Patents Examined by Jordan E Berresford
  • Patent number: 11677114
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a plurality of batteries stacked together; and a busbar that electrically connects the plurality of batteries with each other. The busbar has: a main body that extends along axis X along which the batteries are stacked together; and a plurality of connectors that protrude from the main body along an axis that intersects with the axis along which the batteries are stacked together, and are electrically connected with terminals of the batteries, respectively. The plurality of batteries are divided into a plurality of battery units. Each of the plurality of battery units includes at least two of the plurality of batteries. The busbar connects the at least two of the plurality of batteries of each of the battery units with each other in parallel. The busbar connects the battery units with each other in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Omura, Masaya Ugaji
  • Patent number: 11646458
    Abstract: A busbar module includes: a circuit body having a flexible circuit board; busbars; and a holder. The circuit body has: conductor layers and protective layers to form a multiple-layered structure of wiring patterns; a band-shaped main strip to be located to extend in a stacking direction of cells; and a band-shaped branch strip branched from the main strip. The branch strip has: a bent portion extending in the stacking direction and having a bent shape around an axis crossing the stacking direction; and a connection portion disposed closer to an end of the branch strip than the bent portion and connected to the corresponding busbar. The bent portion has a thin-layer portion having a shape formed by removing, from the flexible circuit board, a part of the protective layers corresponding to a part of the conductor layers without being used as the wiring pattern in the branch strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoji Yasuda, Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Tatsuya Oga
  • Patent number: 11617843
    Abstract: An elastic electrode structure for an electronic cigarette is disclosed. The electronic cigarette includes an atomizing assembly and a battery assembly. The battery assembly has a threaded sleeve arranged on an upper end thereof. The elastic electrode structure includes an electrode ring arranged in the threaded sleeve. The electrode ring has a lower end extending out from a through hole defined at the bottom of the threaded sleeve. The elastic electrode structure further includes an insulating ring arranged between the electrode ring and the threaded sleeve, and the elastic electrode structure further includes an elastic sealing ring arranged between the electrode ring and the insulating ring. The elastic electrode structure has good leak-proofing effect and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Shenzhen First Union Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhanjun Jiang, Yonghai Li, Zhongli Xu
  • Patent number: 11621461
    Abstract: A battery pack assembly includes a plurality of battery cells and a pair of elongated connector terminal plates. Each battery cell has a terminal side and an opposite floor side. A pair of terminals extend from each of the plurality of battery cells on the terminal side. Each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates includes an upper and a lower elongated terminal connector. The upper and lower elongated terminal connector plates of each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are configured to independently move between an aligned position and an engaged position such that in the engaged position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates retain the plurality of battery cells and in the aligned position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are removed from the battery pack releasing the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey D. Gaither, Brian Schneidewind
  • Patent number: 11594790
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a battery pack including battery cells that have electrode tabs protruding from an outer surface includes stacking the battery cells and housing the battery cells in a case so that the electrode tabs protrude from slits in the case, bending the electrode tabs protruding from the slits so that the electrode tabs of adjacent battery cells are folded and overlap each other, and welding the folded and overlapping portion of the electrode tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Marelli Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Motohashi, Takayuki Hirase
  • Patent number: 11569540
    Abstract: A packaging film includes a packaging portion and a pulling portion, and the pulling portion and the packaging portion are demarcated by a tear line. When the pulling portion is pulled, the tear line is disconnected, and the pulling portion is separated from the packaging portion. In a packaging face of the packaging portion, an area packaging a side wall of the battery is a glue-free area, and other areas are provided with a first adhesive. An adhesive face in the packaging portion is provided with a second adhesive. A part of the packaging face in the pulling portion is provided with a third adhesive, and the adhesive face in the pulling portion is a glue-free area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zongyu Gao, Hongxing Wang
  • Patent number: 11545712
    Abstract: The present invention relates to: a shape correction device for a frame body; and a method for manufacturing an electrolyte film/electrode structure that is provided with a resin frame for a fuel cell. A shape correction device, which corrects the shape of a frame body that is provided with a rectangular opening, is equipped with a pressing mechanism that applies, to each side of the frame body, a pressing force directed from the inner side to the outer side of the opening. The pressing mechanism may have a first bar and a second bar, which apply the pressing force by being in contact with inner wall surfaces of each side of the frame body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Harada, Satoshi Hasegawa, Sachio Suzuki, Kouya Shimada, Nobuyoshi Muromoto, Hiroshi Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 11515604
    Abstract: A bus bar module includes a circuit body, a bus bar, a holder, and a cover configured to be assembled to the holder to protect the circuit body and the holder. The circuit body includes a belt-like main line that extends in a first direction, a belt-like branch line that extends from the main line so as to branch from the main line, and a connection portion provided in a position closer to a distal end of the branch line than a folded portion the branch line. The cover is structured so as to be stretchable and shrinkable in the first direction in accordance with a stretching and a shrinking of the holder in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Kimitoshi Makino, Makoto Kobayashi, Tomoji Yasuda, Masahiro Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 11489198
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electrolyte compositions comprising a fluorinated solvent, at least one silyl oxalate represented by the formulas RR?Si(C2O4), wherein R and R? are each the same or different from each other and independently selected from C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C8 alkenyl, C2-C8 alkynyl, or C6-C10 aryl radical, optionally comprising at least one substituent selected from halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups; and LiPF6. Also disclosed herein are electrolyte compositions comprising a fluorinated solvent and a lithium oxalato phosphate salt represented by the formula LiPF(6-2q)(C2O4)q, wherein q is 1, 2 or 3; wherein the oxalato phosphate salt comprises at least a portion that is derived from at least one silyl oxalate as defined herein. The electrolyte compositions are useful in electrochemical cells, such as lithium ion batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Solvay SA
    Inventors: Kenneth Gene Moloy, Stephen E. Burkhardt, Kostantinos Kourtakis, Brian Levy-Polis
  • Patent number: 11462790
    Abstract: A power supply device having a battery block with a terminal surface on which terminals of a plurality of battery cells are arranged side by side, and a side plate with an elastic part, a holding part and a body part that extends along the side surfaces of the battery block. The elastic part faces the terminal surface and the holding part faces the bottom surface of the battery block. An insulation part is disposed between the elastic part and the battery block and has a positioning region and a pressing region that are disposed on one surface of the insulation part so as to face the elastic part. The positioning region is provided at an end of the insulation part located at the body part side, and extends to a position that is separated farther away from the elastic part than the pressing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Omura, Mitsutoshi Tajima
  • Patent number: 11456467
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell including unit cells, including: a pair of interconnectors for electrically connecting the unit cells; a membrane-electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrode layers disposed with the electrolyte membrane therebetween; a pair of current collectors disposed between the electrode layers and the interconnectors so as to be in contact with the pair of electrode layers and the pair of interconnectors, respectively, and electrically connecting the pair of electrode layers and the pair of interconnectors; and elastic bodies biasing at least one current collector of the pair of current collectors toward a corresponding electrode layer and made of austenitic stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kakuwa, Hiromi Kita, Tomoya Kamata, Masatoshi Nakamura, Tomohiro Kuroha
  • Patent number: 11456484
    Abstract: Electrolytes and electrolyte additives for energy storage devices comprising linear carbonate compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Enevate Corporation
    Inventors: Liwen Ji, Benjamin Yong Park, Sung Won Choi, Heidi Anderson
  • Patent number: 11456496
    Abstract: A battery pack for a vehicle is provided. The battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules and a liquid cooling circuit. At least one of the battery modules is arranged in two different levels from among a plurality of levels of the battery pack, the levels of the battery pack being adjacent each other in a vertical direction. The liquid cooling circuit is in thermal contact with the battery modules in the two different levels of the battery pack, and the liquid cooling circuit includes a bypass tube having an inlet opening at a highest point of the liquid cooling circuit in the vertical direction and an outlet opening within the liquid cooling circuit at a lower point of the liquid cooling circuit than the highest point of the liquid cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Carl-Michael Masaryk, Matthias Pucher, Thomas Hoermann
  • Patent number: 11456500
    Abstract: Disclosed is a battery module, which includes: a plurality of battery cells stacked side by side; a module case configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells; a heatsink mounted to an outer side of the module case to cool the plurality of battery cells; and at least one heat transfer pad disposed in contact with the heatsink and the plurality of battery cells to penetrate the module case at least partially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Ho-June Chi, Jeong-O Mun, Jin-Yong Park, Sung-Won Seo, Yoon-Koo Lee
  • Patent number: 11437676
    Abstract: A battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules disposed adjacent to each other in a first direction inside a pack case, each of the plurality of battery modules including a plurality of battery cells disposed side by side in a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction; and a side-frame disposed between the battery modules disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction inside the pack case. The side-frame includes two side-walls and a joint. The two side-walls elastically press side-surfaces, in the first direction, of the battery modules disposed adjacent to each other. The side-frame has a long-length shape with a U-shaped cross section. In a state where the side-frame is removed from the battery modules disposed adjacent to each other, a distance between the two side-walls of the side-frame becomes larger as the two side-walls go away toward opposite the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 11427093
    Abstract: A battery module is provided. The battery module includes: a housing accommodating a plurality of battery packs electrically connected to each other; and a high-voltage connector formed on the housing, wherein the high-voltage connector includes: a terminal block including an electrode through which current flows and a shielding portion formed to surround the electrode; a connection block electrically connected to the shielding portion; and a bracket interposed between the terminal block and the connection block, wherein the bracket includes a first ground hole forming an electrical connection with the connection block and a second ground hole forming an electrical connection with the housing, and a helical pattern is formed in the first and second ground holes. Accordingly, electromagnetic noise may be effectively shielded and removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doosung Jeon
  • Patent number: 11424498
    Abstract: A battery pack for a vehicle is provided. The battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules and a liquid cooling circuit. At least one of the battery modules is arranged in two different levels from among a plurality of levels of the battery pack, the levels of the battery pack being adjacent each other in a vertical direction. The liquid cooling circuit is in thermal contact with the battery modules in the two different levels of the battery pack, and the liquid cooling circuit includes a bypass tube having an inlet opening at a highest point of the liquid cooling circuit in the vertical direction and an outlet opening within the liquid cooling circuit at a lower point of the liquid cooling circuit than the highest point of the liquid cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Carl-Michael Masaryk, Matthias Pucher, Thomas Hoermann
  • Patent number: 11411276
    Abstract: A battery pack includes: an assembled battery having battery cells; a battery case that houses the assembled battery; a wiring case assembled to the battery case; and an elastic member held between the battery cell and the wiring case. A safety valve is formed on one surface of the battery cell. The elastic member has a first end surface that comes in contact with a region in which the safety valve is not formed on the one surface of the battery cell, and a second end surface that comes in contact with a facing surface of the wiring case that faces the one surface. The wiring case has a regulation member that comes in contact with a side surface of the elastic member which connects the first end surface to the second end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidehiro Kinoshita, Masato Niwa
  • Patent number: 11362317
    Abstract: An electrode for solid-state batteries, comprising a PTC resistor layer, and a solid-state battery comprising the electrode. The electrode may be an electrode for solid-state batteries, wherein the electrode comprises an electrode active material layer, a current collector and a PTC resistor layer disposed between the electrode active material layer and the current collector; wherein the PTC resistor layer contains an electroconductive material, an insulating inorganic substance and a polymer; and wherein a porosity of the PTC resistor layer is from 5% to 13%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Ose, Tomoya Suzuki, Hajime Hasegawa, Kazuo Yaso, Hideaki Nishimura, Yuki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11316174
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack for providing uniform fluid flow through a plurality of plates is provided. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of plates that define a plurality of fuel cells stacked with each other, each plate having a fuel inlet hole for receiving fuel and a fuel outlet hole for discharging fuel. The fuel cell stack includes a fuel inlet insert extending into the fuel inlet hole of at least some of the plurality of plates. The fuel inlet insert has an upstream end and a downstream end relative to a direction of fuel flow through the fuel inlet holes. The upstream end of the fuel inlet insert has a porosity and permeability less than a porosity and permeability of the downstream end of the fuel inlet insert such that the fuel insert provides uniform fuel flow through the plurality of plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ercan Mehmet Dede, Yuqing Zhou, Tsuyoshi Nomura