Patents Examined by Maria Nuzzolillo
  • Patent number: 6844098
    Abstract: An oxide-ion conductor has the formula Ln1?xAxGa1?y?xB1YB2z oxide, wherein Ln is at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm; A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ca and Ba; B1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al and In; B2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni and Cu; x is 0.05 to 0.3; y is 0 to 0.29; z is 0.01 to 0.3; and y+z is 0.025 to 0.3. The oxide-ion conductor exhibits higher oxide-ion conductivity than stabilized zirconia, excellent heat resistance and also high ion conductivity even at low temperatures, as well as exhibiting low oxygen-partial-pressure dependence of ion conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsumi Ishihara, Yusaku Takita
  • Patent number: 6455196
    Abstract: The present invention provides alkaline storage batteries high in energy density and excellent in overdischarge resistance, and, besides, less in decrease of capacity even if charging and discharging cycle is repeated at high temperatures. There is used a positive electrode comprising a foamed nickel substrate having the number of pores of 80-160 pores/inch (PPI2D) and a thickness of skeleton of 30-60 &mgr;m in which spherical nickel hydroxide solid solution particles having an average particle size of 5-20 &mgr;m and a cobalt oxide conductive agent having an average particle size of 1 &mgr;m or less and mainly composed of &ggr;-cobalt oxyhydroxide having a cobalt valence of higher than 3.0 are held and the total occupying ratio of the spherical nickel hydroxide solid solution particles and the cobalt oxide conductive agent based on the whole electrode plate is in the range of 75-85 vol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Kato, Tatsuhiko Suzuki, Futoshi Tanigawa, Yoshitaka Dansui, Kohji Yuasa
  • Patent number: 6428924
    Abstract: A battery storage apparatus for a portable electronic device is provided which includes a battery storage chamber formed in a casing of the portable electronic device and a storage chamber cover. A guide rail is formed on the casing. A guide groove is formed in the storage chamber cover and engages the guide rail to allow the storage chamber cover to slide on the guide rail when the storage chamber cover is installed on or removed from the casing. A recess is formed in the guide groove. A protrusion is formed on the guide rail and fitted into the recess to hold the storage chamber cover from moving along the guide rail when the storage chamber cover is installed on the casing completely, thereby avoiding dislodgment of the storage chamber cover from the casing even if the portable electronic device undergoes undesirable physical impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suganuma, Haruo Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 6300003
    Abstract: A lead-acid cell includes a case, positive and negative plates within the case, microporous separator material between adjacent plates and electrolyte in a starved amount, with the case having jar and covers joined by a weldment along overlapping cover and jars. The positive plates include a grid frame with an intermediate member extending between spaced apart generally peripheral portions of the frame, with pasted active material on the grid frame separated substantially into two portions by the intermediate member. Compressive force is adjustably continuously applied to the positive and negative plates within the case. The plates are suspended within the case at positions removed from the wall of the case, while plate growth is permitted in a manner that plate shorting is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Inventors: Sudhan S. Misra, Franz Wagner
  • Patent number: 6291099
    Abstract: A battery cell sleeve assembly includes a continuous cylindrical thermal sleeve extending between proximal and distal ends and has a plurality of substantially unidirectional longitudinally extending elongated heat conduction fibers having a thermal conductivity no less than that of aluminum embedded in an adhesive matrix. The thermal sleeve is received on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical battery cell and in a contiguous relationship with the battery cell. A cylindrical base member having an annular flange is attached to the thermal sleeve such that the distal ends of the heat conduction fibers are contiguous with the annular flange. With this construction, the annular flange operates as a heat shunt for drawing heat away from the thermal sleeve by conduction between the heat conduction fibers and the annular flange. In one embodiment, the heat conduction fibers are graphite and the thermal sleeve is between about 0.010 and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Hall
  • Patent number: 6255013
    Abstract: A sealed storage battery includes a battery case containing a group of electric power-generating elements each comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, a battery case lid closing an opening in the battery case to seal the battery case, and a safety valve of the assembling type mounted on the battery case lid. The safety valve is welded to the battery case lid. With this construction, a hermetic seal at an area of contact between the safety valve and the battery case lid is enhanced, and also the reliability of the safety valve is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Hiroshi Inoue, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma
  • Patent number: 6248473
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell of the present invention includes a composite cover assembly for the closed end of the cylindrical can of the electrochemical cell. The composite cover includes an electrically conductive contact terminal having a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical can, and a flexible disk-shaped label that covers the portion of the surface of the closed end of the can that is not covered by the contact terminal. By using a smaller contact terminal, the gap 19 (FIGS. 1 and 2) provided between the positive cover 17 and the closed end 14 of can 15 to accommodate cell bulging in the conventional construction, may be substantially eliminated and the length of the can may be increased without exceeding the standards established for overall battery length. Thus, more active ingredients may be contained in the can, thereby increasing the service life of the electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn R. Lonsberry
  • Patent number: 6243932
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for an expanded grid includes the steps of: (a) supplying a thin plate of band form from the longitudinal direction, (b) forming a plurality of intermittent cuts parallel to the edge in a first region, excluding the central portion, of the thin plate of band form, (c) bending the central portion at a desired angle, and (d) expanding and developing the cuts in the width direction, while moving sequentially in the longitudinal direction the thin plate having the first region forming the plurality of cuts and the central portion not having the cuts, in which the first track distance of the outermost side portion of the first region having the cuts developed and formed is nearly the same distance as the track distance of the central portion. The plane distortion of the grid is eliminated, the width dimension of the grid is stable, and the quality of the electrode plate using such grid is enhanced. Further, local stress concentration of the grid is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Kashio, Akira Iwamura
  • Patent number: 6238820
    Abstract: A battery cell sleeve assembly includes a continuous cylindrical thermal sleeve extending between proximal and distal ends and has a plurality of substantially unidirectional longitudinally extending elongated heat conduction fibers having a thermal conductivity no less than that of aluminum embedded in an adhesive matrix. The thermal sleeve is received on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical battery cell and in a contiguous relationship with the battery cell. A cylindrical base member having an annular flange is attached to the thermal sleeve such that the distal ends of the heat conduction fibers are contiguous with the annular flange. With this construction, the annular flange operates as a heat shunt for drawing heat away from the thermal sleeve by conduction between the heat conduction fibers and the annular flange. In one embodiment, the heat conduction fibers are graphite and the thermal sleeve is between about 0.010 and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Hall
  • Patent number: 6232005
    Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel reformer heated by a catalytic combustor fired by anode and cathode effluents. The combustor includes a turbulator section at its input end for intimately mixing the anode and cathode effluents before they contact the combustors primary catalyst bed. The turbulator comprises at least one porous bed of mixing media that provides a tortuous path therethrough for creating turbulent flow and intimate mixing of the anode and cathode effluents therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: William Henry Pettit
  • Patent number: 6218042
    Abstract: The device for assembling electrochemical cells together (6) side-by-side to form a battery is made up of two identical elements. Each of said elements comprises a base (2) supporting the ends of said cells, said base (2) being formed of an end wall (4) surrounded by an edge band (5), at least one elongate coupling prong (3) for coupling to the other element, which prong is integrally molded with the edge band (5) from which it projects perpendicularly, and complementary means (8, 9) co-operating to hold the two elements (1) assembled together and consisting firstly of a tooth formed on the prong of one of the elements and projecting in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the assembly direction, and secondly of a recess in the edge band of the other element for receiving said tooth so as to snap-fasten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Naudet, Francis Potiron
  • Patent number: 6214493
    Abstract: A novel layered material for use in electrochemical cells is provided, together with a method for producing the layered material, and a cell having the layered material as the positive electrode. The material is of the form QqMnyMzO2, where Q and M are each any element, y is any number greater than zero, and q and z are each any number greater than or equal to zero, and the material has a layered structure. Methods of preparing the manganese oxide material are provided, using an ion exchange reaction or an ion removal reaction. Use of the material in an electrochemical cell is demonstrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: The University Court of the University of St. Andrews
    Inventors: Peter George Bruce, Anthony Robert Armstrong
  • Patent number: 6210840
    Abstract: A flame-retardant electrolytic solution of an electrolyte salt in an organic solvent, wherein the organic solvent contains at least one phosphorus compound represented by formula (I) and a nonaqueous secondary battery containing the flame-retardant electrolytic solution. wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkylaryl group, an aralkyl group or —CH2—COOR3; R2 represents a methyl group, an ethyl group or a halogenated alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or a halogenated alkyl group; and m and n each represents 1 or 2 and the sum of m and n is 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Asahi Denka Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kyohei Usami, Miho Ito, Naohiro Kubota, Shinya Mashimo
  • Patent number: 6210831
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to solid composite cathodes which comprise (a) an electroactive sulfur-containing cathode material which, in its oxidized state, comprises a polysulfide moiety of the formula, —Sm—, wherein m is an integer from 3 to 10; and (b) a non-electroactive particulate non-fibrous material having a strong adsorption of soluble polysulfides. The present invention also pertains to electric current producing cells comprising such solid composite cathodes, and methods of making such solid composite cathodes and electric current producing cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Moltech Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Gorkovenko, Terje A. Skotheim, Zhe-Sheng Xu, Leonid I. Boguslavsky, Zhongyi Deng, Shyama P. Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 6197449
    Abstract: An electrode arrangement for the cells of batteries includes two electrodes each having a three-dimensional grid-type structure, which are held spaced apart from one another. The electrodes are arranged interleaved with one another in all directions in space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventors: Hans Hoffmann, Sven Siemonsen
  • Patent number: 6193765
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cylindrical non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell according to the present invention comprises a first step of forming a lead-attaching area on which an active material layer is not formed, in a positive electrode wherein a positive electrode active material layer is formed on both sides of the positive electrode current collector and a negative electrode wherein a negative electrode active material layer is formed on both sides of the negative electrode current collector, and winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode with disposing a separator therebetween so that the lead-attaching areas are protruded from the edges of the separator, and a second step of disposing a lead at an end part of the lead-attaching area with interposing a metal plate having a multiplicity of holes, and thereafter laser-welding the lead and the metal plate and the lead-attaching area by applying a laser beam with a spot diameter larger than a hole diameter of the metal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Nakanishi, Hideyuki Inomata, Mitsuzou Nogami, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
  • Patent number: 6190797
    Abstract: Entry of molten lead into the space between the electrode plates from the gap between welding jig 12 and electrode plate lead 6 is prevented by a construction of pouring nozzle 17 in which the flow speed and temperature of the molten lead when molten lead is poured into the recess of the welding jig 12 are lowered. Also, admixture of oxide and/or scum is eliminated by discharging the molten lead from the bottom of reservoir 36. Furthermore, reliable joining of strap 2, electrode plate leads 6 and pillar electrode 4 is achieved by prioritising melting of electrode plate leads 6, pillar electrode 4 and the vicinity thereof by plasma welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rikio Miyagi, Masao Ito, Hiroshi Hori, Shinya Ajisaka
  • Patent number: 6187474
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a battery container. In this particular embodiment, the container comprises a housing having side walls and a spacing ridge formed in and extending outwardly from the side walls. The spacing ridge forms a groove on an interior surface of the walls and has a slot formed in the spacing ridge at first and second opposing ends of the housing. In an alternate embodiment, the spacing ridge has a plurality of slots formed on opposing ends of the container. Typically, two adjacent slots are formed on each end such that opposing ends of the handle may engage the retaining pin through the slots. The container further comprises a handle and a retaining pin configured to be received within the interior groove adjacent the slot. The handle is cooperatively engageable with the retaining pin to provide a lifting point for the container when the retaining pin is received in the interior groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Subhas C. Chalasani, Mathew Joseph, Roy Kuipers
  • Patent number: 6187475
    Abstract: A rechargeable cell which is comprised of a cathode material, an anode material and an electrolyte, wherein said cathode material is a mixture of manganese dioxide and electrically conducting material, with said anode material being zinc or a zinc alloy, said electrolyte is 0.5M to 3M aqueous zinc sulfate solution, and manganese (II) salt is added to at least one of the said cathode material, anode material or electrolyte, in total, has an excellent capacity and reversibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Finecell Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung-Mo Oh, Sa-Heum Kim
  • Patent number: 6183908
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium ion nonaqueous secondary battery having a high discharge capacity and excellent high rate characteristics. A novel negative electrode material for a lithium ion nonaqueous secondary battery is disclosed, comprising a composite metal oxide containing an amorphous structure synthesized by a sol-gel method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miyasaka, Shigeru Nakamura