Patents Examined by Ladan Mohaddes
  • Patent number: 8415039
    Abstract: An apparatus including at least one electrochemical flow cell in which the electrochemical flow cell includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a reaction zone between the anode and the cathode. The electrochemical flow cell also includes an electrolyte storage reservoir configured to hold a molten salt electrolyte and a gas generated during charging of the at least one electrochemical flow cell and at least one conduit configured to supply the molten salt electrolyte and the gas from the storage reservoir to the at least one electrochemical flow cell. The electrochemical flow cell also includes at least one pump configured to pump the molten salt electrolyte from the storage reservoir to the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Primus Power Corporation
    Inventors: Gerardo Jose la O', Rick Winter
  • Patent number: 8415037
    Abstract: A microbial fuel cell includes an anode compartment with an anode and an anode biocatalyst and a cathode compartment with a cathode and a cathode biocatalyst, with a membrane positioned between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment, and an electrical pathway between the anode and the cathode. The anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an organic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an inorganic substance. The reduced organic substance can form a precipitate, thereby removing the inorganic substance from solution. In some cases, the anode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing oxidation of an inorganic substance, and the cathode biocatalyst is capable of catalyzing reduction of an organic or inorganic substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Nealson, Massoud Pirbazari, Lewis Hsu
  • Patent number: 8415074
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a negative electrode composed of a metallic lithium foil and a positive electrode, the negative electrode and the positive electrode being arranged so as to face each other with an ion-conducting medium therebetween. The positive electrode is formed by a method in which a conductive agent and a binder are mixed, and then the mixture is press-formed onto a current collector. The ion-conducting medium contains, in addition to a lithium salt such as lithium hexafluorophosphate, a halogen such as iodine, and a halogen compound (e.g., lithium iodide). Furthermore, the positive electrode may contain a lithium halide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakano, Tohru Shiga, Yoko Hase
  • Patent number: 8415042
    Abstract: A metal halogen electrochemical energy cell system that generates an electrical potential. One embodiment of the system includes at least one cell including at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode, at least one electrolyte, a mixing venturi that mixes the electrolyte with a halogen reactant, and a circulation pump that conveys the electrolyte mixed with the halogen reactant through the positive electrode and across the metal electrode. Preferably, the positive electrode comprises porous carbonaceous material, the negative electrode comprises zinc, the metal comprises zinc, the halogen comprises chlorine, the electrolyte comprises an aqueous zinc-chloride electrolyte, and the halogen reactant comprises a chlorine reactant. Also, variations of the system and a method of operation for the systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Primus Power Corporation
    Inventor: Rick Winter
  • Patent number: 8409747
    Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery separator which is a composite porous membrane obtained by integrally covering both sides of a polyolefin microporous membrane having a gas permeability (JIS P8117) of between 15 seconds/100 cc·?m and 50 seconds/100 cc·?m per unit thickness and a film thickness of between 5 ?m and 25 ?m, with a porous layer composed of polymetaphenylene isophthalamide, and which exhibits both a shutdown function and effective heat resistance for meltdown resistance, as features desired for high-energy-density, high-output, large-sized, high-performance nonaqueous secondary batteries, while also having excellent handleability and ion permeability. The film thickness of the composite porous membrane is between 6 ?m and 35 ?m, the gas permeability (JIS P8117) is between 1.01 and 2.00 times that of the polyolefin microporous membrane, and the polymetaphenylene isophthalamide coating amount is between 1.0 g/m2 and 4.0 g/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Teijin Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Nishikawa, Hiroyuki Honmoto, Takahiro Daido
  • Patent number: 8394524
    Abstract: A battery unit and a lithium secondary battery employing the same are provided. The battery unit includes a positive electrode plate having a positive current collector and a positive active material layer formed on at least one plane of the positive current collector, a positive electrode lead electrically connected with the positive current collector, a negative electrode plate having a negative current collector and a negative active material layer formed on at least one plane of the negative current collector, a negative electrode lead electrically connected with the negative current collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, having a width greater than that of each electrode plate, and having different widths of protruding portions which stick out on either side of the electrode plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-Hun Kim, Hyung-Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 8389165
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fuel cell includes applying a sacrificial material periodically to a surface of an anode substrate, wherein at least some areas of the anode substrate have no sacrificial material. A first gas diffusion layer is applied to the sacrificial material, and a first catalyst material is applied to the first gas diffusion layer. An electrolyte material is applied to the anode substrate and the first gas diffusion layer, with the catalyst material, wherein a first surface of the electrolyte material is in operative association with the anode substrate, and the first gas diffusion layer. A second catalyst material is applied to the second surface of the electrolyte material. A second gas diffusion layer is applied to the electrolyte material on a second surface of the electrolyte material, with the catalyst material, wherein a first surface of the second gas diffusion layer is in contact with the second surface of the electrolyte material with the catalyst material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Karl A. Littau
  • Patent number: 8389178
    Abstract: An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a primary positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more ionic conductors. The ionic conductors ionically connect the primary positive electrode with the negative electrode. The primary positive electrode comprises carbon dioxide (CO2) and a means for electrochemically reducing the CO2. This means for electrochemically reducing the CO2 comprises a conductive primary current collector, contacting the CO2, whereby the CO2 is reduced upon the primary current collector during discharge. The primary current collector comprises a material to which CO2 and the ionic conductors are essentially non-corrosive. The electrochemical energy storage device uses CO2 as an electroactive species in that the CO2 is electrochemically reduced during discharge to enable the release of electrical energy from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Karoly Nemeth, Michel Antonius van Veenendaal, George Srajer
  • Patent number: 8389154
    Abstract: A compact, robust, multifunctional and highly manufacturable rechargeable battery cell is provided. The cell design dedicates minimal internal volume to inert components of the cell. This is accomplished, in part, by providing multiple functionalities to individual cell components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: A123 Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonah S. Myerberg, Donald G. Dafoe, Grace S. Chang, Andrew C. Chu, Hung-Chieh Shiao
  • Patent number: 8383258
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cap assembly loaded on an open upper end of a cylindrical container of a battery in which an electrode assembly is mounted in the cylindrical container, the cap assembly including a safety vent having a predetermined notch configured to rupture by high-pressure gas generated in the battery, a current interruptive device coupled to a bottom of the safety vent by welding for interrupting current when internal pressure of the battery increases, and a current interruptive device gasket for surrounding an outer circumference of the current interruptive device, wherein the current interruptive device includes two or more through holes for gas discharge, the through holes being formed such that the sum of areas of the through holes is equal to 20% to 50% of an entire area of the current interruptive device. When high-pressure gas is generated in the battery, the cap assembly effectively interrupts current and rapidly discharges the gas, thereby greatly improving safety of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungjong Kim, Byung Kyu Jung, SooRyoung Kim, Chahun Ku
  • Patent number: 8372537
    Abstract: A battery with a threaded battery terminal for accommodating a threaded terminal bolt is provided. The threaded battery terminal includes a bushing having an axial bore extending between an open end and a closed end; and an insert having a longitudinal axis and a threaded opening extending along the longitudinal axis between an open end and a back wall. The terminal bolt is threadably received in the threaded opening and the back wall of the insert has sufficient strength to cause an overlong bolt to break upon continued threaded insertion subsequent to the bolt contacting the back wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: C&D Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Bielawski, David Thuerk, Guy Pfeifer, Mark Inkmann
  • Patent number: 8367252
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery wherein the non-aqueous electrolyte contains a non-aqueous solvent, a solute dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent, and hydrogenated terphenyl, the solute includes a boron-containing alkali salt and a boron-free alkali salt, the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material comprising a randomly oriented carbon composite (A), and the carbon composite (A) contains a graphitic carbon substance (B) and a carbon substance (C) that is different from the graphitic carbon substance (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Takaharu Morikawa, Atsushi Ueda, Takafumi Oura, Shinichi Kinoshita, Minoru Kotato, Hideharu Satou, Hitoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8367256
    Abstract: A water recovery assembly for use in a fuel cell system having an anode and a cathode, the anode being adapted to receive fuel and output anode exhaust, the water recovery assembly comprising a first cooling assembly adapted to receive and quench cool the anode exhaust and to recover a first portion of water including electrolyte from the anode exhaust, and to output quenched anode exhaust and the first portion of water, and a second cooling assembly adapted to receive the quenched anode exhaust and to recover a second portion of water from the quenched anode exhaust, the second portion of water being suitable for humidifying the fuel supplied to the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Joseph M. Daly, Anthony J. Leo
  • Patent number: 8361657
    Abstract: For the purpose of increasing the electric capacity of lithium secondary batteries comprising titanium-based negative electrode materials, the present invention aims to produce a titanium oxide compound whose crystal structure, crystallite size, specific surface area and primary particle size are controlled, and to provide a lithium secondary battery comprising such a compound. The present invention produces a lithium secondary battery by using, as an electrode active material, a titanium oxide compound for use in an electrode, which is represented by TiO2.(H2O)a.(A2O)b (wherein A is Na or K, a is 0<a=1, and b is 0<b=0.1) and has a main peak at 2?=20° to 30° and a minor peak at 2?=45° to 55° in its X-ray diffraction pattern, wherein the crystallite size determined from the main peak ranges from 40 ? more to 500 ? or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Titan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Nakahara, Toshimasa Seki, Nobuyuki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8354200
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a fuel distribution includes: adjusting a distribution of a fuel supply amount to a membrane electrode assembly so that a temperature distribution in the membrane electrode assembly becomes substantially uniform by a membrane provided in a fuel supply side of the membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell. A membrane adjusts a fuel distribution, which is provided in a fuel supply side of a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell. The membrane is provided with openings so that a temperature distribution in the membrane electrode assembly becomes substantially uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takahiro Terada, Yasutada Nakagawa, Yuji Sasaki, Yuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8343673
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell, a system power source, an inverter system and a fuel gas supply device for supplying the fuel cell with fuel gas of a regulated quantity, wherein when the system power source falls in a power failure during the power use by the external loads, at least one of the power use by the internal loads (resistances) and the supply quantity of the fuel gas supply device is altered in dependence on the output power from the fuel cell or the power use by the external loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyomi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8338047
    Abstract: The present invention is a solid oxide fuel cell configuration which equalizes gas volume distributed into each power generation cell to stabilize fuel cell output and improve the output efficiency. In the present invention, a flat plate laminating type solid oxide fuel cell has a reactant gas supply manifold extending through a fuel cell stack in the laminating direction, for supplying reactant gas to each of power generation cells through gas passages of separators which are communicated with the manifold. The manifold and the passages of the separators are in communication with each other through a gas-flow throttle mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, Tha Kansai Electrical Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Takafumi Kotani, Naoya Murakami
  • Patent number: 8323833
    Abstract: Provided are an anode for a battery comprising: (a) an anode active material, (b) TiO2, and (c) a styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same. By using titanium oxide and SBR together with an anode active material as the anode components in the present invention, increase in the anode resistivity during the high-temperature storage and reduction in the battery capacity by the resistivity are inhibited, thereby the overall performances of the battery can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-Ho Lee, Sunkyu Kim, Seungdon Choi
  • Patent number: 8323846
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising a membrane-electrode assembly having an anode electrode face; an anode plate adjacent said membrane-electrode assembly electrode face and coupled thereto by a sealing gasket. The sealing gasket, electrode face and anode plate together define a fluid containment volume for delivery of anode fluid to the electrode face. A sheet of porous diffuser material is situated in the fluid containment volume and having at least one plenum defined between at least one lateral edge of the sheet of diffuser material and the sealing gasket. Fluid for delivery to an active surface of the membrane-electrode assembly may be delivered by the plenum and by diffusion through the diffuser material to such an extent that fluid flow channels in the anode plate are not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventor: Paul Alan Benson
  • Patent number: 8313872
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes: two end plates that sandwich a cell stack from both ends thereof in a stacking direction; a side member that defines a distance between the two end plates; a connecting bolt that connects the end plates and the side member by a bolt axial force acting substantially in the stacking direction; and a stopper portion that is provided in at least one of the end plates, and that contacts a surface of the side member that extends in the stacking direction and that is located substantially opposite from the cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Okabe, Yutaka Hotta