Patents Examined by Jonathan Jelsma
  • Battery housing with reverse polarity protection
    Patent number: 9269943
    Abstract: A battery housing includes a contact cage forming a longitudinal cylindrical enclosure having a lateral opening. A leaf spring is included having first and second compressible ends, in which the first end is received by the contact cage through the lateral opening. A longitudinal insulating cup is also included having opposing cylindrical openings, in which the second compressible end of the leaf spring is received by the insulating cup through one of the cylindrical openings. The leaf spring forms a positive terminal in the battery housing and is held in position by the contact cage and the insulating cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Exelis, Inc.
    Inventors: John Carl Nelson, Robert Charles Anderson, Shannon William Craighead, Dmitru Branisteanu
  • End plate for fuel cell including anti-bending plate
    Patent number: 9263759
    Abstract: Disclosed is an end plate for a fuel cell including an anti-bending plate, in which an anti-bending plate is assembled with an insert having a sandwich structure and the insert is injection molded, thereby easily preventing the insert from being bent due to an injection molding pressure. In the disclosed end plate, a sandwich insert including two or more stacked plates each having a specific shape is manufactured, and an anti-bending plate is coupled to the sandwich insert and then is injection molded, thereby easily preventing the sandwich insert from being bent due to a resin pressure in the injection molding process, contrary to a conventional integral metal insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Daewon Kang Up Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Do Suh, Sae Hoon Kim, Byung Ki Ahn, Jin Yong Park, Ji Yong Kim
  • Rechargeable battery
    Patent number: 9257685
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first current collecting plate electrically connected to the first electrode; a second current collecting plate electrically connected to the second electrode; and a case for receiving the electrode assembly, the first current collecting plate, and the second current collecting plate, wherein the first current collecting plate is electrically connected to an inner wall of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignees: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD., ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Yong-Sam Kim, Jang-Hyun Song, Tai-Sun You
  • Sulfur cathode hosted in porous organic polymeric matrices
    Patent number: 9257699
    Abstract: A composite material includes a porous organic polymer and an electrochemically active material, wherein the porous organic polymer contains a plurality of pores having a diameter of from about 0.1 nm to about 100 nm, and the electrochemically active material is disposed within the pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengcheng Zhang, Wei Weng, Shengwen Yuan, Khalil Amine
  • Ionic liquid, nonaqueous electrolyte, and power storage device
    Patent number: 9252459
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte of the present invention includes an ionic liquid including a first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation having one or more substituents, a second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation having an alicyclic skeleton that is the same as an alicyclic skeleton of the first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation, and a counter anion to the first alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation and the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation and an alkali metal salt. In the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation, one of substituents bonded to a nitrogen atom in the alicyclic skeleton is a substituent including a halogen element. In the ionic liquid, the amount of a salt including the second alicyclic quaternary ammonium cation is less than or equal to 1 wt % per unit weight of the ionic liquid, or is less than or equal to 0.8 wt % per unit weight of the nonaqueous electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Itakura, Kyosuke Ito, Rie Yokoi, Jun Ishikawa
  • Nanofiber membrane-electrode-assembly and method of fabricating same
    Patent number: 9252445
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a fuel cell membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) has an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a membrane disposed between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. At least one of the anode electrode, the cathode electrode and the membrane is formed of electrospun nanofibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Peter N. Pintauro, Jason Ballengee, Matthew Brodt
  • Rechargeable battery
    Patent number: 9251986
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a case, an electrode assembly in the case, a current collecting member electrically connected to the electrode assembly, a fuse part in the current collecting member, and an elastic member adjacent to the fuse part. The elastic member is configured to provide an elastic force to the fuse part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventors: In Kim, Duk-Jung Kim, Hyung-Sik Kim, Jeong-Jun Kim, Zin Park
  • Rechargeable battery pack
    Patent number: 9252404
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack includes a rechargeable battery cell, and a pair of cell holders receiving respective sides of the rechargeable battery cell in a length direction, the pair of cell holders being combinable with each other. Each of the cell holders includes a base that supports the rechargeable battery cell, a combination protrusion and a combination groove symmetrically disposed on an outer side of the base, a protrusion protruding from the base in the length direction so as to be combinable in the length direction, and a recess portion being concave in the base in the length direction such that the recess portion of one of the pair of cell holders is combinable with the protrusion of the other of the pair of cell holders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: No-Hyun Kwag
  • Cathode active material and lithium secondary battery containing the same
    Patent number: 9246162
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cathode active material for secondary batteries and a secondary battery including the same, the cathode active material including lithium manganese oxide (A) having a spinel crystal structure and at least two types of lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxides (B) containing Ni, Mn, and Co as transition metals, wherein the lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt composite oxides (B) are different from each other in terms of at least one selected from the group consisting of elemental composition, particle diameter, and density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Kyu Choi, SeungByung Lee
  • Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery
    Patent number: 9240576
    Abstract: If a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a seal structure between a lid and an electrode terminal in which a seal member is compressed by fastening a nut, the nut may be loosened to make the amount of compression of the seal member insufficient to reduce the seal performance even if the nut is fastened enough to obtain an appropriate amount of compression of the seal member at the time of manufacture of the battery. A battery case has an opening, and houses an electrode group and an organic electrolyte. A lid is fastened to the battery case, and tightly seals the opening of the battery case. An electrode terminal is electrically connected to the electrode group. The lid and the electrode terminal face each other via an elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kugino, Yuichiro Mishiro, Murashi Shinto, Kenzou Ikeda, Akira Tanaka
  • Secondary battery and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9240574
    Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery with improved safety through filling a polymer in a hardened state, and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing a secondary battery according to the present disclosure includes preparing a polymer slurry by adding a polymer particle to an electrolyte solution, injecting the polymer slurry to a battery casing in which an electrode assembly is received, changing the polymer slurry to a polymer solution by heating the battery casing, and hardening the polymer solution by cooling the battery casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Heon Jeong, Chan-Sub Lee, Soon-Ho Ahn, Kyoung-Won Kang, Ki-Woong Kim
  • Rechargeable battery
    Patent number: 9236596
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly in a case; a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case; a rivet electrically connected to the electrode assembly, the rivet including: a first rivet flange; and a second rivet flange; and a gasket between the rivet flange and the cap plate, the gasket including: a first gasket flange configured to be coupled with the first rivet flange; and a second gasket flange configured to be coupled with the second rivet flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Duk-Jung Kim
  • Nonaqueous electrolytic solution and electrochemical device using the same
    Patent number: 9230746
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolytic solution that can improve the electrochemical properties in a broad temperature range and an electrochemical device using the same. A nonaqueous electrolytic solution prepared by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a nonaqueous solvent, wherein the nonaqueous solvent includes 0.1 to 30% by volume of a fluorine atom-containing cyclic carbonate, and further the nonaqueous electrolytic solution includes 0.001 to 5% by mass of a branched dinitrile compound in which the main chain of an alkylene chain linking the two nitrile groups has 2 or more and 4 or less of the carbon number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: UBE INDUSTRIES, LTD
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Miyoshi, Masahide Kondo
  • Cyclic sulfate compound, non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing same, and lithium secondary battery
    Patent number: 9227950
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte solution containing a cyclic sulfate compound represented by formula (I) is provided, wherein in formula (I), R1 represents a group represented by formula (II) or a group represented by formula (III); R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a group represented by formula (II), or a group represented by formula (III); and in formula (II), R3 represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a group represented by formula (IV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Shigeru Mio, Mitsuo Nakamura, Kaichiro Haruta, Hidenobu Nogi, Satoko Fujiyama, Takashi Hayashi, Hidetoshi Tsunoda
  • Secondary battery
    Patent number: 9224992
    Abstract: A secondary battery capable of preventing an internal electric short by allowing an upper cap plate to be deformed toward the outside of a can and having improved stability under external impacts. The secondary battery includes a can having an internal space, an electrode assembly inserted into the space of the can, and a cap plate coupled to a top portion of the can, wherein the cap plate includes a deformation inducing part having a groove formed on its one surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jangho Yoon
  • Solid battery and method for regenerating the same
    Patent number: 9225038
    Abstract: Provided are a solid battery which can reduce overvoltage and a regeneration method thereof. The solid battery comprises: an anode capable of absorbing and releasing an alkali metal ion or alkaline earth metal ion; a solid electrolyte layer containing a solid electrolyte having ion conductivity and disposed in a manner to contact the anode; a cathode capable of releasing and absorbing the alkali metal ion or alkaline earth metal ion which moves between the anode and cathode; a heating device to heat the anode to a temperature at which it softens; and a fastening device capable of applying force to closely contact the solid electrolyte layer with the anode. The regeneration method comprises the steps of heating the anode to a temperature at which it softens, and compressing the softened anode, in a direction intersecting a face of the anode which contacts with the solid electrolyte layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yutaka Hirose
  • Positive electrode active material
    Patent number: 9225007
    Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material. The positive electrode active material is represented by the following formula (I) and has a BET specific surface area of larger than 5 m2/g and not larger than 15 m2/g: LixM1yM31-yO2??(I) wherein M1 is at least one transition metal element selected from Group 5 elements and Group 6 elements of the Periodic Table, M3 is at least one transition metal element other than M1 and selected from among transition metal elements excluding Fe, x is not less than 0.9 and not more than 1.3, and y is more than 0 and less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Maiko Saka, Cedric Pitteloud, Tetsuri Nakayama, Kenji Takamori
  • Separator for a fuel cell, a production method therefor and a fuel cell stack comprising the same
    Patent number: 9219281
    Abstract: The present invention provides a separator for a fuel cell that improves efficiency of the fuel cell by removing water generated in a membrane-electrode assembly and accumulated in a channel of the separator, a manufacturing method thereof, and a fuel cell stack including the same. The separator for the fuel cell of the present invention includes: a main body of a plate shape; a channel concavely formed in at least one surface of the main body and supplying a fuel or oxygen to a membrane-electrode assembly; and a metal layer provided to a surface of the channel and including an oxide layer formed by an anodic oxidation treatment and minute grooves of a nano-scale formed in the oxide layer, thereby forming the surface of the channel to be super-hydrophilic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: POSTECH ACADEMY-INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Sangmin Lee, Woon Bong Hwang
  • Rechargeable secondary battery
    Patent number: 9219268
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a rechargeable secondary battery, which can rapidly cut off charge and/or discharge paths by a force provided from an elastic force offering part in addition to fusion of a fuse when an external short circuit or overcharge occurs to the rechargeable secondary battery. To this end, there is provided a rechargeable secondary battery including: a case; an electrode assembly in the case; a collector plate coupled to the electrode assembly and comprising a fuse part; a terminal coupled to the collector plate and extending to an outside of the case; and an elastic force offering part between the case and the collector plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minhyung Guen, Yongchul Seo
  • Apparatus for mixing electrolyte in battery
    Patent number: 9219269
    Abstract: An electrolyte mixing apparatus mixes lower-specific-gravity electrolyte with higher-specific-gravity electrolyte using inertial force generated when a vehicle starts to move and stops. The electrolyte mixing apparatus thus prevents the electrolyte in the battery from being formed in lower- and higher-specific-gravity layers according to specific gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBAL BATTERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyu Hyeong Lee, Seung Bok Park, Hyun Ryung Kim