Patents Examined by Mark F. Huff
  • Patent number: 9722264
    Abstract: A redox flow battery includes an anolyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of anolyte and an anolyte headspace; a catholyte storage tank configured for containing a quantity of a catholyte and a catholyte headspace; and a gas management system comprising at least one conduit interconnecting the anolyte headspace and the catholyte headspace, and a gas exchange device configured to contain or release an evolving gas from either or both of the anolyte and catholyte storage tanks to an exterior battery environment when an interior battery pressure exceeds an exterior battery pressure by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: UniEnergy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liyu Li, Guanguang Xia, Jinfeng Wu, Chenxi Sun, Christopher Howard
  • Patent number: 9716262
    Abstract: A battery wiring module is manufactured by an arrangement process of arranging in parallel a long chain bus-bar which is configured by connecting a plurality of bus bars at chain parts, a covering process of covering both an outer periphery of plurality of linear conductors and a side edge of the chain bus-bar adjacent to the plurality of linear conductors with an insulation resin part integrally formed by extrusion molding, a breaking process of breaking the chain parts of the chain bus-bar in order to separate the plurality of bus bars, and a connection process of electrically connecting each of the plurality of linear conductors to a predetermined one of the bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ichikawa, Hirotaka Mukasa
  • Patent number: 9716259
    Abstract: A vehicle underbody includes a tray structure, a battery pack having a plurality of footers and a bracket; and an enclosure surrounding the battery pack. The bracket has a wall attached to the enclosure, a ledge attached to the footers, and a stepped deformation region between the wall and ledge. The stepped deformation region deforms in response to impact to absorb energy associated with the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajaram Subramanian, Amar Marpu, Saravanan Paramasivam, Mladen Marjanovic, John Jardine
  • Patent number: 9705165
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lithium-air battery air electrode, the air electrode comprises: a collector, an in-situ loading catalyst on collector. The invention also provides a preparation method of the air electrode for lithium-air batteries and the lithium-air batteries. The air electrode of the present invention can greatly improve the performance of the lithium-air battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF CERAMICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Zhaoyin Wen, Yanming Cui, Yu Liu, Xiangwei Wu, Jingchao Zhang
  • Patent number: 9705161
    Abstract: A battery module includes a battery block, a cover member, a circuit board, a wiring member, and a first connection member. The battery block includes a plurality of battery cells, and has a terminal surface. Terminals of the plurality of battery cells are arranged on the terminal surface. The cover member is arranged on or above the terminal surface of the battery block. The circuit board overlaps the cover member, and includes a voltage detection circuit for detecting terminal voltages of the plurality of battery cells. The wiring member overlaps the cover member, and is electrically connected to the terminals of the plurality of battery cells. The first connection member electrically connects the circuit board to the wiring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Nishihara, Yasuhiro Asai, Tsuyoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9705130
    Abstract: An electrochemical battery is provided with an aluminum anode current collector and an antimony (Sb)-based electrochemically active material overlying the aluminum current collector. The Sb-based electrochemically active material may be pure antimony, Sb with other metal elements, or Sb with non-metal elements. For example, the Sb-based electrochemically active material may be one of the following: Sb binary or ternary alloys of sodium, silicon, tin, germanium, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, thallium, aluminum, gold, cadmium, mercury, cesium, gallium, titanium, lead, carbon, and combinations thereof. The aluminum current collector may additionally include a material such as magnesium, iron, nickel, titanium, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the anode further composed of a coating interposed between the aluminum current collector and the Sb-based electrochemically active material. This coating may be a non-corrodible metal or a carbonaceous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Zhao, Sean Vail, Yuhao Lu, Motoaki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 9705110
    Abstract: A cell is provided. The cell includes a cell element including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte and a laminate film including an exterior layer, a metal layer, an interior layer, and a welded layer formed of the interior layer; wherein a thickness of the welded layer is larger than 5 ?m in a flat portion of the interior layer, wherein the welded layer increases in thickness from the flat portion to an end portion of the welded layer, and wherein when a thickness of the laminate film is t, a thickness of the interior layer is p and a thickness of the laminate film in the welded layer is t1, a following equation is satisfied: t×2?p×2+5<t1<t×2?5 (?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hatta, Mashio Shibuya
  • Patent number: 9698441
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack and FC peripheral equipment. The FC peripheral equipment includes an evaporator. At least one of evaporation pipes of the evaporator connects a water vapor discharge chamber and an inlet of a reformer to form an evaporation return pipe as a passage of water vapor. A raw fuel pipe is inserted into the evaporation return pipe for allowing a raw fuel to flow from the downstream side to the upstream side of the evaporation return pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ogawa, Yuki Yoshimine
  • Patent number: 9698429
    Abstract: The present application relates to a fuel cell and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Kwanghyun Kim, Gyo Hyun Hwang, Sang Hoon Kim, Jun Yeon Cho
  • Patent number: 9694772
    Abstract: A battery mounting structure for a vehicle includes: a battery frame made of fiber reinforced resin and fastened and fixed to a vehicle body via a plurality of first fastening portions; a battery fastened and fixed to the battery frame via a plurality of second fastening portions; and a ductile member provided between the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Ikeda, Kiyoshi Hokazono, Toshiya Miyashita, Tomohiro Sakurai, Kentaro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9698412
    Abstract: A decomposition reaction of an electrolyte solution and the like caused as a side reaction of charge and discharge is minimized in repeated charge and discharge of a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion capacitor, and thus the lithium ion battery or the lithium ion capacitor can have long-term cycle performance. A negative electrode for a power storage device includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer which includes a plurality of particles of a negative electrode active material. Each of the particles of the negative electrode active material has an inorganic compound film containing a first inorganic compound on part of its surface. The negative electrode active material layer has a film in contact with an exposed part of the negative electrode active material and part of the inorganic compound film. The film contains an organic compound and a second inorganic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Inoue, Kai Kimura, Sachiko Kataniwa, Ryota Tajima
  • Patent number: 9692040
    Abstract: A method of preparing an electrochemical electrode which is partially or totally covered with a film that is obtained by spreading an aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble binder over the electrode and subsequently drying same. The production cost of the electrodes thus obtained is reduced and the surface porosity thereof is associated with desirable resistance values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: HYDRO-QUEBEC
    Inventors: Karim Zaghib, Michel Armand, Abdelbast Guerfi, Michel Perrier, Elisabeth Dupuis, Patrick Charest
  • Patent number: 9692026
    Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an alkaline electrolytic solution, a separator structure, and a resin container. The separator structure includes a ceramic separator composed of an inorganic solid electrolyte exhibiting hydroxide ion conductivity and optionally a resin frame and/or resin film disposed to surround the periphery of the ceramic separator. The separator structure is bonded to the resin container with an adhesive, and/or the ceramic separator is bonded to the resin frame and/or the resin film with the adhesive. The adhesive is selected from an epoxy resin adhesive, a natural resin adhesive, a modified olefin resin adhesive, and a modified silicone resin adhesive, and the adhesive exhibits a variation in weight of 5% or less after immersed, in a solidified form, in a 9 mol/L aqueous KOH solution at 25° C. for 672 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naomi Hashimoto, Kenshin Kitoh, Yuichi Gonda
  • Patent number: 9680152
    Abstract: A transition metal hexacyanoferrate (TMH) cathode battery is provided. The battery has a AxMn[Fe(CN)6]y.zH2O cathode, where the A cations are either alkali or alkaline-earth cations, such as sodium or potassium, where x is in the range of 1 to 2, where y is in the range of 0.5 to 1, and where z is in the range of 0 to 3.5. The AxMn[Fe(CN)6]y.zH2O has a rhombohedral crystal structure with Mn2+/3+ and Fe2+/3+ having the same reduction/oxidation potential. The battery also has an electrolyte, and anode made of an A metal, an A composite, or a material that can host A atoms. The battery has a single plateau charging curve, where a single plateau charging curve is defined as a constant charging voltage slope between 15% and 85% battery charge capacity. Fabrication methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhao Lu, Hidayat Kisdarjono, Jong-Jan Lee, David Evans
  • Patent number: 9680169
    Abstract: A humidification device is provided with at least one stacked unit of water vapor-permeable membranes and of support frames. The support frames are stacked on each other. The membranes each are positioned between two of the support frames, respectively, and have edges clamped between the two support frames. The membranes are arranged parallel and spaced apart relative to each other. Between the two support frames, a supply air flow path extends on a first lateral face of the membrane and, angularly displaced to the supply air flow path, an exhaust air flow path extends on a second lateral face of the membrane facing away from the first lateral face. A flow opening of the supply air flow path and a flow opening of the exhaust air flow path are delimited by the two support frames and extend parallel to a plane of the membrane clamped between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Fasold, Heinz Dobusch
  • Patent number: 9680166
    Abstract: Techniques and implementations pertaining to an integrated gas diffusion layer with a sealing function are described. A method for making the integrated gas diffusion layer with the sealing function may involve placing a gas diffusion member inside a mold followed by injecting a sealing material into the mold. The method may also involve having the sealing material substantially covers a peripheral portion of the gas diffusion member and at least partially penetrates into a peripheral portion of the gas diffusion member. The method may further involve curing the sealing material to form a sealing member having a lip ring. A height of a portion of the mold corresponding to a non-lip ring portion of the sealing member is less than or equal to a thickness of the gas diffusion member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventor: Yong Gao
  • Patent number: 9680172
    Abstract: Flow type electrochemical cells are disclosed. The electrochemical cell has an anode half-cell, a cathode half-cell, and permeable separating layer. The half-cells are bounded by side elements. Respective porous electrodes are housed in the half-cells. The permeable separating layer is disposed between the anode half-cell and the cathode half-cell. An electrolyte region connected to an electrolyte feed and an electrolyte outflow region connected to an electrolyte drain are further provided. An electrolyte inflow region and an electrolyte outflow region are disposed on opposite sides of the porous electrodes such that inflowing electrolyte flows through the porous electrode perpendicularly to the permeable separating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG
    Inventors: Gregor Damian Polcyn, Niels Bredemeyer, Christoph Roosen, Dmitri Donst, Peter Toros, Peter Woltering, Dirk Hoormann, Philipp Hofmann, Stephan Köberle, Frank Funck, Wolfram Stolp, Bernd Langanke
  • Patent number: 9676640
    Abstract: A method of making a micro-channel electrode structure includes providing a curable layer and imprinting the curable layer to form an electrode micro-channel and a fluid micro-channel in a common step. The electrode micro-channel intersects the fluid micro-channel to form a micro-channel intersection. The curable layer is cured to form an imprinted cured layer. Both the electrode and the fluid micro-channels are filled with a developable material that is exposed with an electrode pattern including the electrode micro-channel and extending from the electrode micro-channel into the micro-channel intersection without occluding the fluid micro-channel. The exposed developable material is developed to remove the developable material from the electrode pattern and the electrode micro-channel and the micro-channel intersection corresponding to the electrode pattern are at least partly filled with a conductive material. At least a portion of the remaining developable material is removed from the fluid micro-channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald Steven Cok, Mitchell Stewart Burberry
  • Patent number: 9673452
    Abstract: The loss of sulfur cathode material as a result of polysulfide dissolution causes significant capacity fading in rechargeable lithium/sulfur cells. Embodiments of the invention use a chemical approach to immobilize sulfur and lithium polysulfides via the reactive functional groups on graphene oxide. This approach obtains a uniform and thin (˜tens of nanometers) sulfur coating on graphene oxide sheets by a chemical reaction-deposition strategy and a subsequent low temperature thermal treatment process. Strong interaction between graphene oxide and sulfur or polysulfides demonstrate lithium/sulfur cells with a high reversible capacity of 950-1400 mAh g?1, and stable cycling for more than 50 deep cycles at 0.1 C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Yuegang Zhang, Elton J. Cairns, Liwen Ji, Mumin Rao
  • Patent number: 9673459
    Abstract: A single monolithic ceramic substrate has rectangular dimensions with thermal expansion dominant along the length. An inactive ceramic portion substantially surrounds a fuel cell active portion of scalable power. The active portion comprises a plurality of three-layer active structures, each including an electrolyte disposed between a first polarity electrode and a second polarity electrode, the electrolyte layers being co-fired with the inactive ceramic portion, and a first or second gas passage respectively associated with each first and second polarity electrode. The plurality of active structures are stacked in the thickness dimension with alternating polarity such that first polarity electrodes of adjacent active structures face each other with the associated first gas passage shared therebetween and second polarity electrodes of adjacent active structures face each other with the associated second gas passage shared therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventors: Alan Devoe, Lambert Devoe