Patents Examined by Ben Lewis
  • Patent number: 9278329
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes: a desulfurizer including a desulfurization catalyst that removes a sulfur compound in a raw material by a desulfurization reaction, the desulfurization catalyst being arranged so as to be heated by a first heat source; a reformer configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas using the raw material having flowed through the desulfurizer; a first temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of a predetermined portion of the desulfurization catalyst; a second temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of a portion of the desulfurization catalyst, the portion being located such that a distance between the portion and the first heat source is longer than a distance between the predetermined portion and the first heat source; and a controller configured to control an operation of heating the desulfurization catalyst by the first heat source, based on detection results of the first temperature detector and the second temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Takeuchi, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Yuji Mukai
  • Patent number: 9279581
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
  • Patent number: 9281543
    Abstract: A square lithium secondary battery includes a wound body in which a collective sheet in which a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet overlap each other with a first separator interposed therebetween is wound while a second separator is put inside the collective sheet. An active material mixture layer on one or both surfaces of at least one of the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet includes a region with a plurality of openings and a region with no opening. At least a bent portion of the collective sheet is covered with the region with the plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Hosoya, Kunio Kimura
  • Patent number: 9276286
    Abstract: Disclosed is a secondary battery having a structure in which a jelly-roll having a cathode/separator/anode structure is mounted in a cylindrical battery case, wherein a plate-shaped insulator mounted on the top of the jelly-roll includes a molded article made of a polymer resin or a polymer composite and a plurality of fine pores is perforated through the molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Do Gyun Kim, Dong-Myung Kim, Dong Sub Lee, Sang Bong Nam, Sang Sok Jung
  • Patent number: 9269504
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrode for energy devices such as electric double layer capacitors, which includes conductive fibers made of carbon, such as carbon nanotubes, as an electrode active material and has a high capacitance. The electrode for energy devices includes a current collector and a plurality of conductive fibers (e.g., carbon nanotubes) provided to stand on a surface of the current collector so that their one ends are electrically connected to the surface of the current collector, wherein the conductive fibers are made of carbon and have carboxyl group-containing functional groups or oxo group-containing functional groups and hydroxyl group-containing functional groups attached thereto. The conductive fibers preferably carry a quinone group-containing compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hashimoto, Takuma Asari, Shigeo Hayashi, Hironori Kumagai
  • Patent number: 9263743
    Abstract: (A) A cathode active material of a cathode includes a lithium phosphate compound represented by LiaM1bPO4 (M is Fe and the like, 0?a?2, b?1). (B) Fine pore distribution of the cathode measured by a mercury intrusion method indicates a peak P1 in a range where a pore diameter is equal to or more than about 0.01 micrometers and less than about 0.15 micrometers, and indicates a peak P2 in a range where the pore diameter is from about 0.15 micrometers to about 0.9 micrometers both inclusive. (C) A ratio I2/I1 between intensity I1 of the peak P1 and intensity I2 of the peak P2 is from about 0.5 to about 20 both inclusive. (D) Porosity of the cathode is from about 30 percent to about 50 percent both inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Matsushita, Takaaki Matsui, Takehiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 9263750
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fuel cell which includes layering and compression molding at least one of each of: thermoplastic resin sheets (A) containing 130 to 3,200 parts by weight of a carbonaceous material per 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin; and thermoplastic resin sheets (B) containing 3 to 280 parts by weight of a carbonaceous material per 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin, 50% to 100% by weight of the carbonaceous material being fibrous carbon. The thermoplastic resin sheets (A and B) are compression molded at a temperature 60° C. higher than the higher of the melting points of the two types of sheets such that the ratio between the final thickness (dA) of the compressed first thermoplastic resin sheet(s) (A) and the final thickness (dB) of the compressed second thermoplastic resin sheet(s) (B) satisfies the relation dA/dB?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Shunya Suzuki, Tadashi Iino, Zenichiro Izumi
  • Patent number: 9263727
    Abstract: This is to provide an all solid state secondary battery which can be produced by an industrially employable method capable of mass-production and has excellent secondary battery characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: NAMICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Baba, Shoichi Iwaya, Hitoshi Masumura, Hiroshi Sato, Hiroshi Sasagawa, Noriyuki Sakai, Takayuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 9263761
    Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a positive electrode including a positive active material layer on each of first and second surfaces of a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode including a negative active material layer on each of first and second surfaces of a negative electrode current collector, and an inner separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein each of the positive electrode and the negative electrode includes a side end uncoated region at respective side ends of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the side end uncoated regions of each of the positive and negative electrodes including no active material layers on respective electrode current collectors, and wherein at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode has an inner uncoated region positioned at a center of the electrode assembly, the inner uncoated region including no active material layer thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoon-Tai Kwak, Jeong-Won Oh
  • Patent number: 9257705
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing a nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalyst by performing selective catalytic oxidative polymerization of solid aniline salt on a carbon support with a catalytic system containing Fe3+/H2O2 to obtain a mixture, and then heat treating the mixture under a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
    Inventors: Belabbes Ahmed Merzougui, Saheed Abidemi Bukola, Adeola Akeem Akinpelu, Zain Hassan Abdallah Yamani, Tahar Laoui
  • Patent number: 9246186
    Abstract: A fabricating method of a unit structure for accomplishing an electrode assembly formed by a stacking method, and an electrochemical cell including the same are disclosed. The fabricating method of the electrode assembly is characterized with fabricating the unit structure by conducting a first process of laminating and forming a bicell having a first electrode/separator/second electrode/separator/first electrode structure, and conducting a second process of laminating first separator/second electrode/second separator one by one on one of the first electrode among two of the first electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Geun Ku, Hyuk Su Kim, Jun Woo Huh, Hyang Mok Lee, Chang Bum Ahn
  • Patent number: 9246155
    Abstract: Disclosed is a secondary battery having improved safety against puncture and collapse. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, a case receiving the electrode assembly, a cap plate coupled to the case, and a support plate electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes of the electrode assembly, the support plate being disposed between the electrode assembly and the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kyuwon Cho, Yongsam Kim, Yoontai Kwak
  • Patent number: 9240575
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a formed article having two or more separate accommodating cavities and an electrode group that comprises a rolled up laminate and is accommodated in each of the accommodating cavities, the laminate composed of a cathode and an anode, each having a current collector and mixture layers disposed on the current collector, and a separator sandwiched between the cathode and the anode. An electrolytic solution is accommodated in each of the accommodating cavities, the electrolytic solution, and the anode or the cathode contact the formed article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshio Kanata, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9240597
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for fabricating a solid oxide fuel cell is described. The method includes synthesizing a composition having a perovskite present therein. The method further includes applying the composition on an electrolyte support to form an anode and applying Ni to the composition on the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Guoliang Xiao, Fanglin Chen
  • Patent number: 9240585
    Abstract: High capacity energy storage devices and energy storage device components, and more specifically, to a system and method for fabricating such high capacity energy storage devices and storage device components using processes that form three-dimensional porous structures are provided. In one embodiment, an anode structure for use in a high capacity energy storage device, comprising a conductive collector substrate, a three-dimensional copper-tin-iron porous conductive matrix formed on one or more surfaces of the conductive collector substrate, comprising a plurality of meso-porous structures formed over the conductive current collector, and an anodically active material deposited over the three-dimensional copper-tin-iron porous conductive matrix is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Sergey D. Lopatin, Dmitri A. Brevnov, Eric H. Liu, Robert Z. Bachrach, Connie P. Wang
  • Patent number: 9236621
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus for a fuel cell is provided. The cooling apparatus for a fuel cell includes a reservoir that is configured to store a coolant and an ion filter assembly that is integrally installed at the reservoir and configured to remove bubbles in the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sung Wook Na, Chi Myung Kim, Yong Sun Park
  • Patent number: 9231265
    Abstract: A fuel cell for a portable electronic device having a liquid fuel reservoir (100) wherein at least a part of the inner surface (103) and a part of an outer surface (104) of the fuel reservoir wall (102) are gas permeable, wherein said wall is adapted such that the area of the open parts of the inner surface (103) of the wall is larger than the area of the open parts of said outer surface (104) of the wall, wherein said wall is porous and adapted to allow gas to enter said wall and to be transported along said wall in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the wall and to leave said wall, and wherein said wall is adapted such that the inner surface is hydrophobic. The invention further provides a portable electronic device and a method of manufacturing a liquid fuel reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: TEKNOLOGISK INSTITUT
    Inventors: Torsten Lund-Olesen, Christian Kallesoee, Jan Harry Hales, Leif Hoejslet Christensen
  • Patent number: 9227269
    Abstract: A method for producing an energy cell, in particular an energy storage cell or battery, having the steps of: arranging a plurality of films of the energy cell at a processing location, and cutting the plurality of films in one operation, wherein the cutting of the films is carried out by a laser beam, and wherein the laser beam is guided in a liquid. Also an apparatus for producing an energy cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christof Kobler, Reiner Ramsayer, Andreas Netz, Jens Koenig
  • Patent number: 9225010
    Abstract: The present invention intends to provide silicon-containing particles that, when used as a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, can form a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that is less in volume change during charge/discharge and has high initial efficiency and excellent cycle characteristics. The present invention provides silicon-containing particles that are used as a negative electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and have a diffraction line with a peak at 2?=28.6° in X-ray diffractometry, a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery therewith, a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and a method of manufacturing the silicon-containing particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Nakanishi, Yoshiyasu Yamada, Kazuyuki Taniguchi, Motoyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9225025
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a cathode flow field plate, an anode flow field plate, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) sandwiched between the cathode and anode flow field plate. The cathode flow field plate has a flat side and an opposed channel side that the MEA is sandwiched between the anode flow field plate and the flat side of the cathode flow field plate. The cathode flow field plate further has a plurality of flow channels formed at the channel side for enabling fluid flowing along the flow channels to promote electrochemical reaction through the MEA so as to generate electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: WUHAN TROOWIN POWER SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiao Li