Patents Examined by Jonathan Crepeau
  • Patent number: 11450879
    Abstract: An electrode assembly in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are alternately stacked, and a separator is disposed between the positive and negative electrodes comprises: a folding unit, a negative electrode unit, and a positive electrode unit alternately inserted between layers of the separator of which one side and the other side are alternately folded in a zigzag shape in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are stacked; and a stacking unit in which the positive electrode, the separator, and the negative electrode, each of which is cut by a predetermined size, are sequentially stacked. The folding unit having a Z-folding structure and the stacking unit having a lamination & stacking structure may be bonded to each other. Thus, the positive electrode may increase in area relative to the negative electrode in the folding unit to increase in capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventors: Shin Hwa Lee, Woo Yong Lee, Kieun Sung
  • Patent number: 11450926
    Abstract: Set forth herein are electrochemical cells which include a negative electrode current collector, a lithium metal negative electrode, an oxide electrolyte membrane, a bonding agent layer, a positive electrode, and a positive electrode current collector. The bonding agent layer advantageously lowers the interfacial impedance of the oxide electrolyte at least at the positive electrode interface and also optionally acts as an adhesive between the solid electrolyte separator and the positive electrode interface. Also set forth herein are methods of making these bonding agent layers including, but not limited to, methods of preparing and depositing precursor solutions which form these bonding agent layers. Set forth herein, additionally, are methods of using these electrochemical cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: QuantumScape Battery, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhebo Chen, Niall Donnelly, Tim Holme, Deepika Singh
  • Patent number: 11450917
    Abstract: The power storage device is provided with a cell stack body formed by alternately arranging a plurality of secondary cells and a plurality of buffer plates. Each of the buffer plates has a non-deformable section and a deformable section that is elastically deformed according to a volume change in the secondary cell. The non-deformable section has a through hole in which the deformable section is fitted. The deformable section is formed thicker than the non-deformable section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Oka, Hiroshi Yoshizawa, Shigeki Matsuta, Yoshiaki Araki
  • Patent number: 11450877
    Abstract: A tooling system is configured to align and assemble a battery module having a plurality of battery cells arranged in a stack. Each battery cell has a flexible electrical terminal arranged along a respective terminal axis, and wherein the terminal axes are parallel to one another. The system includes a tooling fixture defining at least one Y-shape slit having a V-collector culminating in a slot arranged along a slot axis. Each V-collector is configured to capture the terminals of at least two battery cells. Each slot is configured to group the captured terminals when the slot axis is parallel to the terminal axes and the fixture engages the battery module. The system also includes a mechanism configured to apply a first force to the fixture along the slot axis to engage the battery module with the fixture. The mechanism thereby groups and aligns the captured terminals within the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert H. Dietze, Christopher Brady
  • Patent number: 11444353
    Abstract: A battery pack has bus bars, a battery stack which is an assembly of plural battery cells, a bus bar casing which supports a bus bar casing, and a cover member. Electrode terminals of battery cells adjacently arranged in the battery stack are connected together through the bus bars. An upstream side passage and a downstream side passage are formed between the bus bars and the cover member. Upstream side wall surfaces forming an inlet part of the upstream side passage or downstream side wall surfaces forming an outlet part of the downstream side passage is arranged at a location closer to the battery cell side than a location of a surface of the bus bar side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Yamamoto, Shota Iguchi, Koji Yamashita, Hisato Inoue, Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Katsunori Sato, Hidehiro Takasugi
  • Patent number: 11440373
    Abstract: A temperature regulating system of an in-vehicle battery is disclosed in the present disclosure. The system includes: a heat exchanger; an in-vehicle air conditioner, where the in-vehicle air conditioner is provided with an air conditioner vent, a first air duct is formed between the air conditioner vent and the heat exchanger, a semiconductor heat exchange module, where a second air duct is formed between a cooling end of the semiconductor heat exchange module and the first fan, and a third air duct is formed between the cooling end of the semiconductor heat exchange module and a compartment; a battery thermal management module, where the battery thermal management module is connected to the heat exchanger to form a heat exchange flow path; and a controller, connected to the semiconductor heat exchange module, the battery thermal management module, and the in-vehicle air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xingchi Wu, Jigang Tan, Hongjun Wang
  • Patent number: 11444321
    Abstract: A treating method of a nonaqueous-electrolyte and a method of fabricating a battery are provided. The treating method is suitable for being performed prior to injecting a nonaqueous-electrolyte into a containing region of the battery. The treating method includes performing at least one first voltage process or at least one second voltage process on the nonaqueous-electrolyte. The first voltage process includes as follows. A first voltage is applied to the nonaqueous-electrolyte. The voltage is adjusted gradually from the first voltage to a second voltage. The voltage is adjusted gradually from the second voltage to the first voltage. The second voltage process includes as follows. A third voltage is applied to the nonaqueous-electrolyte for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Bing-Joe Hwang, Wei-Nien Su
  • Patent number: 11431033
    Abstract: To provide a method for producing an all-solid-state battery which is configured to suppress chipping of a cut end, shedding of the constituent materials, etc., and which is configured to suppress removal of the solid electrolyte layer. The method is a method for producing an all-solid-state battery, comprising: preparing a first laminate by laminating a first solid electrolyte layer on a first active material layer, forming a solid electrolyte removed part by removing a part of the first solid electrolyte layer on the first active material layer, and cutting the first laminate by applying laser light, in a laminating direction of the first laminate, to the solid electrolyte removed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Kojima
  • Patent number: 11417914
    Abstract: The present application discloses a battery, an electronic device and a battery pack. The battery according to one embodiment comprises a battery cell assembly, the battery cell assembly including a first tab and a protection assembly. The protection assembly is connected to the first tab, and comprises a breaker and a first unidirectional conduction element, the breaker and the first unidirectional conduction element are connected in parallel. The battery, the electronic device and the battery pack provided by the embodiments of the present application may achieve overcharge protection on a soft package battery, and may meet a performance requirement of the soft package battery for discharge at large current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: NINGDE AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zuchao Liu, Chuantao Song, Zhiwen Xiao, Haiyang Nan
  • Patent number: 11417894
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating an interconnect for a fuel cell stack that include providing a protective layer over at least one surface of an interconnect formed by powder pressing pre-alloyed particles containing two or more metal elements and annealing the interconnect and the protective layer at elevated temperature to bond the protective layer to the at least one surface of the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tad Armstrong
  • Patent number: 11411225
    Abstract: A chambered frame insert (2) for an electrolyte chamber of a battery (200) includes a plurality of ribs (4) laterally and defining a plurality of chambers (6), and a plurality of voids (8) each formed in a corresponding rib and configured to allow gas to travel between the plurality of chambers. The plurality of ribs are angled with respect to a horizontal lateral axis (H) of the frame insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: EOS Energy Storage LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Hertzberg
  • Patent number: 11394034
    Abstract: A support for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalyst satisfying the following requirements (A), (B), (C), and (D), and a producing method thereof, as well as a catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell and a fuel cell: (A) a specific surface area according to a BET analysis of a nitrogen adsorption isotherm is from 450 to 1500 m2/g. (B) a nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherm forms a hysteresis loop in a range of relative pressure P/P0 of more than 0.47 but not more than 0.90, and a hysteresis loop area ?S0.47-0.9 is from 1 to 35 mL/g; (C) a relative pressure Pclose/P0 at which the hysteresis loop closes is more than 0.47 but not more than 0.70; and (D) a half-width of a G band detected by Raman spectrometry in a range of from 1500 to 1700 cm?1 is from 45 to 75 cm?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CHEMICAL & MATERIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Iijima, Kenichiro Tadokoro, Masataka Hiyoshi, Shinya Furukawa, Tomoko Komura, Kazuhiko Mizuuchi
  • Patent number: 11394037
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus for a separator for a fuel cell includes: a conveying portion configured to hold an intermediate part of the separator and lift the separator; and restricting portions configured to restrict the opposite ends of the separator to warp the intermediate part of the separator in the lifting direction when the conveying portion lifts the separator. The restricting portions are configured to release the opposite ends when the intermediate part of the separator warps in the lifting direction with a target curvature amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunari Moteki
  • Patent number: 11394030
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a positive electrode is provided with: a positive electrode current collector which contains aluminum; a positive electrode mixture layer which contains a positive electrode active material that is configured of a lithium transition metal oxide; and an intermediate layer which is arranged between the positive electrode current collector and the positive electrode mixture layer. The intermediate layer contains inorganic compound particles, a conductive material and a binder; the circularity is from 5% to 75% (inclusive); the void fraction of the intermediate layer is from 30% to 69% (inclusive); and the average circularity of the inorganic compound particles is from 5% to 75% (inclusive).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Furusawa, Tomoki Shiozaki, Hideharu Takezawa, Takahito Nakayama, Yuji Oura, Takahiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11394058
    Abstract: Provided is method of preparing an alkali metal-sulfur cell, comprising: (a) combining a quantity of a cathode active material (selected from sulfur, a metal-sulfur compound, a sulfur-carbon composite, a sulfur-graphene composite, a sulfur-graphite composite, an organic sulfur compound, a sulfur-polymer composite or a combination thereof), a quantity of an electrolyte, and a conductive additive to form a deformable cathode material, wherein the conductive additive, containing conductive filaments, forms a 3D network of electron-conducting pathways and the electrolyte contains an alkali salt and an ion-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in a solvent; (b) forming the cathode material into a quasi-solid cathode, wherein the forming includes deforming the cathode material into an electrode shape without interrupting the 3D network of electron-conducting pathways such that the cathode maintains an electrical conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm; (c) forming an anode; and (d) forming a cell by combining the c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Patent number: 11387452
    Abstract: The present invention provides a linear porous lithium titanate material, preparation and product thereof. The material comprises a lithium titanate material having a crystal phase which is a spinel type, wherein the lithium titanate material has a linear structure having an aspect ratio of greater than 10, and the linear lithium titanate material has a porous structure; wherein the linear porous lithium titanate material has a structure composed of a plurality of particles having an oriented growth direction. The material has a long-axis structure which facilitates the effective migration of electrons, a porous structure which facilitates the rapid intercalation and deintercalation process of lithium ions, sodium ions or potassium ions, and a large specific surface area which facilitates the contact area between the electrolyte solution and the electrodes and reduces the current density, thus is excellent in a rapid charge-discharge performance of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: PetroChina Company Limited
    Inventors: Jianming Li, Xu Jin, He Liu, Xiaoqi Wang, Xiaodan Liu, Hang Jiao
  • Patent number: 11380935
    Abstract: A resin composition for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a vinylidene fluoride copolymer having a constituent unit derived from vinylidene fluoride and a constituent unit derived from a fluorine-containing alkyl vinyl compound. A melting point, measured in accordance with ASTM D3418, of the vinylidene fluoride copolymer is from 105° C. to 125° C., and a mass fraction Wa of the constituent unit derived from the fluorine-containing alkyl vinyl compound in the vinylidene fluoride copolymer, a degree of crystallinity DC of the vinylidene fluoride copolymer, and a degree of amorphicity DA of the vinylidene fluoride copolymer satisfy Equation (1) below: 4.7?Wa×(DC/DA)?14??(1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KUREHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nagasawa, Aya Shike
  • Patent number: 11380907
    Abstract: A substrate stainless steel sheet has [chemical form other than metal (Cr+Fe)]/[metal form (Cr+Fe)] of 12.0 or more and 200 or less, [chemical form other than metal (Cr+Fe)]/[metal form (Cr+Fe)] being a ratio of a total of Cr and Fe existing in chemical form other than metal to a total of Cr and Fe existing in metal form at a substrate stainless steel sheet surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventors: Takayoshi Yano, Shin Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11374279
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes a housing in which a plurality of storage cells are arranged. The storage cells are thermally insulated from each other via a device arranged between the storage cells. The device is designed in such a way that the storage cells are spaced apart from each other. The device is made from temperature-resistant material. The device has projections and depressions. The device contains a material which is configured to be subjected to an endothermic chemical conversion when a temperature of 200° C. is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CARL FREUDENBERG KG
    Inventors: Peter Kritzer, Reiner Dirr, Olaf Nahrwold, Michael Klemt
  • Patent number: 11374264
    Abstract: A detection system includes a power generation element; a first outer cover body enveloping the power generation element; a second outer cover body located between the power generation element and the first outer cover body, and enveloping the power generation element; a first space section enclosed by the first outer cover body and the second outer cover body; a second space section enclosed by the second outer cover body; and a detector that detects a gas in the first space section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ayumu Fukuoka, Kazuyoshi Honda