Patents Examined by Nicholas P D'Aniello
  • Patent number: 11018377
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a secondary battery is provided. The secondary battery includes a positive electrode, an aqueous electrolyte, a separator, and a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material-containing layer. The negative electrode active material-containing layer includes negative electrode active material particles and solid electrolyte particles having lithium ion conductivity. The porosity of the negative electrode active material-containing layer is within a range of 0.1% to 28%. The water content of the negative electrode active material-containing layer is within a range of 0.01 g/cm3 to 0.4 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazuomi Yoshima, Shinsuke Matsuno
  • Patent number: 11011803
    Abstract: A connection assembly includes a busbar defining a first hole, and a circuit board defining a second hole that aligns with the first hole. A battery pack assembly includes the connection assembly. The connection assembly includes a pin having a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion is disposed in the first hole and the second body portion is disposed in the second hole. The first body portion defines a first eyelet to allow the first body portion to flex as the first body portion engages the busbar inside the first hole. The second body portion defines a second eyelet to allow the second body portion to flex as the second body portion engages the circuit board inside the second hole. A method of assembling the battery pack assembly includes a first material molded to the busbar to form a frame attached to the busbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Evan J. Dawley
  • Patent number: 10998554
    Abstract: A catalyst layer for a fuel cell electrode includes a metal carrying catalyst containing a carbon carrier and a metal catalyst carried on the carbon carrier, and an ionomer, wherein a volume of micropores having a diameter of 5 nm to 40 nm in micropores of the carbon carrier is 4.5 ml/g to 9.3 ml/g, and a weight ratio of the carbon carrier to the ionomer is 1:0.50 to 1:0.85. A fuel cell includes the catalyst layer for a fuel cell electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKIKAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10991928
    Abstract: A battery connection module and a battery device are provided. The battery device comprises a battery box and a battery connection module. The battery connection module comprises a circuit board, a plurality of busbars and a covering mechanism. The plurality of busbars are provided to a bottom surface of the circuit board in two rows spaced apart from each other. Each busbar has a main body portion connecting with the circuit board and at least two electrode connecting portions. The covering mechanism is provided to the bottom surface of the circuit board and comprises a plurality of sealing units. Each sealing unit comprises a cover, two first sealing members and a second sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Yong Lin, Shang Xiu Zeng, Kian Heng Lim
  • Patent number: 10978746
    Abstract: A battery pack and transport coupler for enabling the battery pack to reduce the pack power capacity. The battery pack include at least two strings of battery cells and a coupler provided at least partially inside the housing. The coupler is moveable between a first position, which causes the string of battery cells to be electrically connected inside the housing, and a second position, which causes the strings of battery cells to be electrically disconnected inside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Velderman, Daniel J. White, Daniel Fitzgerald, Ryan Klee
  • Patent number: 10978691
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an electrode group including an electrically insulating layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The second electrode is stacked in a first direction on the first electrode with the electrically insulating layer interposed therebetween. The first electrode includes plural first end portions in one or more second directions among directions orthogonal to the first direction. The plural first end portions are disposed at different positions in at least one of the second directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Takashi Kishi, Kazuomi Yoshima, Tomoko Sugizaki, Yasuhiro Harada, Norio Takami
  • Patent number: 10964944
    Abstract: To provide a lithium-containing composite oxide capable of obtaining a lithium ion secondary battery having a large discharge capacity wherein the deterioration of the discharge voltage due to repetition of a charge and discharge cycle is suppressed, a cathode active material, a positive electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery and a lithium ion secondary battery. A lithium-containing composite oxide, which is represented by the formula I: LiaiNibCOcMndMeO2??Formula I, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Na, Mg, Ti, Zr, Al, W and Mo, a+b+c+d+e=2, 1.1?a/(b+c+d+e)?1.4, 0.2?b/(b+c+d+e)?0.5, 0?c/(b+c+d+e)?0.25, 0.3?d/(b+c+d+e)?0.6, and 0?e/(b+c+d+e)?0.1, and wherein the valence of Ni is from 2.15 to 2.45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Eguchi, Takeshi Kawasato
  • Patent number: 10964980
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards an indicator circuit. The indicator circuit includes a ground plane; an antenna; a decoupler component; and an integrated circuit. The antenna includes at least one antenna trace; a first antenna terminal; and a second antenna terminal. The decoupler component includes a first decoupler component terminal and a second decoupler component terminal. The integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the first antenna terminal and the second antenna terminal. The integrated circuit is electrically coupled to the first decoupler component terminal. The second decoupler component terminal is electrically connected to the ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alistair Neil Chappelle, Jerome Alexander Martin Dilley, Calvin Christopher Giles, Konstantin Dimitrov Stefanov, Matthew Emmanual Milton Storkey, Jordan Todorov Bourilkov, Sergio Coronado Hortal, William Fitler Morris, Steven Jeffrey Specht
  • Patent number: 10957954
    Abstract: The electrochemical device 40 includes a device main body 60 and an armoring body 50 for accommodating the device main body 60. The armoring body 50 is constituted by a laminated armoring material in which a heat-resistant resin layer 2 is adhered to a first surface of a metal foil layer 4 and a thermal fusion resin layer 3 is adhered to a second surface of the metal foil layer 4, and metal exposed sections 54 and 56 in which the metal foil layer 4 is exposed is formed at least on the heat-resistant resin layer 2 side which is an outer side of the laminated armoring material 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO PACKAGING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Minamitani
  • Patent number: 10953755
    Abstract: The fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell stack; a cell monitor configured to detect voltage or current of the fuel cell stack; wire harness configured to connect the fuel cell stack and the cell monitor to each other; a power conversion unit configured to include a switching element and to perform conversion of output power of the fuel cell stack or conversion of supplied power to auxiliary machines used for operation of the fuel cell stack by using the switching element; and a bulkhead part that is made of metal and is configured to partition the wire harness and the power conversion unit from each other, the bulkhead part being grounded, wherein the wire harness and the power conversion unit are placed next to each other with the bulkhead part interposed therebetween. Thus, it becomes implementable to downsize the fuel cell unit while satisfying both the prevention of physical contact between the wire harness and the power conversion unit and the suppression of influences of switching noise on analog data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Imanishi
  • Patent number: 10944135
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery module including: a battery cell laminate in which a plurality of battery cells having a structure in which an electrode assembly is inside a sealed battery case with an electrolyte solution are arranged with the sides being in contact with each other; and a cooling/buffering member, mounted beneath the battery cell laminate to support a load of the battery cell laminate, and formed of a porous structure to emit heat generated from the battery cell laminate during a charge and discharge process down the battery cell laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sei Woon Oh, Soo Youl Kim, Hyun Min Kim, Jung Ah Shim
  • Patent number: 10938062
    Abstract: A method for preparing a sulfide solid electrolyte material exhibiting Li ion conductivity. The sulfide solid electrolyte material contains an organic compound having a molecular weight within a range of 30 to 300, and the organic compound is present in an amount of 0.8 wt % or less. The method includes: (i) performing mechanical milling to a mixture of a raw material composition and the organic compound to convert the raw material composition to an amorphous state, thereby synthesizing a sulfide glass; and (ii) drying the sulfide glass such that at least some of the organic compound remains in the sulfide solid electrolyte material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiura, Shigenori Hama, Miwako Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10923782
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for use with at least two battery modules, each of the battery modules comprising at least one battery cell housed within a rigid container, the heat exchanger defining an internal fluid passage for a heat exchanger fluid and having at least one compliant region that is configured to be compressed to facilitate thermal contact between the heat exchanger and the two battery modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: DANA CANADA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Doug Vanderwees
  • Patent number: 10923783
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for use with at least two battery modules, each of the battery modules comprising at least one battery cell housed within a rigid container, the heat exchanger defining an internal fluid passage for a heat exchanger fluid and having at least one compliant region that is configured to be compressed to facilitate thermal contact between the heat exchanger and the two battery modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: DANA CANADA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael A. Martin
  • Patent number: 10916963
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery using a solution of an aluminum salt as an electrolyte is disclosed, as well as methods of making the battery and methods of using the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Everon24, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Mukherjee, Nikhil A. Koratkar
  • Patent number: 10916952
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a secondary battery system that functions at high voltage. The present disclosure attains the object by providing a secondary battery system comprising: a hybrid ion battery provided with a cathode active material layer having a cathode active material that contains a metal element capable of taking two kinds or more of a positive valence, an anode active material layer having an anode active material that contains a metal element capable of taking a valence of +2 or more, and an electrolyte layer containing an alkali metal ion and fluoride anion, and formed between the cathode active material layer and the anode active material layer; and a controlling portion that controls charging and discharging of the hybrid ion battery; wherein the controlling portion controls discharging so that a potential of the cathode active material includes a potential range higher than 0.23 V (vs. SHE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KYOTO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hirofumi Nakamoto, Zempachi Ogumi, Takeshi Abe
  • Patent number: 10910640
    Abstract: To provide a cathode active material for a lithium ion secondary battery excellent in the cycle characteristics and rate characteristics even when charging is conducted at a high voltage. A cathode active material for a lithium ion secondary battery, which comprises particles (III) having a covering layer comprising a metal oxide (I) containing at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of elements in Groups 3 and 13 of the periodic table and lanthanoid elements, and a compound (II) containing Li and P, on the surface of a lithium-containing composite oxide comprising lithium and a transition metal element, wherein the atomic ratio of said P to said metal element (P/metal element) contained within 5 nm of the surface layer of the particles (III) is from 0.03 to 0.45.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takeshi Kawasato, Kentaro Tsunozaki, Haisheng Zeng, Yasuyuki Takimoto, Toshio Suzuki, Tegi Ri
  • Patent number: 10886552
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell system, including: a housing; an electrolyte disposed in the housing; a plurality of discharging cathodes immersed in the electrolyte and a plurality of first spaces between the discharging cathodes, a metallic material, when placed in the first spaces, forms a plurality of discharging anodes; an electrochemical system, including: a housing, an electrolyte disposed in the housing, a discharging assembly immersed in the electrolyte including one or more discharging cathodes and a first space amid the discharging cathodes and the interior surface of the housing, a metallic material, wherein the first space contains the metallic material to form one or more discharging anodes, and a second space above the discharging assembly contains the metallic material in excess of the portion in the first space; and methods of simultaneous charging and discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: e-Zn Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaoge Gregory Zhang
  • Patent number: 10886531
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a negative electrode for an electric storage device, the method comprising the steps of preparing a negative electrode composition comprising a negative electrode active material that reversibly carries a sodium ion, metal sodium, and a liquid dispersion medium for dispersing them; allowing a negative electrode current collector to hold the negative electrode composition; evaporating at least part of the liquid dispersion medium from the negative electrode composition held by the negative electrode current collector, thereby giving a negative electrode precursor comprising the negative electrode active material, the metal sodium, and the negative electrode current collector; and bringing the negative electrode precursor into contact with an electrolyte having sodium ion conductivity, thereby doping the negative electrode active material with sodium eluted from the metal sodium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Nitta, Shoichiro Sakai, Atsushi Fukunaga, Eiko Imazaki, Koma Numata, Hideaki Ito, Hitoshi Kobayashi, Toshiaki Yamashita, Shinichi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10879567
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a lithium secondary battery in which peeling of an active substance can be prevented and the generation of metal powder can be prevented when a power collection foil is processed at an electrode production step. The method for producing the lithium secondary battery includes an electrode-producing step of producing a positive electrode and a negative electrode; a step of forming a group of electrodes by layering the positive electrode and the negative electrode on each other through a separator, or winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode through a separator; and a step of immersing the group of the electrodes in an electrolyte. The electrode-producing step has a boring step of forming a plurality of through-holes penetrating a power collection foil and having projected parts projected from at least a rear surface of the power collection foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiko Sawai, Shinji Saito, Kazunori Urao