Patents Examined by Katherine Turner
  • Patent number: 7632599
    Abstract: The present invention provides, as a separator for fuel cell which is lightweight, can be easily made thin, and which has superior corrosion resistance and shape stability, a fuel cell 100 containing a separator for fuel cell 10, wherein a conductor pattern 2 is formed on one principal plane 1A of an insulation layer 1 to form a groove for a gas flow path 3 sectioned by the conductor pattern 2 on this principal plane, a conductor terminal 4 is formed on the other principal plane 1B of the insulation layer 1, and this conductor terminal 4 and the conductor pattern 2 are electrically connected by a via hole 5 penetrating the insulation layer 1, and a membrane electrode assembly (complex having an electrolyte membrane and an electrode (fuel electrode, oxygen electrode) laminated thereon) 14 having the separator for fuel cell disposed on both surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Ouchi, Hitoshi Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 7625658
    Abstract: A planar fuel cell unit on which a cathode-electrolyte-anode unit (CEA unit), a gas distributor element, inner contacting elements, sealing elements, and an interconnector. The interconnector is formed by a CEA mounting element, a base plate, and a gas distributor element. The CEA mounting element and the base plate are embodied as sheet metal parts that form two shells of a housing and enclose the gas distributor element in a gas-tight manner. Webs that are made of an electrically conductive material are applied to/configured on an external surface of the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Mihail Kuznecov, Klaus Eichler, Peter Otschik
  • Patent number: 7622224
    Abstract: A lithium storage cell comprises at least a first electrode comprising an active material wherein Li+ cations can be inserted, a second electrode and an electrolyte. The active material of the first electrode comprises a linear condensed compound comprising at least two tetrahedra, respectively of AO4 and A?O4 type, bonded by a common oxygen atom. A transition metal ion M2+ with a degree of oxidation of +2 selected from the group consisting of Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Fe2+ and Ti2+ is inserted in the linear condensed compound, and the ratio between the number of Li+ cations able to be inserted in the active material and the number of transition metal ions M2+ is strictly greater than 1. A and A? are selected from the group consisting of P5+, Si4+, Al3+, S6+, Ge4+, B3+.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Severine Si Larbi Jouanneau, Frederic Le Cras, Carole Bourbon, Gilles Gauthier
  • Patent number: 7611798
    Abstract: A bus bar simultaneously performs electrical connection between unit cells and detection of voltage of the unit cells in a battery module having the same and includes: vertical bent parts formed by bending opposite ends of a strip-shaped bar body in the same direction, the vertical bent parts being provided with coupling grooves or protrusions; and a horizontal bent part formed by bending one of the vertical bent parts toward the bar body such that the horizontal bent part is parallel with the bar body. The electrode terminals of the unit cells are connected to the rear surface of the bar body of the bus bar, whereby the electrical connection between the unit cells is accomplished, and the horizontal bent part of the bus bar is directly connected to a battery management system for monitoring the potential difference and the temperature of the unit cells to control the unit cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junill Yoon, Juyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 7604900
    Abstract: A cylindrical alkaline storage battery suitable for increasing capacity thereof and arranged to prevent a short circuit between positive and negative electrodes. The battery has an electrically-conductive cylindrical outer can that accommodates therein an electrode group and an alkaline electrolyte. The electrode group is formed by rolling up a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator. The positive electrode includes a main part and a terminal end part integrally formed to extend from one end of the main part and smaller in thickness than the main part. The terminal end part has an inner face thereof flush with an inner face of the main part. Between the positive electrode and the separator disposed on the outer face side of the positive electrode, an insulating protective piece is disposed at the boundary between the main part and terminal end part of the positive electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taishi Maeda
  • Patent number: 7592101
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte primary battery including: a positive electrode including a fluorinated carbon; a negative electrode including a lithium metal; a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a separator, wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte includes a non-aqueous solvent and a solute dissolved therein, the non-aqueous solvent including ?-butyrolactone, and the separator includes a microporous membrane onto which a phosphoric acid ester is provided, the phosphoric acid ester being represented by the formula (1): where R1 is an alkyl group, R2 and R3 are each independently an alkylene group, and n is an integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kawaguchi, Yukihiro Gotanda, Shinichiro Tahara
  • Patent number: 7592083
    Abstract: A fluid delivery device for an electrochemical conversion assembly. In one embodiment, the electrochemical conversion assembly is a fuel cell system. The device includes one or more fluid-manipulating components combined into a housing to minimize weight, size and complexity. In one form, the device may include a compressor, heat exchanger and a water vapor transfer unit, at least the latter two of which are located within a chamber defined by the housing. A controller can be used to monitor and selectively vary the extent to which at least one of these components modifies properties a fluid (such as air) that can be used as a reactant in the electrochemical conversion assembly. In a particular form, the heat exchanger and water vapor transfer unit can cooperate to promote the hydration of the reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Meltser, Yousef M. Jarrah, Ronald L. James, Christian König, John B. Ruhl
  • Patent number: 7588848
    Abstract: The following control is performed. During startup of a fuel cell 1, a fuel gas is supplied to an anode 1b of the fuel cell 1 and an oxidant gas is supplied to a cathode 1c of the fuel cell 1, thereby starting power generation. Fuel gas externally emitted from the abode 1b is diluted with an oxidant gas externally emitted from the cathode 1c. From a start to end of discharge of a fuel gas from the anode 1b, a flow rate required for dilution of the oxidant gas, and a flow rate required for an external output, being calculated on the basis of the power requested for the fuel cell 1, are respectively calculated. The flow rate required for dilution and the flow rate required for an external output are compared, and a larger flow rate is set as a flow rate of the oxidant gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Ojima, Koichiro Miyata, Kenichiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 7582379
    Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery of an assemble-type structure having a cell body including an electrode assembly of cathode/separator/anode sealed therein; and a cap assembly including a protection circuit electrically connected to the cell body so as to control overcharge, overdischarge and overcurrent of the battery and a cap housing covering an upper part of the battery, and being detachably coupled to the cell body. Since the cap assembly including the protection circuit and cap housing is assembled detachably from the cell body and electrically connected to and also can be physically firmly fixed to one another, provided are effects capable of greatly reducing the manufacturing process steps of the battery, and solving all the problems associated with use of battery cases and insert injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seog jin Yoon, Sun Kwang Jung, Hyungchan Kim
  • Patent number: 7579107
    Abstract: A portable electronic device (100) includes a main body (10), a cover (20), and a battery (30). The cover has at least one claw (252), and the cover is mounted to the main body by the at least one claw. The battery has at least one protrusion (35). Each protrusion is configured for engaging with a corresponding claw in such a manner that when the battery is positioned in a “tool” mode (i.e., as opposed to a “use”/battery-power mode) is pressed towards the cover, a given protrusion pushes a respective claw away from the main body to allow the cover to be separated from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Lun Lu
  • Patent number: 7560186
    Abstract: An exhaust gas disposal apparatus of a fuel cell of the present invention is equipped with a dilution vessel having a staying chamber for staying a hydrogen gas purged from a fuel cell and exhaust piping for passing a cathode off-gas, wherein any of the dilution vessel and the exhaust piping is provided with a hydrogen suction hole for sucking the hydrogen gas within the staying chamber and an off-gas supply hole for supplying the cathode off-gas within the exhaust piping into the dilution vessel, and wherein a flow adjustment measure for flow-adjusting the hydrogen gas, leading it into the hydrogen suction hole, and suppressing diffusion of the cathode off-gas supplied into the staying chamber from the off-gas supply hole is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Fukuma, Takayuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7550218
    Abstract: Water is generated onboard of a craft such as an aircraft or in a self-contained stationary system by partially or completely integrating a water generating unit into a power plant of the craft or system. The water generating unit includes one or more high temperature fuel cells which partially or completely replace the combustion chamber or chambers of the power plant. A reformer process is integrated into the high temperature fuel cell which is arranged between, on the one hand, a fan (30) and power plant compressor stages (31, 32) and, on the other hand, power plant turbine stages (33, 34). These power plant stages may be provided in such redundant numbers that safety and redundancy requirements are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Hoffjann, Hans-Juergen Heinrich
  • Patent number: 7550226
    Abstract: A battery cover assembly (100) includes a battery cover (30), a resilient member (20), and a locking member (40). The battery cover has a latching member configured for engaging with the fastener mechanism of a housing (10), and an insertion hole (322) configured for the insertion of a latching post (120) of the housing. The resilient member is mounted on the battery cover, and has a first latching end (202) and a second latching end (204). The first latching end is secured on the battery cover. The locking member is rotatably attached on the battery cover and configured for resisting the latching post when the battery cover is in the closed position thereby preventing movement of the battery cover toward the opened position. The second latching end of the resilient member is fixed on the locking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignees: Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd., FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Shui-Yuan Qin, An-Ming Feng, Chia-Hua Chen, Hsiao-Hua Tu
  • Patent number: 7537851
    Abstract: The present invention is a fuel cell system including a stack having an electricity generator, that includes separators disposed on both surfaces of a membrane-electrode assembly, a reformer that converts fuel to generate hydrogen gas and supplies the hydrogen gas to the stack, a fuel supply unit that supplies the fuel to the reformer, an air supply unit that supplies air to the stack, a cooling water supply unit that supplies cooling water to the stack, and a flow channel section that is formed in the separator and through that the cooling water supplied from the cooling water supply unit passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Hun Lee, Ho-Jin Kweon, Ju-Yong Kim
  • Patent number: 7517612
    Abstract: An organic electrolytic solution for a lithium-sulfur battery that provides high discharge capacity and longer cycle life to the battery, and a lithium-sulfur battery including the organic electrolytic solution are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Gyoon Ryu, Myung-Dong Cho, Sang-Mock Lee, Boris A. Trofimov
  • Patent number: 7510795
    Abstract: In this fuel cell, among a pair of separators in which an electrically conductive portion which is made from an electrically conducting material is surrounded by an insulating portion which is made from an insulating material, a cell side terminal is provided in the inner surface of the insulating portion of at least one said separator, and extends from its interior circumferential side to its outer perimeter side, and is able to electrically connect the interior and exterior of the cell. This cell side terminal is made from a metallic plate, and its inner circumferential side end portion contacts the membrane electrode assembly, while its outer perimeter side end portion extends to the outer perimeter side of the insulating portion. This outer perimeter side end portion can be connected to a measurement side terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sakano, Hideaki Kikuchi, Toshiaki Ariyoshi, Keisuke Andou
  • Patent number: 7510797
    Abstract: A high capacity battery including terminals on a terminal-bearing face thereof, and a plate member coupled in spaced-apart relationship to the terminal-bearing face to define a coolant gas flow space therebetween including a peripheral gap for coolant gas communication with an exterior environment of the battery. One or more motive coolant gas drivers is mounted on the plate member and arranged for effecting flow of coolant gas through the coolant gas flow space and the peripheral gap, and the motive coolant gas drivers are electrically coupled with the terminal-bearing face for powering of such drivers. Such high capacity battery can be substituted for a conventional battery in a battery-powered apparatus such as a forklift vehicle, to provide extended use operation as a result of the on-board thermal management capability of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Aker Wade Power Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John F. Aker, James R. Wade
  • Patent number: 7510796
    Abstract: An electronic equipment, comprising: a battery receiving chamber for receiving a battery, a battery lid arranged to be rotatable to open and close an opening portion of the battery receiving chamber, a locking member arranged to engage with the battery receiving chamber to lock the battery lid so that the opening portion of the battery receiving chamber is closed, a contact terminal connectable to a terminal of the battery received in the battery receiving chamber, the contact terminal being arranged to be build in the battery lid movably in a thickness direction of the battery lid, wherein the contact terminal is arranged to protrude into the inside of the battery lid in accordance with the locking member engaging with the battery receiving chamber with the battery lid is closed and the contact terminal is retracted into the battery lid in accordance with the locking member being released from engagement with the battery receiving chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kaneyoshi Tokano