Patents Examined by Karie O'Neill Apicella
  • Purge circuit of a fuel cell
    Patent number: 11239477
    Abstract: A purging circuit for purging an anodic compartment of a cell of a fuel cell, this circuit including: a capacity, forming a related volume at least equal to 500 ml, for containing and homogenising a recovery gas, including an inlet and an outlet; a first nonreturn valve to prevent the recovery gas from returning through the outlet and allowing gas to flow from the first outlet to an inlet of the compartment; a second nonreturn valve to prevent gas from being discharged from the capacity through the inlet; a pressure sensor able to measure the pressure of a fluid present in the circuit; a valve controlling the flow of a supply gas to and from the compartment as a function of data of the sensor and allowing gas to flow from the first nonreturn valve to the inlet of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: SYMBIOFCELL, ASSOCIATION POUR LA RECHERCHE ET LE DEVELOPPEMENT DES METHODES ET PROCESSUS INDUSTRIELS
    Inventors: Rudolf Metkemeijer, Benjamin De Grisard, Patrick Leroux, Patrick Achard
  • Battery separators and related methods
    Patent number: 11239532
    Abstract: Battery separators and methods are disclosed. The battery separator may be used in a lithium battery. The separator may include a microporous membrane laminated to a coated nonwoven. The coating may contain a polymer and optionally, a filler or particles. The methods may include the steps of: unwinding the microporous membrane and the nonwoven, laminating the nonwoven and microporous membrane, and coating the nonwoven before or after lamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Celgard, LLC
    Inventors: Lie Shi, Christopher L. Cowger, Heba K. Botros
  • Electrode for lithium-ion cell, lithium-ion cell, and method for manufacturing electrode for lithium-ion cell
    Patent number: 11233229
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an electrode for lithium ion batteries which exhibits excellent electrical conductivity even if its thickness is large. The electrode for lithium ion batteries of the present invention includes a first main surface to be located adjacent to a separator of a lithium ion battery and a second main surface to be located adjacent to a current collector of the lithium ion battery. The electrode has a thickness of 150 to 5000 ?m. The electrode contains, between the first main surface and the second main surface, a conductive member (A) made of an electronically conductive material and a large number of active material particles (B). At least part of the conductive member (A) forms a conductive path that electrically connects the first main surface to the second main surface. The conductive path is in contact with the active material particles (B) around the conductive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Yasuhiro Shindo, Yasuhiro Tsudo, Kenichi Kawakita, Yuki Kusachi, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Energy storage system
    Patent number: 11217862
    Abstract: An energy storage system includes a module housing and multiple battery cells with insulating material and discharge directing material positioned inside the module housing. Each of the battery cells has a first end and a second end. Further, each of the battery cells has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The energy storage system includes a first interconnect and a second interconnect positioned over the battery cells. Multiple first cell connectors connect the positive terminals of the battery cells to the first interconnect. Multiple second cell connectors connect the negative terminals of the battery cells to the second interconnect. A top plate having an interior side and an exterior side is positioned over the first interconnect and the second interconnect. The top plate includes one or more weak areas with reduced integrity positioned above one or more battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Augusto E. Barton, Robert Clinton Lane, Nathan Khalil Chidiac, Julian Christian Carl, Hugh Burnett Ross, William B. Stockton, Nicholas Paul Manov
  • Coin-type secondary battery, manufacturing method therefor, and apparatus for charging/discharging coin-type secondary battery
    Patent number: 11211633
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a coin-type secondary battery. The method includes at least: bonding one or more solid electrolytes to an anode upper case; forming an anode active material layer on an anode current collector; sequentially stacking the anode current collector on which the anode active material layer is formed and the anode upper case to which the one or more solid electrolytes are bonded on an anode bottom case to obtain an anode part; sequentially stacking the anode part, a separator, a cathode current collector, and a second case including one or more openings on a first case; bonding the first case to the second case; and introducing an ion-containing solution containing sodium, lithium, magnesium, and a combination thereof from the outside of the second case into an interior thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)
    Inventors: Young Sik Kim, Jin Hyup Han, Soo Min Hwang
  • Method for preparing aromatic polyamide porous membrane and aromatic polyamide porous membrane prepared thereby
    Patent number: 11205821
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing an aromatic polyamide porous membrane and an aromatic polyamide porous membrane prepared by the above method. The method for preparing an aromatic polyamide porous membrane includes the following steps: mixing an ionic liquid with an aromatic polyamide into a solvent to form a mixed solution; the mixed solution forming a membrane in a coagulation bath; and extracting with an extractant to remove the solvent and the ionic liquid from the membrane to yield a porous membrane. In the method of the present invention, the application of the ionic liquid would greatly reduce the application of additives; further, the ionic liquid has a high stability and is easy to be separated from other solvents and be recycled, which assures the safety during the usage and recycle thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: MICROVAST POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qingjin Sun, Dawei Shen, Zuliang Shen, Hui Wu, Xiang Li
  • Electrode, secondary battery, battery pack, and vehicle
    Patent number: 11201348
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrode is provided. The electrode includes an active material-containing layer containing active material particles, ferroelectric particles, and solid electrolyte particles. A ratio (FEcontact) of the number of the ferroelectric particles in contact with the active material particles relative to the number of the ferroelectric particles included in the active material-containing layer is 85% or more. A ratio (SEnon-contact) of the number of the solid electrolyte particles not in contact with the active material particles relative to the number of the solid electrolyte particles included in the active material-containing layer is 30% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazuomi Yoshima, Wen Zhang, Yasuhiro Harada, Norio Takami
  • Coin-type secondary battery, manufacturing method therefor, and apparatus for charging/discharging coin-type secondary battery
    Patent number: 11196077
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for charging and discharging a coin-type secondary battery. The apparatus includes at least: a vessel filled with a solution containing water or sodium ions; a jig part installed at the vessel, having an interior in which a coin-type secondary battery is mounted, and configured to allow a cathode part of the coin-type secondary battery to be brought into contact with the solution in the vessel; an anode terminal installed at the jig part and electrically connected to an anode part of the coin-type secondary battery; and a cathode terminal electrically connected to the cathode part of the coin-type secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)
    Inventors: Young Sik Kim, Jin Hyup Han, Soo Min Hwang
  • Continuous process for producing electrodes and alkali metal batteries having ultra-high energy densities
    Patent number: 11183676
    Abstract: A process for producing an electrode for an alkali metal battery, comprising: (a) Continuously feeding an electrically conductive porous layer to an anode or cathode material impregnation zone, wherein the conductive porous layer has two opposed porous surfaces and contain interconnected conductive pathways and at least 70% by volume of pores; (b) Impregnating a wet anode or cathode active material mixture into the porous layer from at least one of the two porous surfaces to form an anode or cathode electrode, wherein the wet anode or cathode active material mixture contains an anode or cathode active material and an optional conductive additive mixed with a liquid electrolyte; and (c) Supplying at least a protective film to cover the at least one porous surface to form the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Air-cooling battery pack having improved assembling structure
    Patent number: 11177517
    Abstract: Disclosed is an air-cooling battery pack, which includes a cell assembly having a plurality of cells stacked therein; an air duct disposed to contact the cell assembly and having an air passage formed therein to allow a cooling air to move therethrough; a coupling groove formed at the air duct to elongate in a longitudinal direction; and a battery management system (BMS) plate having a BMS for managing the cells and assembled to the air duct by a slider slidably inserted into the coupling groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hoon Lee, Eun-Gyu Shin, Byoung-Cheon Jeong, Dal-Mo Kang, Jeong-O Mun
  • Battery module, battery, and electric device
    Patent number: 11171393
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a battery module includes a plurality of sub-modules. The plurality of sub-modules are integrated. Each of the plurality of sub-modules includes a cell group configured using a plurality of cells connected in series. The plurality of cells configuring the cell group are arranged linearly such that intra-cell current directions are parallel and the intra-cell current direction of each of the cells is opposite to the intra-cell current direction of the cell adjacent to each cell in the cell group. Each of the plurality of sub-modules includes an input terminal to input a current to the cell group and an output terminal to output the current from the cell group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Tomomi Kageyama, Takeshi Yasuda, Kaoru Koiwa, Seiji Ito, Tomonori Ezoe
  • Prismatic secondary battery and assembled battery using the same
    Patent number: 11165125
    Abstract: A flat-shaped winding electrode body in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are wound with a separator interposed therebetween includes a positive electrode tab portion and a negative electrode tab portion at one end in a direction in which a winding axis of the winding electrode body extends. Two pieces of the flat-shaped winding electrode body are housed in a prismatic outer body so that the winding axis of each piece is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a sealing plate, and the positive electrode tab portion and the negative electrode tab portion are located on one end of the winding electrode body closer to the sealing plate than the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kitaoka, Masakazu Yamada, Yohei Muroya
  • Method of producing a metallic interconnector for a fuel cell stack and a metallic interconnector produced by the method
    Patent number: 11165070
    Abstract: A method for producing a metallic interconnector for a fuel cell stack, including an air guiding surface with a first gas distributor structure and a fuel gas guiding surface with a second gas distributor structure, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure each formed by grooves and webs, includes providing a sheet metal blank, forming the sheet metal blank by a plastic molding process, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure being formed in such a manner that the grooves and webs of the first gas distributor structure are arranged complementary to the grooves and webs of the second gas distributor structure at a predeterminable percentage of area of the air guiding surface and the fuel gas guiding surface of at least 50% and at most 99%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HEXIS AG
    Inventors: Andreas Mai, Roland Denzler, Fleischhauer Felix
  • Fuel cell system
    Patent number: 11165075
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that generates electric power using fuel gas and oxidant gas, a fuel gas supply path through which the fuel gas is supplied to an anode inlet of the fuel cell, a recycle gas path through which anode off-gas discharged from an anode outlet of the fuel cell returns to the fuel gas supply path, a pressure booster that is arranged in the fuel gas supply path between a confluence portion and the anode inlet, the fuel gas supply path and the recycle gas path meeting each other in the confluence portion, and a discharge path through which an impurity mixed into the anode off-gas is discharged outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiko Ise, Junji Morita, Yoshito Usuki
  • Method for manufacturing nickel-metal hydride battery and nickel-metal hydride battery
    Patent number: 11139461
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a nickel-metal hydride battery includes: a first step of preparing a first nickel-metal hydride battery having a positive electrode including nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2); and a second step of manufacturing the second nickel-metal hydride battery by performing 600% overcharging to the prepared first nickel-metal hydride battery. The 600% overcharging is a process for supplying the first nickel-metal hydride battery with an amount of electric power of 600% of the rated capacity of the first nickel-metal hydride battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Mitsui, Junta Izumi, Kenji Takahashi, Hiroyuki Kaiya
  • Battery submodule carrier, battery submodule, battery system and vehicle
    Patent number: 11139521
    Abstract: A battery system includes: a plurality of monolithic cell trays configured to accommodate a plurality of aligned battery cells; a plurality of battery cell retainers configured to retain the battery cells within the cell tray by being connected with the battery cell and the cell tray in each cell tray; a cap-type battery system carrier configured to accommodate the plurality of cell trays; a plurality of tray fasteners provided in each cell tray to mount the cell tray to the battery system carrier by being connected with the cell tray and the battery system carrier; and a cooling channel provided in the battery system carrier to cool the battery cells. Each cell tray includes an opening that exposes the plurality of battery cells, and the cooling channel may be provided in the battery system carrier opposite to the opening of each cell tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ralph Wuensche, Stephan Klomberg, Thomas Brandner, Thomas Renger
  • Insulating tape and li-ion battery adopting the same
    Patent number: 11133560
    Abstract: The present application relates to the field of energy storage devices and, particularly, relates to an insulating tape and a Li-ion battery adopting the same. The tape includes a substrate, a hard particle layer and an adhesive layer; the substrate is of a microporous structure, the hard particle layer is stacked on the surface of the substrate, and the particle diameter of the particles of the hard particle layer is greater than the pore diameter of the microporous structure of the substrate, the adhesive layer and the hard particle layer are compositely arranged or separately arranged, the adhesive layer is stacked on a side of the hard particle layer far away from the substrate. The Li-ion battery includes the insulating tape. The Li-ion battery provided by the present application reduces the influence on energy loss of the cell caused by the arrangement of the insulating tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: DONGGUAN AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Benzhen Li, Qingfeng Yuan
  • Method for detecting an internal short circuit in a first electrical energy storage unit of an electrical energy storage device
    Patent number: 11125786
    Abstract: A method for detecting an internal short circuit in a first electrical energy storage unit of an electrical energy storage device is described, wherein the electrical energy storage device comprises at least two electrical energy storage units including a first electrical energy storage unit and a second electrical energy storage unit electrically connected in parallel in the electrical energy storage device, the method including recording an electric current flowing into or out of the first electrical energy storage unit, recording an electric current flowing into or out of the second electrical energy storage unit, determining a short-circuit current in the first electrical energy storage unit based on the at least two recorded electric currents, and detecting an internal short circuit when the magnitude of the short-circuit current exceeding a predefined short-circuit current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Bergmann, Chrysanthos Tzivanopoulos, Johannes Swoboda
  • Power storage device
    Patent number: 11114727
    Abstract: A power storage device includes a case, an electrode body, and an electrolyte. The electrode body is located in the case and has a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator located between the positive and negative electrodes. The electrolytefills the case 2. A principal surface of the electrode body is connected to an inner surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hidetaka Shibata
  • Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery and manufacturing method therefor
    Patent number: 11108078
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly; a nonaqueous electrolyte; and a battery case. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode active material layer. The negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer. The separator is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The battery case accommodates the electrode assembly and the nonaqueous electrolyte. Ends of contact faces of the negative electrode active material layer and the separator are at least partially bonded to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Harayama, Ryo Hanasaki