Patents Examined by Kimberly Wyluda
  • Patent number: 10950829
    Abstract: A sealing body of a cylindrical battery, including: a sealing plate with a through-hole formed at a center of a metallic disk and a thin-walled portion formed into a groove in a planar surface of the disk, the sealing plate mounted to a cylindrical battery can having a closed bottom, so as to seal an opening of the battery can, the battery can doubling as an electrode current collector of either a positive or negative electrode and housing a power generating element; an electrode terminal of another of the positive or negative electrode, the electrode terminal including a shaft portion inserted into the through-hole and fitted to the sealing plate; and a sealing gasket made of resin and interposed between the shaft portion and the through-hole. The thin-walled portion has an arc shape and is not formed along a circle concentric with an outer periphery of the sealing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: FDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kanji Urushihara
  • Patent number: 10944094
    Abstract: Articles and methods involving electrochemical cells and/or electrochemical cell preproducts comprising passivating agents are generally provided. In certain embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes first and second passivating agents. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell may include a first electrode comprising a first surface, a second electrode (e.g., a counter electrode with respect to the first electrode) comprising a second surface, a first passivating agent configured and arranged to passivate the first surface, and a second passivating agent configured and arranged to passivate the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sion Power Corporation
    Inventors: Zhaohui Liao, Chariclea Scordilis-Kelley, Tracy Earl Kelley, Yuriy V. Mikhaylik, Holger Schneider
  • Patent number: 10944127
    Abstract: In this non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a positive terminal and a negative terminal extend in a first direction, protrude from a laminated cell stack, and are provided so that a center line is interposed therebetween, the center line passing through a midpoint of both ends of the laminated cell stack in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and extending in the first direction when the laminated cell stack is seen in plan view, and a first terminal with higher heat dissipation efficiency among the positive terminal and the negative terminal is provided in a location closer to the center line than a location of a second terminal with lower heat dissipation efficiency among the positive terminal and the negative terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Hideaki Seki, Hirofumi Kakuta, Akinobu Nojima, Shin Fujita
  • Patent number: 10930949
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an electric energy storage device are described. The systems and methods may reduce a voltage potential between a ground reference and terminals of an electric energy storage device. By lowering the voltage potential, a possibility of unintentionally discharging the electrical energy storage device to ground may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: ESS Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac Walker-Stern, Aaron Vanderzanden
  • Patent number: 10923746
    Abstract: At one end of a fuel cell stack in a stacking direction, an insulating plate and an end plate are provided. Further, a bypass channel connecting a reactant gas supply passage and a second reactant gas discharge passage is formed between a cell stack body and the end plate. An oxygen-containing gas supplied from a reactant gas supply passage is distributed to a first reactant gas discharge passage and the second reactant gas discharge passage in the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Ikeda, Naoki Inoue, Kimiharu Mizusaki, Norihisa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10903510
    Abstract: A redox flow battery includes a battery cell, a tank which stores an electrolyte to be supplied to the battery cell, piping which is connected to the battery cell and the tank and configured to circulate the electrolyte, a container which houses the battery cell, the tank, and the piping all together, and a partition wall which is provided inside the container and prevents the electrolyte from leaking out of the container. The height of the partition wall is equal to or greater than a liquid level height at the time when a predetermined amount of electrolyte leaks into the container as a consequence of damage to the piping, and the predetermined amount includes the total of an amount equivalent to the volume of the battery cell and an amount equivalent to the volume of the piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Kawahigashi, Atsuo Ikeuchi
  • Patent number: 10903496
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems and devices comprising rigid macrocyclic and nanoporous compositions of electronically coupled naphthalenediimide redox-active units and methods of preparation and use thereof, for example, in the field of energy generation and storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: Northwestern University, KING ABDULAZIZ CITY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dongyang Chen, Alyssa-Jennifer Avestro, Junling Sun, Zachary B. Erno, J. Fraser Stoddart
  • Patent number: 10892519
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid polymer electrolyte formed of a polymer matrix including a lithium ion conductor, and a method of preparing the same. The solid polymer electrolyte of the present invention can be molded in the form of a film and used in an electrochemical device such as a lithium polymer secondary battery or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventors: Kyoung Ho Ahn, Sol Ji Park, Chul Haeng Lee, Jeong Woo Oh, Jung Hoon Lee, Yi Jin Jung
  • Patent number: 10879574
    Abstract: A lithium air battery system includes: a lithium air battery that includes a negative electrode made of a negative electrode material for absorbing and releasing a lithium ion, a positive electrode made of a positive electrode material and including a catalyst for reducing oxygen which is positive electrode active material, and a solid electrolyte layer including a solid electrolyte interposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and a humidity control unit that adjusts a humidity of gas which includes oxygen and contacts with at least the positive electrode. The humidity control unit adjusts the humidity of the gas based on a temperature of the lithium air battery at least during operation of the lithium air battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Suzuki, Kan Kitagawa, Hidehiko Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 10868306
    Abstract: Articles and methods involving electrochemical cells and/or electrochemical cell preproducts comprising passivating agents are generally provided. In certain embodiments, an electrochemical cell includes first and second passivating agents. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell may include a first electrode comprising a first surface, a second electrode (e.g., a counter electrode with respect to the first electrode) comprising a second surface, a first passivating agent configured and arranged to passivate the first surface, and a second passivating agent configured and arranged to passivate the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sion Power Corporation
    Inventors: Akmeemana Anoma Mudalige, Chariclea Scordilis-Kelley, Zhaohui Liao, Marina Safont-Sempere, Igor P. Kovalev
  • Patent number: 10868323
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell, and more particularly, a thin and light solid oxide fuel cell has a sealant layer in which a passage through which fuel and air may flow in and out. A support is located on an inner wall of the passage to prevent the blockage of the passage due to flow generated in the sealant layer at a high temperature. A window frame is omitted to simplify a configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Sanghyeok Im, Yeonhyuk Heo, Tai Min Noh, Kwangyeon Park, Kwangwook Choi
  • Patent number: 10862119
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode active material for a secondary battery and a preparation method thereof, and more particularly, to a lithium composite oxide including a secondary particle formed as primary particles cohere, in which a manganese (Mn) oxide is present in the periphery of the primary particles, a concentration of an Mn oxide in the primary particle has a concentration gradient from the center of the primary particle to a surface of the particle, a concentration of an Mn oxide in the secondary particle has a concentration gradient from a surface of the secondary particle to the center thereof, and a lithium ion migration path is formed in the primary particle, and a preparation method thereof. A secondary battery including the cathode active material for a secondary battery may have high safety, while exhibiting high capacity and high output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Moon Ho Choi, Jong Hwan Park, Gyeong Jae Heo, Hyun Jong Yu, Kyoung Jun Lee, Jung Bae Park, Seung Hyun Choi
  • Patent number: 10847831
    Abstract: An end plate of a fuel cell stack includes a metal plate body including a plurality of through holes and a resin cover that covers a wall surface defining each of the through holes. The cover includes a body, a flange projecting outward in a radial direction from an outer end of the body, an annular rim extending toward the inner side from an outer edge of the flange, and a coupling rib that couples an inner circumferential surface of the rim to an outer circumferential surface of the body. The plate body further includes an outer end surface including a recess. The recess is filled with the flange, the rim, and the coupling rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiro Yamaura
  • Patent number: 10826142
    Abstract: A fuel cell having a cathode, cathode chamber, anode and anode chamber. The anode chamber is at least partially defined by an anode current collector. The cathode chamber is at least partially defined by the cathode. The anode chamber includes one or a plurality of anode flow channels for flowing an electrolyte in a downstream direction. The anode current collector may include a plurality of particle collectors projecting into the anode chamber to collect particles suspended in the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ZINC8 ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Smedley, Wolf Tivy, Boguslaw Wozniczka, David Robert Bruce
  • Patent number: 10566610
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes the following. A negative electrode composite material layer including a planar region and a side-surface region is formed. An application material is prepared by mixing heat-resistant particles, thermoplastic resin particles, and a solvent. A planar coating film is formed by applying the application material to the planar region and a side-surface coating film is formed by applying the application material to the side-surface region. At least some of the thermoplastic resin particles are molten into a melt by heating the planar coating film at a temperature not lower than a melting point of the thermoplastic resin particles. A negative electrode is manufactured by drying the planar coating film containing the melt and the side-surface coating film containing the thermoplastic resin particles at a temperature lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugihara