Patents Examined by Jacob Marks
  • Patent number: 9923186
    Abstract: A square secondary battery includes a can housing a power generation element, a lid sealing an opening of the can, an external terminal arranged on the lid, a current collector connected to each of the electrodes of the power generation element, and a connection terminal connecting the current collector and the external terminal by passing through the lid. The external terminal has a flat plate shape arranged along the lid and is made of a clad material in which two flat plate portions made of mutually dissimilar metals are clad-joined on wide-width surfaces and the connection terminal is joined by welding with, of the two flat plate portions of the external terminal, the flat plate portion arranged on a side of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Tsunaki, Shou Saimaru
  • Patent number: 9923177
    Abstract: Designs, strategies and methods to improve biocompatibility of energization elements are described. In some examples, the biocompatible energization elements may be used in a biomedical device. In some further examples, the biocompatible energization elements may be used in a contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Flitsch, Daniel B. Otts, Randall B. Pugh, James Daniel Riall, Adam Toner
  • Patent number: 9917312
    Abstract: [Object] The purpose is to provide a cooling and heating device. [Solution] This cooling and heating device includes: a fuel cell device including a fuel cell; a heating unit which utilizes the heat of exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; a thermoacoustic cooler (14) including a cooling unit which performs a cooling function with use of the heat of the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and an exhaust gas switching unit (25) which allows the exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell to be supplied to at least one of the thermoacoustic cooler (14) and the heating unit, whereby there can be provided a cooling and heating device which effectively utilizes the exhaust gas of a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Ono
  • Patent number: 9917296
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode active material layer; a negative electrode that includes a negative electrode active material layer; and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution. When a void volume of the positive electrode active material layer per battery capacity is represented by ? (cm3/Ah), and when a void volume of the negative electrode active material layer per battery capacity is represented by ? (cm3/Ah), the following conditions are satisfied: 1.00???2.20;??(1) 2.17???3.27; and??(2) ?<?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Takahata
  • Patent number: 9917335
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting and compensating for expansion of rechargeable batteries over time. An expansion detector may be coupled to or positioned proximate a rechargeable battery to monitor for expansion thereof. After expansion exceeding a selected threshold is detected, the expansion detector may report the expansion to an associated processing unit. The processing unit may undertake to arrest further rechargeable battery expansion by modifying or changing one or more characteristics of charging and/or discharging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery. For example, the processing unit may charge the rechargeable battery at a lower rate or with reduced voltage after detecting expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Jarvis, David M. DeMuro, Hongli Dai, Julian Malinski, Julien Marcil, Meng Chi Lee, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Rishabh Bhargava, Steven D. Sterz, Richard M. Mank, Soundararajan Manthiri, Vijayasekaran Boovaragavan
  • Patent number: 9911952
    Abstract: A battery module (10) for a motor vehicle has at least one battery cell (12) for producing and storing electrical energy and a rigid battery frame (14) in which the at least one battery cell (12) is accommodated. An absorption element (24) is secured to the battery frame (14) by connection sections (28). The absorption element (24) is spaced apart from the battery frame (14) in such a way that a cavity (26) is formed between the absorption element (24) and the battery frame (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Ralf Keller, Eduard Ewert
  • Patent number: 9912006
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a composite positive active material, a composite positive active material manufactured by the method, and a positive electrode and a lithium battery including the composite positive active material. The method may include acid-treating an overlithiated lithium transition metal oxide; and applying fluorine onto the acid-treated overlithiated lithium transition metal oxide using a fluorine compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jay-Hyok Song, Andrei Kapylou, Jun-Seok Park, Chang-Wook Kim, Yong-Chan You, Sun-Ho Kang
  • Patent number: 9912002
    Abstract: The present invention relates to: an ion exchange membrane containing, in a channel, an inorganic particle, substituted with an organic compound including SO4? group; and a method for manufacturing the ion exchange membrane. The ion exchange membrane according to the present invention can provide excellent physical properties while also maintaining ion conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Hyun Kong
  • Patent number: 9905833
    Abstract: An energy storage apparatus includes: an energy storage device; a bus bar; and a lead line, wherein the bus bar includes a bus bar body which is in contact with the external terminal of the energy storage device and includes a portion to be connected where the lead line is connected to the bus bar, and other portion which is contiguously formed with the portion to be connected, and the bus bar body has a cut disposed between the portion to be connected and the other portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yosuke Nishimura, Yoshimasa Toshioka, Masao Kawata
  • Patent number: 9899703
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gel electrolyte comprising a cyclic sulfonic acid ester represented by formula (1). According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gel electrolyte capable of suppressing the self-discharge of a polymer secondary battery, and a polymer secondary battery using the gel electrolyte. wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a halogen group or an amino group with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time; R3 represents a linkage group selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, a sulfonyl group, a fluoroalkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and a divalent group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms in which alkylene units or fluoroalkylene units are bonded through an ether group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, NEC Energy Devices, LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru Yoshida, Ikiko Shimanuki, Shinako Kaneko, Hitoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9899660
    Abstract: An object is to suppress electrochemical decomposition of an electrolyte solution and the like at a negative electrode in a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion capacitor; thus, irreversible capacity is reduced, cycle performance is improved, or operating temperature range is extended. A negative electrode for a power storage device including a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer which is over the negative electrode current collector and includes a plurality of particles of a negative electrode active material, and a film covering part of the negative electrode active material. The film has an insulating property and lithium ion conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Inoue, Sachiko Kataniwa, Kazutaka Kuriki, Junpei Momo
  • Patent number: 9899684
    Abstract: Battery electrodes are provided that can include a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame. Methods for manufacturing battery electrodes are provided that can include: providing a sheet of conductive material; and framing the sheet of conductive material with a polymeric material. Batteries are provided that can include a plurality of electrodes, with individual ones of the electrodes comprising a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: COPPERWATTS LLC
    Inventors: Alfred T. Volberding, Bradley W. Stone
  • Patent number: 9893354
    Abstract: Disclosed are hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam electrodes, viz., anodes, methods of producing the same, and methods for their use in electrochemical cells, especially in rechargeable electrical batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Daniel A. Steingart, Mylad Chamoun, Benjamin Hertzberg, Greg Davies, Andrew G. Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9890463
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrolytic copper alloy foil having large mechanical strength in an ordinary state and showing resistant to heat deterioration even when it is heated to 300° C. or more. That electrolytic copper alloy foil, which contains tungsten copper, preferably incorporates tungsten into copper foil as a copper alloy, has a tensile strength at ordinary temperature of 650 MPa, has a tensile strength after heat treatment at 300° C. for 1 hour of 450 MPa or more, and has a conductivity of 80% or more. Further preferably, the electrolytic copper foil has an elongation at ordinary temperature of 2.5% or more and an elongation after treatment at 300° C. for 1 hour of 3.5% or more. The electrolytic copper foil is produced by adding a thiourea compound, tungsten salt, and chloride ions to a sulfuric acid-copper sulfate electrolyte and performing electrolytic deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Akitoshi Suzuki, Kensaku Shinozaki, Kimiko Fujisawa, Takahiro Tsuruta, Takeshi Ezura, Jun Shinozaki, Masato Ebisugi, Hirokazu Sasaki, Satoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9887426
    Abstract: A fuel cell and a method for manufacturing a fuel cell from a hollow fiber membrane module. The fuel cell has a housing in which a bundle of hollow fiber membranes is arranged. The volume enclosed by the housing is subdivided into an inlet space, an intermediate space and an outlet space by a partition wall which tightly encloses one end-face portion of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes and a partition wall which tightly encloses the other end-face portion of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes. The inlet space is in a fluid connection with one open end of the hollow fiber membranes, while the outlet space is in a fluid connection with the other open end of the hollow fiber membranes. The fuel cell is distinguished by a simplified electrical connection of all of the electrical layers forming the anode and cathode. As a result, the fuel cell can be produced cost-effectively in large numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Heide
  • Patent number: 9887416
    Abstract: Provided are a negative electrode active material for a lithium ion secondary battery, which has sufficiently high discharge capacity at a high rate. The negative electrode active material containing silicon and silicon oxide includes primary particles having two phases of different compositions therein. One of the two phases has a higher silicon element concentration than the other phase, and is a fibrous phase forming a network structure in a cross section of the primary particle. Use of the negative electrode active material enables a sufficient increase in discharge capacity at a high rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ikeda, Atsushi Sano, Masaki Sobu, Akinobu Nojima
  • Patent number: 9887438
    Abstract: An electronic device has a heat source and a generally rectangular shape battery proximate the heat source. The battery may have first and second major surfaces. A thermal regulator is in thermal contact with both of the heat source and substantially all of at least the first major surface of the battery. During operation of the device, heat transferred from the heat source to the first major surface via the thermal regulator balances the temperature profile exhibited along the first major surface such that it is substantially uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NeoGraf Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: David G. Rich, Martin D. Smalc
  • Patent number: 9882247
    Abstract: A lithium ion battery particularly configured to be able to discharge to a very low voltage, e.g. zero volts, without causing permanent damage to the battery. More particularly, the battery is configured to define a Zero Volt Crossing Potential (ZCP) which is lower than a Damage Potential Threshold (DPT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Quallion LLC
    Inventors: Hisashi Tsukamoto, Clay Kishiyama, Mikito Nagata, Hiroshi Nakahara, Tiehua Piao
  • Patent number: 9882200
    Abstract: A battery has an anode, a separator adjacent the anode, and a cathode adjacent the separator opposite the anode, the cathode comprising interdigitated stripes of two different types, one of the types forming pore channels or porous structure and one of the types being more compressible than others type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chang-Jun Bae, Eric J. Shrader, Ashish Manandhar
  • Patent number: 9882227
    Abstract: A fuel cell system for an aircraft includes a fuel cell, wherein at the cathode side a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet is provided, and wherein at the anode side an anode inlet and an anode outlet is provided, and a cathode recirculation channel for passing the cathode product fluid from the cathode outlet to the cathode inlet. In the fuel cell system, the water content of the cathode product fluid in the cathode recirculation channel can be reduced or at least stabilized in a possibly effective way, because the cathode recirculation channel includes a water extraction device for extracting water from the cathode product fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Hoffjann, Guido Klewer, Hauke-Peer Lüdders, Sijmen Zandstra