Patents Examined by Ling R Zeng
  • Patent number: 8815455
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes: a water evaporation unit configured to mix water with a raw gas; a burner; a combustion exhaust gas flow channel provided on an inner side than the water evaporation unit and through which a combustion exhaust gas from the burner flows; a reforming catalyst layer configured to produce a reformed gas; and a carbon monoxide reduction unit configured to reduce an amount of carbon monoxide contained in the reformed gas. The water evaporation unit includes a flow channel member defining a flow channel through which the raw gas and the water flow. A pitch of the flow channel member is changed according to at least one of an amount of heat exchange between the combustion exhaust gas flow channel and the water evaporation unit and an amount of heat exchange between the water evaporation unit and the carbon monoxide reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Yuuji Mukai, Hiroki Fujioka
  • Patent number: 8815458
    Abstract: A fuel cell system for a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a fuel supply device, an oxidizer supply device, an anode potential measuring device, and a discharge controller. The anode potential measuring device is configured to measure an anode potential of an anode. The discharge controller is configured to control discharge of electric current from the fuel cell as part of a process of stopping the fuel cell during idling of the vehicle. When receiving idle stop permission for the fuel cell, the discharge controller determines whether the fuel cell is permitted to discharge. When the anode potential is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value, the discharge controller permits the fuel cell to discharge. When the anode potential is higher than the predetermined threshold value, the discharge controller does not permit the fuel cell to discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Furusawa, Kentaro Nagoshi
  • Patent number: 8802253
    Abstract: A weld validation system and method for a battery module are provided. The battery module has first and second battery cells and an interconnect member welded to first and second tabs of the first and second battery cells, respectively. The system includes a gripping device having first and second gripping fingers contacting the interconnect member. The system further includes a temperature sensor that generates a first signal indicative of a temperature of the interconnect member when a battery cycling device is discharging the battery module. The system further includes a computer that determines a first temperature value indicative of the temperature of the interconnect member based on the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Janina Stancu, Kenneth J. Oswandel
  • Patent number: 8802248
    Abstract: In a battery pack, an electrostatic protective part is disposed on a side surface of a protective circuit module so as to protect the protective circuit module from static electricity introduced from the outside, thus improving the reliability of a battery. The battery pack includes a battery cell, a protective circuit module electrically connected to the battery cell and including an electrostatic protective part on a side surface thereof, and a case accommodating the battery cell and the protective circuit module. The electrostatic protective part is formed by applying solder on a conductive foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chilsung Park
  • Patent number: 8802303
    Abstract: Implementations and techniques for metal air batteries including a composite anode are generally disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: Ezekiel Kruglick, Thomas Yager, Seth Adrian Miller
  • Patent number: 8748055
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composite separator for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a method for manufacturing the same. The inventive method involves allowing graphite foil layers to be brought into direct contact with each other when graphite foils are stacked on both sides of a carbon fiber reinforced composite material prepreg, thereby improving electrical conductivity in the thickness direction of the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Dai Gil Lee, Ha Na Yu, Byoung Chul Kim, Bu Gi Kim, Jun Woo Lim, Jung Do Suh
  • Patent number: 8748039
    Abstract: An electrode of an energy storage device with less deterioration by charge and discharge can be manufactured. In addition, an energy storage device which has large capacity and high endurance can be manufactured. A manufacturing method of an electrode of an energy storage device is provided in which a high-wettability regions and a low-wettability region are formed at a surface of a current collector, a composition containing silicon, germanium, or tin is discharged to the high-wettability regions and then baked to form separate active materials over a surface of the current collector. Thus, an electrode of an energy storage device with less deterioration due to charge and discharge can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyofumi Ogino, Kazutaka Kuriki
  • Patent number: 8673485
    Abstract: A cylindrical battery gasket that will not functionally deteriorate in absorbing stress caused by the gasket extending radially upon the battery being sealed is provided with a boss part with a central hole through which a negative electrode collector is inserted, a canister contact part that is affixed in place and in contact with a cathode canister, a disk-shaped part that is provided to connect the boss part to the canister contact part, and a stress buffering part that is provided on the way to the disk-shaped pat. The stress buffering part has a first bent part and a second bent part, both of an acute angle, and is set nearer the center of the cathode canister than to the positive electrode mixture, upon the gasket being installed in the cathode canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: FDK Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Yamazaki, Shuji Murakami, Hidenori Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 8637195
    Abstract: Provided is a battery which can prevent deactivation from occurring by avoiding solid deposition at electrodes. The battery includes an anion conductor, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and a second aqueous liquid electrolyte layer, wherein the first aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and the positive electrode are present in this sequence on a first surface of the anion conductor, and the second aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and the negative electrode are present in this sequence on a second surface of the anion conductor, and wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material which can release a metal ion upon discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Suto
  • Patent number: 8617750
    Abstract: Implementations and techniques for metal air batteries including a composite anode are generally disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: Ezekiel Kruglick, Thomas A. Yager, Seth Adrian Miller
  • Patent number: 8609293
    Abstract: A valve for a pressure vessel system includes a housing having a cavity defined by an inner surface of the housing. The housing further includes a rod aperture and a pair of fluid flow ports. An actuator is disposed adjacent the housing. The valve also includes a piston having a rod coupled to a piston head. The piston head is disposed in the cavity of the housing, and the rod disposed through the rod aperture. The rod is also coupled to the actuator. A ring seal is disposed between the piston head and an inner surface of the housing. The ring seal biases the piston head toward one of the fluid flow ports and seals the one of the fluid flow ports to close the valve when the actuator is deactivated. The ring seal is elastically deformed and the fluid flow ports are opened when the actuator is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Oliver Maier
  • Patent number: 8592092
    Abstract: Provided is a battery which can prevent deactivation from occurring by avoiding solid deposition at electrodes. The battery includes an anion conductor, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and a second aqueous liquid electrolyte layer, wherein the first aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and the positive electrode are present in this sequence on a first surface of the anion conductor, and the second aqueous liquid electrolyte layer and the negative electrode are present in this sequence on a second surface of the anion conductor, and wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode active material layer includes a negative electrode active material which can release a metal ion upon discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Suto
  • Patent number: 8551635
    Abstract: A power supply includes rectangular battery cells 1. Each cell 1 includes a rectangular container 11 covered with an electrically insulating film 2. The film 2 has a bottom cover 22, main covers 21, and side covers 23. The bottom cover 22 is arranged between the main covers 21. The side covers 23 protrude from the both sides of the main and bottom covers 21 and 22. Each side cover 23 has first and second side covers 23A and 23B. The first and second side covers 23A and 23B protrude from the side edges of the main and bottom covers 21 and 22. The first and second side covers 23A and 23B are continuously arranged in connection areas 24. When folded on side surfaces 11D of the container 11, the first and second side covers 23A and 23B are superposed on one another. The superposed parts 25 are welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Ochi, Masao Kume
  • Patent number: 8530085
    Abstract: A negative electrode active material including nanometal particles and super-conductive nanoparticles and a lithium battery including the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: So-Ra Lee, Jae-Myung Kim, Kyu-Nam Joo, Sean Do, Jong-Hee Lee, Young-Su Kim, Deok-Hyun Kim, Gu-Hyun Chung, Beom-Kwon Kim, Yong-mi Yu
  • Patent number: 8394539
    Abstract: Lithium salts with fluorinated chelated orthoborate anions are prepared and used as electrolytes or electrolyte additives in lithium-ion batteries. The lithium salts have two chelate rings formed by the coordination of two bidentate ligands to a single boron atom. In addition, each chelate ring has two oxygen atoms bonded to one boron atom, methylene groups bonded to the two oxygen atoms, and one or more fluorinated carbon atoms bonded to and forming a cyclic bridge between the methylene groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Olt E. Geiculescu, Ion C. Halalay, Darryl D. Desmarteau, Stephen E. Creager
  • Patent number: 8357468
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a carbon coated lithium metal phosphate material containing a manganese oxide layer between the LiMnPO4 material or the C/LiMn1-x ZxPO4 material, where Z=Fe, Co, Ni, Mg, Ca, Al, Zr, V, Ti and x=0.01-0.3, and the carbon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Exnar, Thierry Drezen, Marketa Zukalova, James Miners, Otakar Frank, Ladislav Kavan