Patents Examined by Carmen Lyles-Irving
  • Patent number: 8785072
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes: a plurality of membrane-electrode assemblies; first and second end plates respectively positioned outside outermost ones of the membrane-electrode assemblies; and a plurality of separators respectively positioned between the membrane-electrode assemblies and between the outermost ones of the membrane-electrode assemblies and the first and second end plates. The first end plate includes an oxidizing agent inlet, an oxidizing agent outlet, and a moisture supplying flow path connecting the oxidizing agent inlet and the oxidizing agent outlet. The moisture supplying flow path includes a first end portion adjacent to the oxidizing agent outlet and a second end portion adjacent to the oxidizing agent inlet, the first end portion being larger than the second end portion and being a different distance away from a surface of the first end plate facing away from the second end plate than the second end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hwa Lee, Chi-Seung Lee, Seong-Jin An, Sang-Il Han, Kah-Young Song
  • Patent number: 8778526
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode plate with a first electrode non-coated portion, the first electrode non-coated portion including a first protrusion part at an upper part of the electrode assembly, a second electrode plate with a second electrode non-coated portion, the second electrode non-coated portion including a second protrusion part at an upper part of the electrode assembly, and a separator disposed between the first and second electrode plates, first and second current collecting plates electrically connected to respective first and second electrode plates, and a case accommodating the electrode assembly and the first and second current collecting plates, the case having a shape corresponding to the first and second protrusion parts of the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Minhyung Guen
  • Patent number: 8771858
    Abstract: A cooling device for a battery module and a battery device comprising said cooling device for a battery module are provided that includes a cooling element having at least one through hole extending from a first side of the cooling element facing the battery module to an opposite second side of the cooling element, at least one spring element disposed on the second side of the cooling element, in order to exert a contact force on the second side of the cooling element in a tensioned condition, and at least one clamping device coupled to the spring element and extending through the through hole, wherein a contact region of the clamping device extends beyond the second side of the cooling element when the spring element is in a relaxed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Stefan Hirsch
  • Patent number: 8765322
    Abstract: A fuel cell installation includes a support structure and a cell stack assembly that is removably insertable into the support structure from an uninstalled position to an installed position during an installation procedure. The cell stack assembly includes a fitting. An interfacing structure is mounted on one of the support structure in the cell stack assembly. The interfacing structure carries a connector that is configured to receive the fitting in interconnected relationship. At least one of the fitting and the connector floats in a plane relative to the support structure during the installation procedure. In operation, the fitting engages the connector when the cell stack assembly is inserted into the support structure. The fitting is repositioned relative to the connector to ensure that the fitting and connector are aligned with one another and connected upon installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Sean M. Blondin, Garrett W. Fink, Robert A. Love, Thomas Rock
  • Patent number: 8748022
    Abstract: A pouch type battery includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode, second electrode and separator being wound together, an electrolyte, a pouch accommodating the electrode assembly and the electrolyte, and a fixing member fixing a winding end of the electrode assembly. The fixing member includes a base layer and an adhesive layer located at either side of the base layer, the fixing member making contact with external surfaces of the electrode assembly, and the base layer being a material that melts and acquires adhesiveness upon contact with the electrolyte. A portion of the base layer in contact with the electrolyte is in a melted condition and is separated from the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyojung Song, Daekyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8734993
    Abstract: In one aspect, an electrode assembly comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, wherein the positive electrode further comprises a first positive electrode active material layer, and a second positive electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the first positive electrode active material layer, the first positive electrode active material layer further comprises a first positive electrode active material containing manganese (Mn), and the second positive electrode active material layer further comprises a second positive electrode active material containing cobalt (Co) and a lithium battery comprising the same are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Inseop Byun
  • Patent number: 8728174
    Abstract: The approaches for fabricating cathodes can be adapted to improve control over cathode composition and to better accommodate batteries of any shape and their assembly. For example, a first solid having an alkali metal halide, a second solid having a transition metal, and a third solid having an alkali metal aluminum halide are combined into a mixture. The mixture can be heated in a vacuum to a temperature that is greater than or equal to the melting point of the third solid. When the third solid is substantially molten liquid, the mixture is compressed into a desired cathode shape and then cooled to solidify the mixture in the desired cathode shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Kerry D. Meinhardt, Vincent L. Sprenkle, Gregory W. Coffey
  • Patent number: 8728436
    Abstract: A cathode active material represented by the formula, LiFexPO4/C, wherein 0.9?x<1, preferably 0.96?x<1, which was obtained from carbon pre-coated off-stoichiometric FexPO4, wherein 0.9?x<1, preferably 0.96?x<1. The materials may be double-carbon-coated particles obtained by carbon coating a mixture of a lithium component and FexPO4/C sub-particles, wherein the FexPO4/C sub-particles may be obtained by carbon coating FexPO4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hefei Guoxuan High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Wang, Dajun Liu, Xiaoming Xu, Long Zhang, Yu Zhang
  • Patent number: 8728663
    Abstract: To provide a sulfur-system positive electrode for lithium-ion battery, sulfur-system positive electrode which is good in the cyclability and the other characteristics, and a lithium-ion secondary battery including that positive electrode. In a positive electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery, the positive electrode having: a current collector; and an electrode layer that is formed on a surface of the current collector, and which includes a binder resin, an active material and a conductive additive, the positive electrode is characterized in that the active material includes a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile that is produced by heating a raw-material powder including a sulfur powder and a polyacrylonitrile powder in an enclosed nonoxidizing atmosphere; and the binder resin includes a polyimide resin and/or a polyamide-imide resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Junichi Niwa, Kazuaki Hokano, Masataka Nakanishi, Akira Kojima, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 8709626
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for preventing overcharging of a battery. More specifically, a cell module in which cells are configured to be stacked and a plurality of cells are connected through electrode terminals and a fixing rod disposed between the cells is provided. A pressure plate, which is installed on the fixing rod to provide the appropriate reactive force, and an elastic member disposed on the side of the second end of the pressure plate is installed to provide elastic force to the pressure plate. The pressure plate is see-sawingly-rotated when the cell is expanded over a predetermined pressure accordingly to cut-off the power to the battery when the pressure within the battery exceeds the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Hae Kyu Lim
  • Patent number: 8703342
    Abstract: An electrode assembly, a rechargeable battery including the same, and a method of manufacturing an electrode thereof, the electrode assembly including a first electrode, the first electrode including a mesh-type first electrode current collector having a plurality of pores, and a first electrode active material layer adhered to the first electrode current collector, wherein an edge active material layer protrudes from a side of the first current collector; a second electrode including a second electrode current collector, and a second electrode active material layer adhered to the second electrode current collector; and a separator interposed between the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sae-Weon Roh, Sung-Soo Kim, Man-Seok Han, Tae-Keun Kim, Jun-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 8679698
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to module level redundancy for fuel cell systems. A monitoring component monitors a set of operational parameters for a fuel cell group. The fuel cell group includes a set of fuel cell units, each having a set of fuel cell stacks. The fuel cell stacks include a set of gas powered fuel cells that convert air and fuel into electricity using a chemical reaction. The monitoring component determines that the set of operational parameters do not satisfy a set of operational criteria, and, in response, a load balancing component adjusts the electrical output capacity of the set of fuel cell units included in the fuel cell group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Allen Wayne Schade
  • Patent number: 8663830
    Abstract: A battery device is provided, which includes a fixing frame, a battery and a heat dissipating structure. The fixing frame includes a first plane, a second plane and a third plane. The first plane stands apart from the second plane, and the third plane connects the first plane and second plane. A receiving space is formed between the first and the second planes. The battery is disposed in the receiving space. The heat dissipating structure includes a plate and a block connected to the plate. The plate is disposed on the second plane and comes into contact with the battery. The block is disposed on the third plane and has an input hole and an output hole for liquid to pass therethrough. With this arrangement, the heat dissipating structure can quickly dissipate heat from the battery by the liquid flow. A battery device module is also provided in this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan-Kun Hsiao, Po-Lin Pan
  • Patent number: 8658299
    Abstract: A battery pack thermal management system includes a plurality of battery cells connected to at least one DC power bus. At least one thermoelectric device is operatively disposed in thermal contact with the plurality of battery cells. At least one temperature measuring device is operatively connected to the thermal management system, and configured to measure a temperature of a predetermined portion of the plurality of battery cells. A cell balancing circuit is operatively connected to the plurality of battery cells, and configured to selectively divert a portion of electric current from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to the at least one thermoelectric device. An electronic controller is operatively connected to the cell balancing circuit, and configured to control a flow of electric current to the at least one thermoelectric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: 8652690
    Abstract: Reducing an initial voltage degrades intermediate-load discharge performance. In a lithium primary battery containing iron disulfide as a positive electrode active material, a solvent of a nonaqueous electrolyte contains DIOX and DME as main components, and further contains THF. Moreover, the content of THF is 20 vol. % or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Nunome, Fumio Kato, Toshiyuki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8652663
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab, a can housing the electrode assembly, a cap assembly sealing a top opening of the can, and a protective circuit module in a space between the cap assembly and the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wongseong Baek, Heuisang Yoon, Sangjoo Lee
  • Patent number: 8652669
    Abstract: A lead-acid battery comprising a container having at least one cell chamber and a lid body for covering a top opening of the container. The lid body has on a top surface a recessed portion having therein an annular portion protruding upward and having, in an area of a bottom wall inside the protruding portion, an exhaust hole for exhausting gas from the cell chamber, wherein a guide passage for guiding gas from the exhaust hole to the outside is formed by joining the protruding portion with a joining portion provided on the lid body cover. An annular groove formed between the protruding portion and the vertical wall is covered with an outer periphery of the lid body cover 5 and the guide passage is isolated from the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhide Nakayama, Eiji Hojo, Masashi Shiota, Shin Ohsaki, Shinichi Egami
  • Patent number: 8652696
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes and apparatuses for generating electrical power from certain non-gaseous carbonaceous feedstocks through the integration of catalytic hydromethanation technology with fuel cell technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Greatpoint Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Avinash Sirdeshpande
  • Patent number: 8647785
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a maximum average cell voltage set-point for fuel cells in a fuel cell stack that considers oxidation of the catalyst in the fuel cells. The method includes determining the average cell voltage, the stack current density (I) and an internal resistance (R) of membranes in the fuel cells to calculate an IR corrected average cell voltage. The IR corrected average cell voltage is then used to determine the oxidation state of the catalyst particles using, for example, an empirical model. The oxidation state of the particles is then used to calculate the maximum average cell voltage set-point of the fuel cells, which is used to set the minimum power requested from the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: John P. Salvador, Thomas A. Greszler, Brian A. Litteer
  • Patent number: 8623555
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, an electrode useable in an electrochemical cell includes an electrically conductive substrate, nanostructured current collectors in electrical contact with the conductive substrate, and nanoparticles of a ternary orthosilicate composite coated on the nanostructured current collectors. The ternary orthosilicate composite comprises Li2MnxFeyCozSiO4, where x+y+z=1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Weng Poo Kang, Supil Raina, Shao-Hua Hsu, Siyu Wei