kyung Min Lee, Ryszard Wycisk
  • Patent number: 9711826
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is prevented from decreasing the remaining capacity and returned capacity at the time of continuous charge at high voltages and high temperatures. The battery has positive and negative electrodes, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing ethylene carbonate and fluoroethylene carbonate as a solvent. The positive electrode contains a positive-electrode active material with the fine particles of a rare earth element compound deposited on its surface in a dispersed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Takeshi Ogasawara, Naoki Imachi
  • Patent number: 9705142
    Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of adjusting the amount of humidification of reaction gas includes a fuel cell stack in which fuel cells are stacked, an air supplier supplying air to the fuel cell stack, a humidifier humidifying air supplied through the air supplier with air discharged from the fuel cell stack, and a hydrogen supplier supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell stack. A condensate water processor is configured to store and discharge condensate water discharged from the fuel cell stack through a hydrogen exhaust line. A drain line connects an air exhaust line and the hydrogen exhaust line of the fuel cell stack. A water trap is installed in the drain line and stores the condensate water. A water reservoir is installed at a connection point connecting the drain line and the air exhaust line and stores condensate water discharged from the water trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 9691508
    Abstract: A method for determining a state of operational readiness of a fuel cell backup system of a nuclear reactor system includes monitoring a readiness state of a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, and providing a readiness determination of the fuel cell system by comparing the monitored state of readiness of the fuel cell system to an established operating readiness state, the established operating readiness state a function of at least one characteristic of the nuclear reactor system. An apparatus includes a fuel cell monitoring system configured to monitor a readiness state of a fuel cell system associated with a nuclear reactor system, and a readiness determination system configured to provide a readiness determination of the fuel cell system by comparing the monitored state of readiness of the fuel cell system to an established operating readiness state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TerraPower, LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Clarence T. Tegreene, Joshua C. Walter
  • Patent number: 9692070
    Abstract: A carbon substrate for a gas diffusion layer that has a porosity gradient in a thickness direction thereof, a gas diffusion using the carbon substrate, an electrode and a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell that include the gas diffusion layer, and a fuel cell including the membrane-electrode assembly having the gas diffusion layer are provided. The gas diffusion layer has improved water discharge ability and improved bending strength both in the machine direction and cross-machine direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: JNTG Co., Ltd., JNTC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sook Lee, Do Hun Kim, Eun Chong Kim, Jy Young Jyoung, Jung Mi Gwak, Sang Jin Choi, Tae Nyun Kim, Jung Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 9692061
    Abstract: An organic electrolyte solution including a metal-ligand coordination compound, wherein the ligand is an organic phosphate compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Duk-jin Oh, Jun-young Mun, Doo-yeon Lee, Oh-min Kwon, Young-gyu Kim, Hyung-tae Kim
  • Patent number: 9692066
    Abstract: A device (13) for discharging liquid water from a water separator (12) in a fuel cell system (1), having a valve device (15), a liquid sensor (16) and a control unit (17) which controls the valve device (15) depending on measured values of the liquid sensor (16). The liquid sensor (16) is arranged downstream of the valve device (15) in the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Armin Muetschele, Sven Schmalzried, Simon Steinhuebl, Harald Teves
  • Patent number: 9685649
    Abstract: An electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first electrode plate having a fist electrode tab at an end of one side thereof, a second electrode plate having a second electrode tab, which is formed in a same direction as a longitudinal direction of the first electrode tab and is formed at a position not overlapping the first electrode tab, and a protrusion which is formed at a position overlapping the first electrode tab, and a separator insulating the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate. Therefore, the electrode assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention and the secondary battery including the same may improve the stability of the secondary battery by preventing lithium ion accumulation in a separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Won Park, Myung Hoon Ko, Seung Ho Na, Chang Bum Ahn, Young Joo Yang
  • Patent number: 9685681
    Abstract: A battery pack including a battery cell including an electrode assembly arranged within a can and an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the can having an opening sealed by a cap plate, a top case attached to the battery cell at a top portion of the battery cell, the top case having an inner space and a protective circuit module including a protection circuit board arranged within said inner space of said top case and electrically connected to the electrode assembly, wherein the top case includes a top portion opposite from the electrode assembly and first and second pairs of opposed sides, the first pair of opposed sides having an edge, a portion of the edge has a recessed interference preventing portion, the recessed interference preventing portion corresponds to a location of a weld connecting an electrode tap to the electrode terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woon-Seong Baek, Jong-pil Kim, Sang-jin Park
  • Patent number: 9680187
    Abstract: This application relates generally to battery removal apparatuses. For example, one battery removal apparatus disclosed herein comprises a pull tab configured to be disposed between a battery and a casing of a portable computing device. The pull tab is shaped such that at least one area of the battery and the casing are exposed to one another when the battery, the pull tab and the casing are compressed together. An adhesive layer is shaped to cover the at least one exposed area such that the battery adheres to the casing, and the pull tab is reinforced so as to prevent the pull tab from tearing when used to remove the battery from the portable computing device. Other battery removal apparatuses include a pull string battery removal apparatus as well as a battery removal apparatus that incorporates both a pull tab and one or more pull strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory N. Stephens, David A. Pakula, Ashutosh Y. Shukla
  • Patent number: 9680170
    Abstract: A gas generator includes a reactant capable of producing a gas and a gas outlet valve that can function as both a gas flow valve and a pressure relief vent, using the same gas flow path through the valve. When the valve is closed and the pressure within the gas generator is below a threshold pressure, a moveable valve member is biased against a valve seat to block the outlet port. When gas generator is coupled to the apparatus, an actuator is inserted into the valve, displacing the moveable valve member and separating it from the valve seat to open the valve. When the gas generator is uncoupled, pressure at or above a threshold displaces the moveable member, separating it from the valve seat to open the outlet port so pressure can be released to the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Russell H. Barton
  • Patent number: 9680144
    Abstract: An electrode assembly that includes a positive electrode assembly including a number of positive electrodes each having a positive electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a positive electrode tab coupling all the positive electrode non-coating portions, a negative electrode assembly including a plurality of negative electrodes each having a negative electrode non-coating portion at a certain position, and a negative electrode tab coupling all the negative electrode non-coating portions, and a separator disposed between each positive electrode and each negative electrode to insulate a region between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrodes of the positive electrode assembly and the negative electrodes of the negative electrode assembly are stacked alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hosik Shin
  • Patent number: 9680143
    Abstract: Porous, electrically insulating, and electrochemically resistant surface coatings that strengthen and protect separators and that improve the operational safety of electrochemical devices using such separators, the use of ultraviolet (UV) or electron beam (EB) curable binders to secure an electrically insulating, porous, ceramic particle coating on separators, and methods of producing polymer-bound ceramic particle separator coatings, separators and electrochemical devices by UV or EB curing slurries of reactive liquid resins and ceramic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Miltec UV International LLC
    Inventors: John Arnold, Gary E. Voelker, Joe Fasolo
  • Patent number: 9673461
    Abstract: To prevent inflow of liquid water into a power generating portion even if the liquid water remains in a manifold, and to enable size reduction by making constant the contact or surface pressure. According to the present invention, in a fuel cell comprising a power generating section including an electrolyte membrane joined between an anode and a cathode, and a manifold to cause inflow and outflow of an hydrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas separately from each other to the anode and cathode; the manifold is formed with an inflow preventing portion to prevent inflow of a liquid water remaining in the manifold, into the power generating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigetaka Uehara, Hidetaka Nishimura, Kazuhiro Kageyama
  • Patent number: 9673467
    Abstract: An object is to prevent an increase in overall thickness of a membrane electrode assembly. There is provided a membrane electrode assembly. The membrane electrode assembly comprises an electrolyte membrane; a catalyst layer that is formed on a surface of the electrolyte membrane and includes a catalyst and an ionomer; and a gas diffusion layer that is formed on a surface of the catalyst layer on an opposite side to the electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer includes a first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane and a second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer. An amount of the ionomer in a first portion of the first layer that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane is larger than an amount of the ionomer in a second portion of the first layer that is in contact with the second layer. An amount of the ionomer in a third portion of the second layer that is in contact with the gas diffusion layer is larger than the amount of the ionomer in the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Hamano, Hiroo Yoshikawa, Tsunemasa Nishida
  • Patent number: 9673485
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing an anode of a cable-type secondary battery having a solid electrolyte layer, including preparing an aqueous solution of an anode active material, making an anode by immersing a core as a current collector having a horizontal cross section of a predetermined shape and extending longitudinally in the aqueous solution, then applying an electric current to form a porous shell of the anode active material on the surface of the core, and forming a solid electrolyte layer on the surface of the anode by passing the anode through a solid electrolyte solution. The anode has a high contact area to increase the mobility of lithium ions, thereby improving battery performance. Also, the anode is capable of relieving stress and pressure in the battery, such as volume expansion during charging and discharging, thereby preventing battery deformation and ensuring battery stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Yo-Han Kwon, Je-Young Kim, Heon-Cheol Shin, Ki-Tae Kim, Sang-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 9666870
    Abstract: A method for making a composite electrode for a lithium ion battery comprises the steps of: preparing a slurry containing particles of inorganic electrode material(s) suspended in a solvent; preheating a porous metallic substrate; loading the metallic substrate with the slurry; baking the loaded substrate at a first temperature; curing the baked substrate at a second temperature sufficient to form a desired nanocrystalline material within the pores of the substrate; calendaring the cured composite to reduce internal porosity; and, annealing the calendared composite at a third temperature to produce a self-supporting multiphase electrode. Because of the calendaring step, the resulting electrode is self-supporting, has improved current collecting properties, and improved cycling lifetime. Anodes and cathodes made by the process, and batteries using them, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: QuantumScape Corporation
    Inventor: Isaiah O. Oladeji
  • Patent number: 9660275
    Abstract: A fuel cell is configured to comprise a power generation layer including an electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode, separators and a gas flow path layer provided between the power generation layer and the separator. The gas flow path layer is structured by a plurality of corrugated elements. Each corrugated element has a corrugated cross section where first convexes that are convex toward the separator and second convexes that are convex toward the power generation layer are alternately arranged. The plurality of corrugated elements are arranged, such that a top surface of the first convex in one corrugated element and a bottom surface of the second convex in an adjacent corrugated element cooperatively form an integral surface, and a plurality of through holes are formed between the respective adjacent corrugated elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomokazu Hayashi