Patents Examined by Milton I Cano
  • Patent number: 9947909
    Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a cell stack part having a structure of steps obtained by stacking at least two groups of radical units having different sizes or having different geometric shapes according to the size or the geometric shapes. The radical unit has a combined structure into one body by alternately same number of electrodes and separators, and each step of the cell stack part has a structure in which one kind of radical units is disposed once or repeatedly, or a structure in which at least two kinds of radical units are disposed. The one kind of radical unit has a four-layered structure of first electrode, first separator, second electrode and second separator sequentially stacked or a repeating structure of the four-layered structure. Each of the at least two kinds of radical units are stacked by ones to form the four-layered structure or the repeating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM. LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Won Park, Myung Hoon Ko, Seung Ho Na, Chang Bum Ahn
  • Patent number: 9947912
    Abstract: A bus bar holding member comprises a plurality of bus bars arranged to connect terminals of respective batteries in each battery array group in parallel, and a resin support member comprising a resin stacking section which is stacked on a surface of the plurality of bus bars and a resin intervening section which intervenes between the plurality of bus bars to electrically insulate the plurality of bus bars from each other. The bus bar comprises a base plate on which the resin stacking section is stacked, and a jagged edge formed along an edge of the base plate. The jagged edge is formed in a wavy shape crossing a reference line, which is a straight line along an array direction of the batteries in each battery array group between an adjacent pair of the battery array groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki Nakamura, Yoshiaki Tatsumi, Yoshiaki Kameda, Nobuyoshi Fujiwara, Kenji Kimura
  • Patent number: 9935327
    Abstract: Composite members, a fuel cell and manufacturing method, where the composite members are mounted on a base and comprise a first insulator and a second insulator layered on either side of an interconnector, exposed in a chamfered portion on opposite corners. Between a pair of the composite members is formed an electrolyte film. An anode is formed so as to cover the anode surface of the electrolyte film and an anode-side protrusion. The anode formed at the top of anode-side protrusion is stripped, forming a flat exposed surface on the top of the anode-side protrusion. A cathode is formed so as to cover the cathode surface of the electrolyte film and a cathode-side protrusion. The cathode formed on the top of the cathode-side protrusion is stripped using a spatula, a blade, etc., forming a flat exposed surface on the top of the cathode-side protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Imura
  • Patent number: 9923230
    Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a cell stack part having (a) a structure in which one kind of radical unit having a same number of electrodes and separators alternately disposed and integrally combined is repeatedly disposed, or (b) a structure in which at least two kinds of radical units having a same number of electrodes and separators alternately disposed and integrally combined are disposed in a predetermined order, and a fixing part extending from a top surface along a side to a bottom surface thereof for fixing the cell stack part. The one kind of radical unit has a four-layered structure in which first electrode, first separator, second electrode and second separator are sequentially stacked or a repeating structure in which the four-layered structure is repeatedly stacked, and each of the at least two kinds of radical units are stacked by ones to form the four-layered structure or the repeating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ah Reum Jung, Ji Won Park, Myung Hoon Ko, Seung Ho Na, Jin Ho Ban
  • Patent number: 9917294
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery cell assembly including a battery cell array including two or more battery cells, each of which has an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure disposed in a battery case together with an electrolyte in a sealed state, arranged in the lateral direction, and a protection circuit module (PCM) connected to the upper end of the battery cell array to control the operation of the battery pack, wherein the outer sides of the battery cells or the outer side of the battery cell array is coated with a resin by insert injection molding excluding electrode terminals of the battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Seunghyun Bang, SooRyoung Kim, Youngsun Park, Chunyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 9905869
    Abstract: In the event that at least a portion of unit cells in a fuel cell stack have experienced a significant drop in voltage, the fuel cell system will execute a voltage recovery process allowing them to recover generating capability. In the voltage recovery process, a controller measures impedance of the fuel cell stack, and based on these measurements, determines the hydration condition of the electrolyte membrane inside the fuel cell. If, during the determination of hydration condition, the controller has determined that the hydration level is low, a current limiting process for temporarily limiting output of the fuel cell in order to recover generating capability will be triggered under more lenient conditions, as compared to if determined that the hydration level is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Umayahara, Takeshi Maenaka, Atsushi Imai
  • Patent number: 9876247
    Abstract: A solid ceramic electrolyte may include an ion-conducting ceramic and at least one grain growth inhibitor. The ion-conducting ceramic may be a lithium metal phosphate or a derivative thereof. The grain growth inhibitor may be magnesia, titania, or both. The solid ceramic electrolyte may have an average grain size of less than about 2 microns. The grain growth inhibitor may be between about 0.5 mol. % to about 10 mol. % of the solid ceramic electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Jacqueline Leslie Brown
  • Patent number: 9870876
    Abstract: A energy storage device includes: an electrode assembly that includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate being mutually insulated; a case that houses the electrode assembly; and a conductive member electrically coupled to the electrode assembly in the case. The conductive member includes a main body part that has a central axis in a direction passing through a wall surface of the case, and a conductive connection part that protrudes from the main body part in a direction intersecting with the central axis. The main body part includes a swage portion disposed at one end portion of the main body part and inserted into the wall surface of case, and a non-circular head disposed at another end portion of the main body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Masakazu Tsutsumi, Jun Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9865870
    Abstract: Several embodiments related to batteries having electrodes with nanostructures, compositions of such nanostructures, and associated methods of making such electrodes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing an anode suitable for a lithium-ion battery comprising preparing a surface of a substrate material and forming a plurality of conductive nanostructures on the surface of the substrate material via electrodeposition without using a template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: M. Grant Norton, Uttara Sahaym, Sarah Miller
  • Patent number: 9853311
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: an external load connected to a fuel cell; an electric power adjusting unit configured to adjust a generated electric power of the fuel cell in accordance with electric power consumption of the external load; a humidity control unit configured to control humidity of an electrolyte membrane in the fuel cell on the basis of the generated electric power of the fuel cell; an output voltage detecting unit configured to detect an output voltage of the fuel cell; and a cross leakage determining unit configured to cause the humidity control unit to increase the humidity of the electrolyte membrane when the fuel cell generates the electric power, the cross leakage determining unit being configured to determine whether a cross leakage amount increases or not on the basis of a change in the output voltage at that time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takehiko Okui
  • Patent number: 9853294
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a relatively large capacity due to reducing a width of an uncoated portion and increasing a width of a coated portion by improving welding strength through a combination of ultrasonic welding and laser welding, and a manufacturing method thereof. The manufacturing method of the secondary battery includes preparing at least one electrode assembly including an uncoated portion, provisionally welding the uncoated portion by ultrasonic welding, coupling a current collector having an elastic property to the provisionally welded uncoated portion, and welding the uncoated portion and the current collector by laser welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junyong Lee, Huijun Lee, Seungyeol Yoo
  • Patent number: 9843031
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly having first and second electrodes at respective surfaces of a separator; a case that houses the electrode assembly; a cap plate that closes and seals an opening of the case and that is electrically connected to the second electrode; a first electrode terminal that is electrically connected to the first electrode and that is provided at an outer side of the cap plate through a terminal hole in the cap plate; and a second electrode terminal that is directly connected to an outer surface of the cap plate, wherein the second electrode terminal includes a separation portion that is spaced apart from the cap plate; and a support that is connected to the separation portion, the support being supported on the cap plate and including a coupling portion, and wherein the coupling portion is coupled with a corresponding portion of the cap plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myung-Jae Jang, Sang-Won Byun, Chi-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 9837647
    Abstract: A battery module (19) having a number of electrically interconnected battery cells (10), wherein the individual battery cells (10) are temperature-controlled by means of a temperature control fluid (70). Between the battery cells (10), there extends a duct system (30, 62, 66, 68) through which the temperature control fluid (70) flows. The duct system (30, 62, 66, 68) is separated completely from a degassing system (16, 54) of the battery cells (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Schmidt, Christian Pankiewitz, Lisa Lorenz, Jens Boehme, Matthias Stein, Sarmimala Hore
  • Patent number: 9837668
    Abstract: A core-shell composite material may include a core consisting of Nb-doped TiO2 of formula TiNbOx; and a shell consisting of a homogeneous layer of Pt or Pt alloy of 1 to 50 ML in thickness. The core-shell composite material may in particular find application in fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA, Ilika Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Isotta Cerri, Tetsuo Nagami, Brian Elliott Hayden, Jonathan Conrad Davies
  • Patent number: 9831532
    Abstract: The present application provides a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes, a cathode capable of being electrochemically doped/dedoped with lithium, an anode capable of being electrochemically doped/dedoped with lithium, and an electrolyte placed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the electrolyte contains at least one of fluoro ethylene carbonate represented by Chemical Formula (1) and difluoro ethylene carbonate represented by Chemical Formula (2) as a solvent and the ratio of a discharge capacity B during discharging at a 5C rate to a discharge capacity A during discharging at a 0.2C rate ((B/A)×100) is 80% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yamaguchi, Kunihiko Hayashi, Tadahiko Kubota, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Akira Ichihashi, Yuzuru Fukushima, Hironori Sato, Masaki Kuratsuka, Hideto Watanabe, Kimio Tajima, Masahiro Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9825292
    Abstract: A process for producing lithium titanate which includes the steps of synthesizing a lithium titanate hydrate intermediate via aqueous chemical processing, and thermally treating the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate to produce the lithium titanate. The lithium titanate hydrate is preferably (Li1.81H0.19)Ti2O<<2H2O. The lithium titanate is preferably Li4Ti5O12 (LTO). Synthesizing the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate may include mixing a titanium-containing compound with a lithium-containing compound in a solvent to produce a lithium-titanium precursor mixture. Preferably the titanium-containing compound includes titanium tetrachloride TiCl4. Also, a lithium titanate obtained according to the process and a lithium battery including the lithium titanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: HYDRO-QUEBEC, MCGILL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: George Demopoulos, Hsien-Chieh Chiu, Karim Zaghib, Abdelbast Guerfi
  • Patent number: 9825294
    Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, the method comprising: mixing and reacting a nickel source, a cobalt source, and an aluminum source, ammonia water, sucrose, and a pH adjusting agent to prepare a mixed solution; drying and oxidizing the mixed solution to prepare a positive electrode active material precursor; and adding a lithium source to the positive electrode active material precursor and firing them to prepare a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Woo Oh, Hee Young Sun, Yu Rim Do, Hyung Bok Lee
  • Patent number: 9825327
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte includes (i) an inhibitor against a reaction between an anode and a linear ester; (ii) a mixed organic solvent containing cyclic carbonate and the linear ester; and (iii) an electrolyte salt, wherein the inhibitor is any one compound or a mixture of at least two compounds selected from the group consisting of cyclic carbonate with a vinyl group, fluorinated ethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, cyclic acid anhydride, a compound having a cyclic S?O group and an acrylate-based compound. Also, an electrochemical device includes a cathode, an anode and the above non-aqueous electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-Ho Jeon, Jeong-Ju Cho, Ho-Chun Lee
  • Patent number: 9806322
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery cell connector with a first and a second substantially flat limb (1, 2), wherein the first limb (1) has a connecting side (3) for connection to a plurality of electrodes of a battery, the second limb (2) is arranged at an angle with respect to the first limb (1) and extends from that side (4) of the first limb which is opposite the connection side (3), wherein a shoulder (5) is provided which extends from the first to the second limb. Against this background, the invention specifies a battery cell connector with a high current-carrying capacity which is improved in comparison with the known battery cell connectors. For this purpose, the invention provides that the profile of the height (h) of the shoulder (5) from the first limb (1) towards the second limb is nonlinear and is convex with respect to the first and the second limb (1, 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Peter Streuer, Andreas Dudenbostel, Anja Schwarze, Dirk Stellfeldt, Peter Schellenberg
  • Patent number: 9793569
    Abstract: A battery includes positive and negative external terminals having exposed portions exposed from a casing to the outside, positive and negative current collectors connected to the external terminals, and electrode assemblies having positive and negative electrodes and a separator. The positive and negative electrodes are wound with the separator being interposed so as to have positions shifted to opposite sides in a width direction to the separator. Formed in the casing is a narrowly elongated gap extending between the positive current collector side and the negative current collector side. The positive electrode side of the gap is closed by a closure member. A foreign material is prevented from moving without decreasing an electric capacity of the battery and deteriorating injection property of an electrolytic solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Hamakawa, Noriyoshi Munenaga, Satoru Kawakami, Tomoko Nishikawa