Patents Examined by Christopher Domone
  • Patent number: 9673427
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells; a protective circuit module coupled to at least two battery cells; and a case accommodating the battery cells and the protective circuit module, wherein the two battery cells are disposed on a surface of the case, and the protective circuit module is disposed between the two battery cells on the surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ld.
    Inventor: Seok Koh
  • Patent number: 9673474
    Abstract: Provided is a battery cell stack in which the electrical resistance between a current collector plate and an end bipolar plate is unlikely to increase when charging and discharging are repeated. A battery cell stack includes a current collector plate electrically connected to each of a pair of end bipolar plates located at both ends in the stacking direction. In the battery cell stack, two members in contact with each other between the current collector plate and the end bipolar plate are made of materials such that, when an accelerated test satisfying the following conditions 1 to 3 is performed, the electrical resistance value between the current collector plate and the end bipolar plate after the accelerated test is 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakaishi
  • Patent number: 9666912
    Abstract: For a technical object whose temperature is to be controlled, in particular a battery for an electric vehicle drive, there is provided a heat exchanger arrangement, the heat exchanger of which is in the form of a heat-exchanging pouch which has an inflow and outflow duct and which is in heat-conducting contact with internal surfaces of the object whose temperature is to be controlled. The heat-exchanging pouch is produced in a simple manner by means of edge welding of two foil pieces arranged one above the other. The mounting of said heat-exchanging pouch in a narrow gap space of a heat exchanger arrangement, and good heat transfer to adjacent walls, are made possible by means of a pressure pouch which is likewise formed from a foil material and which is filled with a compressible medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: OBRIST TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Martin Graz, Peter Giese, Oliver Obrist
  • Patent number: 9666863
    Abstract: The invention relates to a nano silicon-carbon composite negative material for lithium ion batteries and a preparation method thereof. A porous electrode composed of silica and carbon is taken as a raw material, and a nano silicon-carbon composite material of carbon-loaded nano silicon is formed by a molten salt electrolysis method in a manner of silica in-situ electrochemical reduction. Silicon and carbon of the material are connected by nano silicon carbide, and are metallurgical-grade combination, so that the electrochemical cycle stability of the nano silicon-carbon composite material is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: CHINA AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigang Lu, Juanyu Yang, Xingming Wang, Haiyang Ding, Zhefeng Gao
  • Patent number: 9666858
    Abstract: A negative electrode for a secondary battery according to the present invention has a collector and a negative electrode active material layer formed on a surface of the collector and containing negative electrode active material particles. In the negative electrode active material layer, an insulating material is arranged between the negative electrode active material particles so as not to develop conductivity by a percolation path throughout the negative electrode active material layer. It is possible in this configuration to effectively prevent the occurrence of a short-circuit current due to an internal short circuit and the generation of heat due to such short-circuit current flow in the secondary battery while securing the battery performance of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Ohara, Sohei Suga, Yasuo Ohta, Tomoya Kubota, Kazuyuki Sakamoto, Takaaki Abe, Satoru Ichikawa, Kenji Hosaka, Kosuke Hagiyama, Hiroshi Miyakubo
  • Patent number: 9660266
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lithium secondary battery including (i) a cathode active material including a lithium metal phosphate according to Formula 1 below, (ii) an anode active material including amorphous carbon, and (iii) an electrolyte for lithium secondary batteries including a lithium salt and an ether-based solvent, Li1+aM(PO4-b)Xb??(1) wherein M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Group II to XII metals, X is at least one selected from F, S, and N, ?0.5?a?+0.5, and 0?b?0.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Geun Choi, Geun Chang Chung, Yourim Yoon, Seung Jae Yoon, Jong Mo Jung, Jonghyun Chae
  • Patent number: 9643859
    Abstract: To provide a carbonate compound and a cathode active material, whereby a lithium ion secondary battery having excellent cycle characteristics can be obtained. A process for producing a carbonate compound, which comprises mixing a sulfate (A) comprising a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn and a sulfate of Ni, or a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn, a sulfate of Ni and a sulfate of Co, and a carbonate (B) which is at least one carbonate selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, in the form of aqueous solutions and controlling the proportion of Mn to the total of Ni, Co and Mn contained in the sulfate (A) to be higher than 65 mol % at the initiation of the mixing, to precipitate a carbonate compound having a proportion of Mn of from 33.3 to 65 mol %, a proportion of Ni of from 17.5 to 50 mol % and a proportion of Co of from 0 to 33.3 mol % to the total of Ni, Co and Mn in the total average composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sakai, Tsubasa Takasugi, Takuya Teratani
  • Patent number: 9647257
    Abstract: A battery pack is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells and a monitoring portion including a plurality of lines respectively electrically connected to the battery cells. The lines include a positive current line, a negative current line, and at least one monitoring line. The battery pack further includes a connector including a plurality of connector pins formed therein, wherein the connector pins are respectively electrically connected to the lines of the monitoring portion, and a protective circuit module accommodating the connector therein. The connector pins have different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun-Tae Ro, Ji-Hwan Seol
  • Patent number: 9647271
    Abstract: An aspect of the subject technology/invention of the present disclosure includes electrode structures or elements/components that have (e.g., present) fractal and/or self-complementary shapes or structures, e.g., on a surface. Such shapes or structures can be pre-existing. The electrodes can be made of any suitable material. The electrodes may function or operate or be used as a “seed” structure to incorporate or receive a material or materials useful for lattice assisted nuclear reactions and/or cold fusion processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Cohen
  • Patent number: 9640795
    Abstract: A positive-electrode active material particle for an all-solid battery which includes a sulfide-based solid electrolyte includes an active material core and a reaction-inhibiting layer which contains carbon and with which the active material core is coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9637861
    Abstract: An insulating (nonconductive) microporous polymeric battery separator comprised of a single layer of enmeshed microfibers and nanofibers is provided. Such a separator accords the ability to attune the porosity and pore size to any desired level through a single nonwoven fabric. Through a proper selection of materials as well as production processes, the resultant battery separator exhibits isotropic strengths, low shrinkage, high wettability levels, and pore sizes related directly to layer thickness. The overall production method is highly efficient and yields a combination of polymeric nanofibers within a polymeric microfiber matrix and/or onto such a substrate through high shear processing that is cost effective as well. The separator, a battery including such a separator, the method of manufacturing such a separator, and the method of utilizing such a separator within a battery device, are all encompassed within this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Dreamweaver International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian G. Morin
  • Patent number: 9640799
    Abstract: A negative electrode active material for a non-lithium secondary battery, the negative electrode active material including a complex including a hard carbon having a specific surface area of about 50 square meters per gram or less and a ratio of a D-band peak intensity to a G-band peak intensity of 1 or less when analyzed by Raman spectroscopy; and a component including at least one selected from a Group 1 element, an oxide of a Group 1 element, a Group 2 element, an oxide of a Group 2 element, an element of Groups 13 to 16, an oxide of an element of Groups 13 to 16, and an oxide of an element of Groups 3 to 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaemyung Lee, Junhwan Ku, Seoksoo Lee, Wonseok Chang, Daeryong Jung
  • Patent number: 9640789
    Abstract: A connecting element for a secondary battery according to the present disclosure includes a metal plate having a recess groove, a soldering pattern having a lower melting point than the metal plate and formed within the recess groove, and an insulation layer formed on at least one surface among both surfaces of the metal plate, and covering an area where the soldering pattern is formed. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to interrupt an overcurrent quickly when the overcurrent occurs, and prevent secondary damage caused by a spark that may occur when the connecting element for the secondary battery is ruptured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hoon Yang, Jong-Hun Kim, Young-Suk Cho, Jeong-Gyu Park, Hyun-Gyu Han
  • Patent number: 9627683
    Abstract: An anode includes a plurality of metal fibers with a three-dimensional (3D) network structure, and a silicon-containing layer having a thickness of about 0.3 ?m or less formed on a surface of and inside the 3D network structure of the plurality of metal fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ju-Hee Sohn, Jong-Ki Lee, Tae-Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 9627677
    Abstract: A battery includes a plurality of electrode assemblies arranged in a case, each electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an interior safety member including an interior plate between the electrode assemblies, the interior safety member being electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: In Kim, Duk-Jung Kim, Joong-Heon Kim
  • Patent number: 9620783
    Abstract: Compositions and methods of making are provided for treated mesoporous metal oxide microspheres electrodes. The compositions include microspheres with an average diameter between about 200 nanometers and about 10 micrometers and mesopores on the surface and interior of the microspheres. The methods of making include forming a mesoporous metal oxide microsphere composition and treating the mesoporous metal oxide microspheres by at least annealing in a reducing atmosphere, doping with an aliovalent element, and coating with a coating composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Mariappan Parans Paranthaman, Zhonghe Bi, Craig A. Bridges, Gilbert M. Brown
  • Patent number: 9620769
    Abstract: To provide a power storage device having excellent charge/discharge cycle characteristics and a high charge/discharge capacity. The following electrode is used as an electrode of a power storage device: an electrode including a current collector and an active material layer provided over the current collector. The active material layer includes a plurality of whisker-like active material bodies. Each of the plurality of whisker-like active material bodies includes at least a core and an outer shell provided to cover the core. The outer shell is amorphous, and a portion between the current collector and the core of the active material bodies is amorphous. Note that a metal layer may be provided instead of the current collector, the active material bodies do not necessarily have to include the core, and a mixed layer may be provided between the current collector and the active material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Takeuchi, Teppei Oguni, Takeshi Osada
  • Patent number: 9620821
    Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a first separator, a negative electrode, and a second separator that are sequentially stacked. The first separator includes a first substrate including a first side facing the positive electrode and a second side facing the negative electrode. The second separator includes a second substrate including a third side facing the negative electrode and a fourth side facing the positive electrode. At least one of the first side to the fourth side includes an organic layer including an organic material, and at least one of the second side or the third side includes an inorganic layer including an inorganic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seon-Yeong Kang
  • Patent number: 9601764
    Abstract: A power storage device a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material layer. The positive electrode active material layer includes a plurality of particles of x[Li2MnO3]-(1?x)[LiCo1/3Mn1/3Ni1/3O2] (obtained by assigning 0.5 to x, for example) which is a positive electrode active material, and multilayer graphene with which the plurality of particles of the positive electrode active material are at least partly connected to each other. In the multilayer graphene, a plurality of graphenes are stacked in a layered manner. The graphene contains a six-membered ring composed of carbon atoms, a poly-membered ring which is a seven or more-membered ring composed of carbon atoms, and an oxygen atom bonded to one or more of the carbon atoms in the six-membered ring and the poly-membered ring, which is a seven or more-membered ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawakami, Hiroatsu Todoriki, Teppei Oguni, Takeshi Osada, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9593024
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of preparing positive electrode materials for electrochemical cells and batteries. It relates, in particular, to a method for fabricating lithium-metal-oxide electrode materials for lithium cells and batteries. The method comprises contacting a hydrogen-lithium-manganese-oxide material with one or more metal ions, preferably in an acidic solution, to insert the one or more metal ions into the hydrogen-lithium-manganese-oxide material; heat-treating the resulting product to form a powdered metal oxide composition; and forming an electrode from the powdered metal oxide composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Michael M. Thackeray, Sun-Ho Kang, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, Jason Croy