Patents Examined by Milton I Cano
  • Battery cell connector
    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
  • Electric storage element
    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
  • Battery designs with high capacity anode materials and cathode materials
    Patent number: 9780358
    Abstract: Improved high energy capacity designs for lithium ion batteries are described that take advantage of the properties of high specific capacity anode active compositions and high specific capacity cathode active compositions. In particular, specific electrode designs provide for achieving very high energy densities. Furthermore, the complex behavior of the active materials is used advantageously in a radical electrode balancing design that significantly reduced wasted electrode capacity in either electrode when cycling under realistic conditions of moderate to high discharge rates and/or over a reduced depth of discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Zenlabs Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Charan Masarapu, Yogesh Kumar Anguchamy, Yongbong Han, Haixia Deng, Sujeet Kumar, Herman A. Lopez
  • Cathode active material for lithium batteries, and lithium battery comprising the cathode active material for lithium batteries
    Patent number: 9780369
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a cathode active material configured to increase, when used in a lithium battery, the discharge capacity of the lithium battery higher than conventional lithium batteries, and a lithium battery including the cathode active material. Presented is a cathode active material for lithium batteries, wherein the cathode active material is represented by the following composition formula (1) and has a rock salt type crystal structure including formula (1): Li2Ni1-x-yCoxMnyTiO4 wherein x and y are real numbers that satisfy x>0, y>0 and x+y<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeto Okada, Ayuko Kitajou, Ryuichi Tsuji, Jun Yoshida, Shinji Nakanishi
  • Method for making thin film lithium ion battery
    Patent number: 9774028
    Abstract: A method for making a thin film lithium ion battery is provided. A cathode material layer and an anode material layer are provided. A first carbon nanotube layer is formed on a surface of the cathode material layer to obtain a cathode electrode. A second carbon nanotube layer is formed on a surface of the anode material layer to obtain an anode electrode. A solid electrolyte layer is applied between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode to form a battery cell. At least one battery cell is then encapsulated in an external encapsulating shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jia-Ping Wang, Ke Wang, Shu Luo, Kai-Li Jiang, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Battery module
    Patent number: 9768425
    Abstract: A battery module includes: a plurality of battery cells held in a case; and a collector plate disposed on one side or the other side of the plurality of battery cells. The collector plate includes connection terminals connected to a collector plate main body so that the plurality of connection terminals are disposed to face an electrode provided in each of the battery cells. In at least one of the electrodes, the plurality of the connection terminals facing the at least one electrode include a first connection terminal welded to the electrode and a second connection terminal not welded to the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Geshi, Oose Okutani, Hiroshi Takasaki, Katsuji Tsujioka
  • Rechargeable battery having a heat-resistant member
    Patent number: 9748529
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case configured to encase the electrode assembly, a cap plate coupled to the case, a gasket between the case and cap plate and configured to insulate the case from the cap plate, and a heat-resistant member between an upper portion of the gasket and an outer surface of the cap plate and having a higher melting point than the gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun-Ki Jung
  • Porous, thin film electrodes for lithium-ion batteries
    Patent number: 9748569
    Abstract: A porous thin film battery is described herein. The battery includes a substrate, a porous thin film cathode formed on the substrate, an electrolyte layer formed on the porous thin film cathode and a porous thin film anode formed on the electrolyte layer. The porous thin film cathode includes a first set of pores initially filled with a quantity of a first polymer material and then the first polymer material is removed to form the first set of pores. The porous thin film anode includes a second set of pores initially filled with a third polymer material and then the third polymer material is removed to form the second set of pores. A method of forming the porous thin film battery is also described. A system for forming the porous thin film battery is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: APPLEJACK 199 L.P.
    Inventors: Wenming Li, Byunghoon Yoon, Ann Koo
  • Sealing plate for prismatic secondary battery, method for producing the same, and prismatic secondary battery using the same
    Patent number: 9741985
    Abstract: A sealing plate for a prismatic secondary battery includes a pair of mouths for attaching a negative and positive electrode terminals, one mouth being formed near one end in a longitudinal direction of the sealing plate, and the other mouth being formed near the other end, coining areas used for positioning of an insulating member and formed around the pair of mouths on a front face of the sealing plate, a gas release valve and an electrolyte pour hole formed between the pair of mouths, and grooves formed between the respective coining areas and the long side edge of the sealing plate. The groove has a smaller depth near the gas release valve than the depth near the coining area. Even when the sealing plate is produced through forging, the front face has good flatness and the coining areas are unlikely to have a sink mark or a shear drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Okutani, Yoshinori Yokoyama, Takayuki Hattori, Yasuhiro Yamauchi
  • Battery pack
    Patent number: 9735406
    Abstract: In a battery pack, a plurality of cells are arranged, the cells each have an outlet through which gas generated in the cell is released in one direction, each two of the cells are arranged as one unit, and the each two of the cells are arranged such that directions of gas released through the outlets of the two cells are opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Nishino, Masato Fujikawa, Mikinari Shimada, Shunsuke Yasui, Shoichiro Watanabe
  • Battery module assembly of improved reliability and battery pack employed with the same
    Patent number: 9735403
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery module assembly including (a) two or more battery modules having cell units, each of which includes one or more battery cells, connected in parallel to one another, (b) a pair of an upper case and a lower case to surround an upper part and a lower part of the battery modules in a state in which the battery modules are erected on their sides, (c) a bus bar assembly disposed at a front of the battery modules to electrically connect the battery modules to one another in parallel, and (d) a fastening hole formed at a front of the upper case and/or a front of the lower case to position or fix the battery module assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: BumHyun Lee, JiYoung Choi, DalMo Kang, JunYeob Seong
  • Proton-battery based on graphene derivatives
    Patent number: 9728771
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an anode formed of graphene oxide from an acidic pH; a cathode from a pH greater than the acidic pH of the anode; and charge collectors deposited on the anode and the cathode. The anode comprises graphene oxide, the graphene oxide comprising an ink and having a pH of about 1 to about 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Di Wei, Stefano Marco Borini, Richard White, Jani Kivioja
  • Electric vehicle battery attachment assembly and method
    Patent number: 9722229
    Abstract: An example method of connecting an electric vehicle battery includes welding a landing of a terminal to a bus bar, and pressing a landing of the terminal and the bus bar against one another during the welding. The landing is along a first plane and a base of the terminal is along a second plane that is spaced from the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Vineeth Seshadri Kallur, Hari Addanki, Brian Utley, Steve F. Chorian, Debbi Callicoat
  • Power generation characteristic estimation device for fuel cell
    Patent number: 9685669
    Abstract: A power generation characteristic estimation device for fuel cell includes a reference characteristic setting unit for setting a reference power generation characteristic of a fuel cell, a current detection unit for detecting an actual current of the fuel cell, a voltage detection unit for detecting an actual voltage of the fuel cell, and a characteristic estimation unit for estimating an actual power generation characteristic of the fuel cell based on a voltage difference between a voltage on the reference power generation characteristic and an actual voltage at the actual current. The characteristic estimation unit estimates the power generation characteristic during a warm-up operation of the fuel cell when a pressure of a gas supplied to the fuel cell is not lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Method of operating a lithium-ion cell having a high-capacity cathode
    Patent number: 9673447
    Abstract: A method of operating a lithium-ion cell comprising (a) a cathode comprising a carbon or graphitic material having a surface area to capture and store lithium thereon; (b) an anode comprising an anode active material; (c) a porous separator disposed between the two electrodes; (d) an electrolyte in ionic contact with the two electrodes; and (e) a lithium source disposed in at least one of the two electrodes to obtain an open circuit voltage (OCV) from 0.5 volts to 2.8 volts when the cell is made; wherein the method comprises: (A) electrochemically forming the cell from the OCV to either a first lower voltage limit (LVL) or a first upper voltage limit (UVL), wherein the first LVL is no lower than 0.1 volts and the first UVL is no higher than 4.6 volts; and (B) cycling the cell between a second LVL and a second UVL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Guorong Chen, Yanbo Wang, Qing Fang, Xiqing Wang, Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Spliced bipolar plates for fuel cells and fuel cell stacks comprising the same
    Patent number: 9666882
    Abstract: Spliced bipolar plates for fuel cells are provided. The spliced bipolar plate includes a supporting plate and a splice plate. The supporting plate has three inlet openings and three outlet openings formed thereon. A plurality of coolant flow channels are provided on one side of the supporting plate, while a recess of a uniform thickness is provided on the opposite side of the supporting plate. One side of the recess is opened to a transverse or a longitudinal side of the supporting plate. The splice plate is divided into a reaction zone part and an extended part by the supporting plate. The size of the reaction zone part is substantially the same as the volume of the recess such that the reaction zone part is received in the recess, connecting the splice plate to the supporting plate. The extended part of the splice plate is projected beyond the supporting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventor: Yong Gao
  • Air cell and assembled battery employing same
    Patent number: 9666917
    Abstract: In air cells which are stacked on one another and used as an assembled battery, an electrolytic solution layer is formed between a positive electrode material and a negative electrode material, and one or two or more deformation prevention materials are arranged for preventing deformation by abutting the positive electrode material or the negative electrode material or abutting both of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Miyazawa, Keita Iritsuki, Tomokatsu Himeno, Mori Nagayama, Yoshiko Tsukada
  • Fuel cell with seal cut-outs on the separator in the gas passage
    Patent number: 9653747
    Abstract: A fuel cell is formed by stacking a plurality of unit cells. Each of the unit cells includes a membrane electrode assembly, and an anode side metal separator and a cathode side metal separator sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly therebetween. In a surface of the cathode side metal separator, metal portions are exposed in at least part of a second flat portion in an area surrounded by seal lines SL of the anode side metal separator. Cutouts are formed on a surface of the cathode side metal separator by cutting at least part of the second flat portion up to the metal portions thereby to expose the metal portions through the cutouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Watanabe, Masaaki Sakano, Satoru Terada
  • Flexible asymmetric electrochemical cells using nano graphene platelet as an electrode material
    Patent number: 9640334
    Abstract: A flexible, asymmetric electrochemical cell comprising: (A) A sheet of graphene paper as first electrode comprising nano graphene platelets having a platelet thickness less than 1 nm, wherein the first electrode has electrolyte-accessible pores; (B) A thin-film or paper-like first separator and electrolyte; and (C) A thin-film or paper-like second electrode which is different in composition than the first electrode; wherein the separator is sandwiched between the first and second electrode to form a flexible laminate configuration. The asymmetric supercapacitor cells with different NGP-based electrodes exhibit an exceptionally high capacitance, specific energy, and stable and long cycle life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Nanotek Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenning Yu, Jinjun Shi, Chen-guang Liu, Bor Z. Jang, Aruna Zhamu
  • Low internal resistance beta—and beta?—alumina electrolyte produced via vapor phase method
    Patent number: 9634353
    Abstract: A process for making a solid electrolyte for an electrochemical cell. The process includes providing a multilayer material having a porous layer and a nonporous layer, the nonporous layer containing a first oxide selected from alpha-alumina, gamma-alumina, alpha-gallium oxide, and/or combinations thereof. In addition, an alkali-metal oxide vapor is provided and the nonporous layer is exposed to the alkali-metal oxide vapor at an elevated temperature such that the nonporous layer is converted to a solid second oxide electrolyte layer that is conductive to alkali metal ions. The second oxide is an alkali-metal-beta-alumina, alkali-metal-beta?-alumina, alkali-metal-beta-gallate, and/or alkali-metal-beta?-gallate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Na4B, LLC
    Inventors: Monika Jansohn, Cord-Henrich Dustmann, Wolfgang Jansohn