Patents Examined by Kwang Han
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Patent number: 10756373Abstract: A fuel cell system and method are provided. One or more surfactants are used as a hydrogen carrier and/or coolant for hydrogen fueled proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The surfactant can work as a bubbler to trap hydrogen as fine bubbles with cooling water to feed the fuel cell anode. The water acts as humidification supplier and coolant.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Inventor: Chinbay Q. Fan
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Patent number: 10741812Abstract: Methods of scavenging acid in a lithium-ion electrochemical cell are provided. An electrolyte solution that contains an acid or is capable of forming the acid is contacted with a polymer comprising a nitrogen-containing acid-trapping moiety selected from the group consisting of: an amine group, a pyridine group, and combinations thereof. The nitrogen-containing acid-trapping moiety scavenges acidic species present in the electrolyte solution by participating in a Lewis acid-base neutralization reaction. The electrolyte solution comprises a lithium salt and one or more solvents and is contained in the electrochemical cell that further comprises a first electrode, a second electrode having an opposite polarity from the first electrode, and a porous separator. Lithium ions can be cycled through the separator and electrolyte solution from the first electrode to the second electrode, where acid generated during the cycling is scavenged by the polymer comprising a nitrogen-containing acid-trapping moiety.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignees: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITYInventors: Shalom Luski, Doron Aurbach, Timothy J. Fuller, Ion C. Halalay, Anjan Banerjee, Baruch Ziv, Raghunathan K
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Patent number: 10720622Abstract: A microporous membrane according to the present invention is a microporous membrane containing a copolymerized high density polyethylene and a high density polyethylene, wherein a content of an ?-olefin unit having 3 or more carbon atoms in the microporous membrane is 0.01 mol % or more and 0.6 mol % or less, and a viscosity average molecular weight of the microporous membrane is less than 300,000. In addition, a battery separator according to the present invention contains the above microporous membrane. Further, a battery according to the present invention contains the above battery separator.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Manabu Sekiguchi, Yuki Fukunaga, Keita Dohki
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Patent number: 10720644Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to compositions comprising at least one layer having first and second surfaces, each layer comprising: a substantially two-dimensional array of crystal cells, each crystal cell having an empirical formula of M?2M?nXn+1, such that each X is positioned within an octahedral array of M? and M?; wherein M? and M? each comprise different Group IIIB, IVB, VB, or VIB metals; each X is C, N, or a combination thereof; n=1 or 2; and wherein the M? atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional outer arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; the M? atoms are substantially present as two-dimensional inner arrays of atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells; and the two dimensional inner arrays of M? atoms are sandwiched between the two-dimensional outer arrays of M? atoms within the two-dimensional array of crystal cells.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2016Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Drexel UniversityInventors: Michel W. Barsoum, Babak Anasori, Yury Gogotsi
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Patent number: 10714780Abstract: The present invention relates to a separator and a fuel cell stack comprising the same, and according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a separator comprising: a plurality of riblet elements arranged to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval; and a plurality of connecting bars connecting two adjacent riblet elements, wherein each of the riblet elements comprises a contact portion having a predetermined area, and a first partition wall and a second partition wall each extended from both sides of the contact portion, the space formed by the first partition wall, the contact portion and the second partition wall is opened along the connection direction of the connecting bar, and at least two riblet elements are provided such that each of the contact portions has a different area.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.Inventors: Hye Mi Jung, Jae Choon Yang, Jee Hoon Jeong
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Patent number: 10686202Abstract: A method is provided for determining a spatial distribution (Rx,yf) of a parameter of interest (R) representative of the electrical power production of an electrochemical cell, including steps of determining the spatial distribution (Rx,yf) the parameter of interest (R) depending on a spatial distribution (Qx,ye) of a second thermal quantity (Qe) estimated beforehand from a spatial distribution (Tx,yc) of a set-point temperature (Tc) and from a spatial distribution (Dx,yr) of a first thermal quantity (Dr).Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2016Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies AlternativesInventors: Fredy-Intelligent Nandjou Dongmeza, Jean-Philippe Poirot-Crouvezier, Fabrice Micoud, Mathias Gerard, Christophe Robin, Lara Jabbour, Remi Vincent
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Patent number: 10673097Abstract: Solid-state battery structures, particularly solid-state lithium-based battery structures, which are fast charging and have a high capacity are provided. Notably, fast charging, high capacity solid-state battery structures are provided that include a plurality of solid-state-thin-film batteries that are stacked one atop the other, or that include an array of interconnected solid-state thin-film batteries, or that contain a solid-state thin-film battery located on physically exposed surfaces of fin structures.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Joel P. de Souza, Yun Seog Lee, Ning Li, Devendra K. Sadana
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Patent number: 10658695Abstract: A battery has a prismatic metal housing that includes a rectangular base having a base inner side and a base outer side, a rectangular cover having a cover inner side and a cover outer side, the size and shape of which substantially correspond to that of the base, and four rectangular side elements connecting the base and the cover and each have an inner side and an outer side. The at least one individual cell is a winding having a first and a second end face and the first end face faces in the direction of the base and the second end face faces in the direction of the cover. Conductor vanes electrically connect to the base of the metal housing exit from the first end face. These are fixed to an electrically conductive collecting and positioning means inserted into a receiving means in the base of the metal housing and fixed therein.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: VARTA Microbattery GmbHInventors: Rolf Brenner, Juergen Ernsperger
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Patent number: 10658671Abstract: The present disclosure provides a polymer protecting layer, a lithium metal negative electrode, a lithium secondary battery. In the lithium secondary battery of the present disclosure, a polymer protecting layer comprising a polymer ionic liquid is coated on a surface of a lithium metal sheet.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: Ningde Amperex Technology LimitedInventors: Chengyong Liu, Bingbin Wu, Yongsheng Guo, Ziqi Yi, Li An
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Patent number: 10644292Abstract: A battery wiring module is attached to a cell group including an arrangement of a plurality of cells having positive pole and negative pole electrode terminals. The battery wiring module is provided with: a plurality of connection members connecting the positive pole and negative pole electrode terminals of adjacent cells of the plurality of cells; and a flexible printed board including a plurality of voltage sensing wires for sensing voltages of the plurality of cells via the plurality of connection members. Each of the voltage sensing wires has an electric current limiting element provided somewhere therealong to limit a flow of overcurrent in the voltage sensing wires. The electric current limiting element is connected to the voltage sensing wires at a portion which is overcoated with an insulating resin.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC PRINTED CIRCUITS, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinichi Takase, Nobuyuki Matsumura, Toshifumi Uchita, Yusuke Suzuki, Junta Katayama
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Patent number: 10637099Abstract: An electrolyte for a lithium-ion electrochemical cell comprises a non-aqueous solution of a lithium salt and a redox shuttle compound, wherein the redox shuttle compound comprises —OR groups at carbons 1 and 4 of a benzene ring; a first hydrocarbon ring fused to carbons 2 and 3 of the benzene ring; and a second hydrocarbon ring fused to the carbons 5 and 6 of the benzene ring, wherein either (i) the first and second hydrocarbon rings together with the benzene ring constitute two fused benzobicyclo[2.2.2]octane ring systems sharing a common benzo core group; or (ii) the first and second hydrocarbon rings together with the benzene ring constitute two fused benzobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ring systems sharing a common benzo core group.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLCInventors: Lu Zhang, Jingjing Zhang, Ilya A. Shkrob, Zhengcheng Zhang
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Patent number: 10615398Abstract: Disclosed herein are an electrode assembly including a plurality of unit cells arranged in a height direction on the basis of a plane, at least two of the unit cells having different planar sizes, and a space portion defined by the difference in planar size between the arranged unit cells, wherein each of the unit cells includes at least one electrode plate, electrode tabs protruding from the electrode plates of the unit cells are electrically connected to an electrode lead via a tab-lead coupling part, and the tab-lead coupling part is located in the space portion, and a battery cell including the same.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.Inventors: Sei Woon Oh, Seong Yoon Lim, Hyun Min Kim, Jung Ah Shim, Ho Sub Lee, Jung Hwa Jung
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Patent number: 10566641Abstract: A fuel cell system including: a solid oxide type fuel cell that is supplied with an anode gas and a cathode gas to generate an electric power; a fuel tank that stores a water-containing fuel containing water; a fuel supply passage that couples the fuel cell to the fuel tank; a reformer disposed on the fuel supply passage, the reformer reforming the water-containing fuel into the anode gas; a separator disposed on the fuel supply passage in an upstream side with respect to the reformer, the separator separating the water contained in the water-containing fuel; a detector disposed in the upstream side with respect to the reformer, the detector detecting or estimating a moisture content contained in the water-containing fuel; and a control unit that controls the separator. The control unit controls the separator on the basis of the moisture content detected or estimated by the detector.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Keiji Okada, Kentarou Yajima
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Patent number: 10522867Abstract: An end plate includes a plate body, fastening portions, and ribs. The plate body is rectangular and includes two long sides and two short sides. The plate body is arranged on an end of a cell stack of a fuel cell. The fastening portions are fastened to a case containing the cell stack. The fastening portions extend along edges of the plate body. The ribs are arranged in a grid-like manner on the plate body surrounded by the fastening portions. The ribs are arranged so that recesses defined between the ribs each have a quadrilateral shape in which two diagonals have different lengths. The ribs are arranged so that the recesses extend in a direction in which the ribs extend and so that a longer one of the two diagonals of each of the recesses extends parallel to the short sides of the plate body.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihiro Yamaura
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Patent number: 10522846Abstract: A fuel cell stack 100 includes a fuel cell stack 10, and an end plate 30 placed at an end of the fuel cell stack 10. The end plate 30 includes a metallic plate-like body 32, and a resin layer 60 formed on a surface 32b of the plate-like body 32. The plate-like body 32 includes flow holes 39 for a reactant gas and a cooling medium, and a stripe-shaped protrusion 38 protruding from the surface 32b and which divides the surface 32b into an inner area containing the flow holes 39 and an outer area outside the inner area. The protrusion 38 includes a vertical portion 38a protruding from the surface 32b, and a jutted portion 38b jutted from a distal end of the vertical portion 38a toward the inner area. The resin layer 60 is formed in the inner area to cover a surface 38as of the vertical portion 38a facing the inner area as well as at least part of the jutted portion 38b.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuhiko Shimizu, Hitoshi Hamada, Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuya Tokumasu, Tadanobu Ota, Yoshiki Nakamura
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Patent number: 10522851Abstract: A relation of X×?T×CTEt<L×t is satisfied, where X represents a distance between a circumferentially innermost position of a bonded portion of a resin frame bonded to first projections of separators and a circumferentially inner end of the resin frame; L represents a distance between the circumferentially inner end of the resin frame and a circumferentially outermost position of a held portion of a membrane electrode gas-diffusion-layer assembly that is interposed and held between second projections of the separators: ?T represents a temperature difference from a low temperature T1 of ?40° C. to a high temperature T2 of 100° C. CTEf represents an average coefficient of linear expansion of the resin frame within a range of the low temperature T1 to the high temperature T2; t represents a breaking elongation of the electrolyte membrane at the low temperature T1; and the distances X, L represents dimensions at the high temperature T2.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumishige Shizuku, Sachio Okada, Takashi Kajiwara
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Patent number: 10511036Abstract: A channel forming body used in a fuel cell module has a gas channel, a water conduit, and a communication path that provides communication between the gas channel and the water conduit. When a ridge is seen in a cross-section perpendicular to a channel extension direction, one of both ends of an external shape of the ridge is shaped so as to be located closer to a center of the ridge than an imaginary surface of the channel assumed to extend in a straight line along the channel extension direction. Portions of the ridge located closer to the center of the ridge are formed opposite from each other at left and right ends of the external shape of the ridge with the communication path interposed therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA SHATAI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroya Nakaji, Kazunori Shibata, Hiroki Okabe, Kousuke Kawajiri, Satoshi Futami, Keiji Hashimoto, Takamasa Kanie
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Patent number: 10490862Abstract: A secondary battery includes: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate; a case accommodating the electrode assembly; a negative electrode lead and a positive electrode lead extending from the case and being respectively connected to the negative electrode plate and the positive electrode plate of the electrode assembly; a rigid circuit portion including a plurality of connection portions and an external connection terminal, the connection portions being respectively connected to the negative electrode lead and the positive electrode lead; and a flexible circuit portion including a bypass circuit pattern connecting the connection portions and the external connection terminal of the rigid circuit portion to each other, the flexible circuit portion being curved between a first side surface of the case and the rigid circuit portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jongchan Han
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Patent number: 10490839Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode; a case configured to accommodate the electrode assembly and having an opening; a cap plate configured to be combined to the opening; a first current collecting member and a second current collecting member configured to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively; and a first terminal and a second terminal configured to be electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, respectively, and the first current collecting member may include a first current collecting plate electrically connected to the first electrode, and a first connecting protrusion which protrudes from the first current collecting plate and has a first terminal hole into which the first terminal is inserted.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventors: Min-Seok Koo, Sang-Won Byun, Hyun-Soo Lee, Hyun-Young Lim
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Patent number: 10483601Abstract: A battery pack includes a cell stack including a plurality of battery cells arrayed in one direction, a housing case housing the cell stack, and a heater configured to increase temperature of the battery cells. The heater is arranged on top of a bottom part of the housing case inside the housing case such that the heater is separated from a cell bottom part of the battery cell vertically downwardly, and a space between the bottom part of the housing case and the cell bottom part of the battery cell is a closed space in a section in a direction orthogonal to an array direction of the plurality of battery cells.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Murata, Masaki Hanada