Patents Examined by Patrick Ryan
  • Patent number: 9711764
    Abstract: An electric storage apparatus of the present invention includes: a plurality of electric storage devices aligned in a first direction; and a frame configured to hold the plurality of electric storage devices, the frame including: a first frame element that is arranged so as to face the plurality of electric storage devices from one side in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and to directly or indirectly abut the plurality of electric storage devices; and a second frame element that is arranged so as to face the plurality of electric storage devices from the other side in the second direction, wherein the second frame element includes, between the second frame element and the plurality of electric storage devices, a holding part having projections that are respectively in contact with the plurality of electric storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Mochizuki, Masao Kawata
  • Patent number: 9711763
    Abstract: A flexible secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including a stack having a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator between the first and second electrode plates, and a fixing member fixing a first end portion of the stack, a first electrode tab and a second electrode tab connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, respectively, and a molding member surrounding a first end portion of the electrode assembly including the fixing member, and a connection region between the electrode assembly and the first and second electrode tabs, wherein positional variations of a second end portion of the electrode assembly are relatively large as compared to positional variations of the first end portion of the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Juhee Sohn, Junwon Suh, Jeong-Doo Yi, Hyunhwa Song
  • Patent number: 9711771
    Abstract: A membrane includes a porous membrane or layer made of a polymeric material having a plurality of surface treated (or coated) particles (or ceramic particles) having an average particle size of less than about 1 micron dispersed therein. The polymeric material may be selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, co-polymers thereof, and combinations thereof. The particles may be selected from the group consisting of boehmite (AlOOH), SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, BaSO4, CaCO3, BN, and combinations thereof, or the particles may be boehmite. The surface treatment (or coating) may be a molecule having a reactive end and a non-polar end. The particles may be pre-mixed in a low molecular weight wax before mixing with the polymeric material. The membrane may be used as a battery separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Celgard, LLC
    Inventors: C. Glen Wensley, Lie Shi
  • Patent number: 9711790
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonaqueous electrolyte battery including a positive electrode and a negative electrode is provided. The positive electrode includes LiNixM1?xO2 wherein M is a metal element including Mn, and x is within a range of 0.5?x?1. The negative electrode includes graphitized material particles and a layer. The graphitized material particles have an interplanar spacing of (002), according to an X-ray diffraction method, of 0.337 nm or less. The layer includes a titanium-containing oxide. The layer covers at least a part of a surface of the graphitized material particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Norio Takami, Wen Zhang, Hiroki Inagaki
  • Patent number: 9711811
    Abstract: An end plate arranged on one end of a fuel cell unit includes a plate body, which is formed from a metal material, and a gas-liquid separator, which includes a housing into which emission from the fuel cell unit is drawn in. The gas-liquid separator separates water from the emission and drains the separated water out of the housing. The housing is formed from a resin material and is in contact with the plate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiro Yamaura
  • Patent number: 9711786
    Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a negative electrode material for lithium ion secondary batteries that is easily produced and is less likely to cause deterioration in charge and discharge cycle characteristics. A method for producing a negative electrode material for lithium ion secondary batteries, comprises steps of heating a raw material composition comprising resin-retained partially exfoliated graphite having a structure in which graphene is partially exfoliated and Si particles to dope the partially exfoliated graphite with the Si particles, the partially exfoliated graphite being obtained by pyrolyzing a resin in a composition in which the resin is fixed to graphite or primary exfoliated graphite, thereby exfoliating the graphite or primary exfoliated graphite while allowing part of the above resin to remain; providing a composition comprising the above partially exfoliated graphite doped with the Si particles, a binder resin, and a solvent; and shaping the above composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Nozato, Akira Nakasuga, Akihiko Fujiwara, Hiroshi Yoshitani, Yasushi Uematsu, Shotaro Kobaru
  • Patent number: 9711769
    Abstract: Provided are a separator for a nonaqueous cell that has air permeability and is small in thickness while maintaining strength properties; and a nonaqueous cell having this separator. The separator includes a fiber sheet in which a polyvinyl alcohol fiber is incorporated in a proportion of 30% or more by mass (based on the fiber sheet). The fiber has a fiber breaking temperature in heated water of lower than 100° C. and higher than 85° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Hayakawa, Hiroyuki Kawai, Hideo Hayashi, Koichi Kambe
  • Patent number: 9711818
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems for the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen, having redox mediator/redox catalyst pairs and an electrolyte solution in contact with an electrode. The redox mediator is included in the electrolyte solution, and the redox catalyst may be included in the electrolyte solution, or alternatively, may be in contact with the electrolyte solution. In one form a cobalt redox catalyst is used with a quinone redox mediator. In another form a nitrogen oxide redox catalyst is used with a nitroxyl type redox mediator. The systems can be used in electrochemical cells wherein neither the anode nor the cathode comprise an expensive metal such as platinum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Shannon S. Stahl, James B. Gerken, Colin W. Anson
  • Patent number: 9711814
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an accumulated current value measuring unit. The accumulated current value measuring unit measures an accumulated current value by time integration of current output from the fuel cell in a period during which oxygen is produced by water-splitting reaction in an anode of a negative voltage cell. A control unit uses a first correlation between the accumulated current value in the oxygen generation period and an oxygen consumption rate in the anode and a second correlation between a current density of the fuel cell in the oxygen generation period and an oxygen production rate in the anode to obtain a current density at or below which the amount of oxygen in the anode may be reduced, and causes the fuel cell to output electric power at a current density lower than the obtained current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuya Kawahara, Manabu Kato
  • Patent number: 9711810
    Abstract: An exhaust drain valve includes a valve casing, a primary flow passage introducing an anode-off gas and a produced water from an inlet of the primary flow passage to an inside, a secondary flow passage discharging the anode-off gas and the produced water from an outlet of the secondary flow passage to an outside, a valve seat being formed at a primary flow passage outlet, and a valve body moving forward and backward. The primary flow passage includes an orifice being communicated with the primary flow passage outlet, an introduction flow passage having a diameter larger than a diameter of the orifice, the introduction flow passage being communicable with the inlet, and a step portion being formed orthogonal to an axial direction of the introduction flow passage, the step portion connecting the orifice and the introduction flow passage by having a step between the orifice and the introduction flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Mishima
  • Patent number: 9711777
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a plurality of electrode assemblies including a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly; a case housing the plurality of electrode assemblies; a first conductive plate between the first electrode assembly and the case; and a first contact electrically coupling the first conductive plate to the second electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Duk-Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 9711765
    Abstract: A replacement battery system design incorporating a pivoting battery holster and other features enabling one-handed battery removal for devices requiring a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ultralife Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Ladd, John Domm, Michael Manna
  • Patent number: 9705127
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a composition of matter comprising a silicon (Si) nanoparticle coated with a conductive polymer. Another embodiment discloses a method for preparing a composition of matter comprising a plurality of silicon (Si) nanoparticles coated with a conductive polymer comprising providing Si nanoparticles, providing a conductive polymer, preparing a Si nanoparticle, conductive polymer, and solvent slurry, spraying the slurry into a liquid medium that is a non-solvent of the conductive polymer, and precipitating the silicon (Si) nanoparticles coated with the conductive polymer. Another embodiment discloses an anode comprising a current collector, and a composition of matter comprising a silicon (Si) nanoparticle coated with a conductive polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of California
    Inventor: Gao Liu
  • Patent number: 9705121
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a battery module having a power assembly that includes a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of bus bars that electrically couples a terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells to a terminal of an adjacent battery cell of the plurality of battery cells. The battery module also includes a lead frame that includes a plurality of cell taps respectively electrically coupled to the plurality of bus bars of the power assembly, and a plurality of leads that extends from the plurality of cell taps. The lead frame also includes a plurality of broken interconnects that electrically isolates the plurality of cell taps from one another and electrically isolates the plurality of leads from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jason D. Fuhr, Joerg Birkholz, Jonathan P. Lobert, Marco Jansen, Martin Wiegmann, Richard M. DeKeuster, Robert J. Mack
  • Patent number: 9705148
    Abstract: Provided is a stacked structure for a fuel cell in which the plurality of fuel cells are stacked. Each of the fuel cells includes an electrolyte layer, and a cathode layer and an anode layer disposed on both surfaces of the electrolyte layer. The stacked structure includes at least one interconnector, at least one frame, and at least one complex functional part. The interconnector includes a central area electrically connected to the fuel cell, and edge area outwardly extending with respect to end portions of the fuel cell. The frame supports a side portion of the fuel cell to reinforce strength of the fuel cell supported by the interconnector. The complex functional part is disposed between the interconnector and the frame to constantly maintain an interval therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: MICO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Song Ho Choi, Sang Pil Park, Sung Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 9705156
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing lithium-ion battery modules, including the following: positioning an elastic plastic device between at least two cells of a battery module; path-controlled compression of the at least two cells of the battery module and of the elastic plastic device situated between the at least two cells. Also described is a corresponding lithium-ion battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Niko Dorsch
  • Patent number: 9705128
    Abstract: The invention relates to An active material for a rechargeable lithium ion battery, comprising metal (M) based particles and a silicon oxide SiOx with 0<x<2, wherein said SiOx is an intimate mixture of amorphous silicon (Si) and crystalline silicon dioxide (SiO2); wherein the metal (M) is preferably selected from the group consisting of Si, Sn, In, Al, Fe and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Umicore
    Inventors: Stijn Put, Kris Driesen, Jean-Sebastien Bridel, Hailei Zhao, Jing Wang
  • Patent number: 9698420
    Abstract: The present invention relates to Li-Ni composite oxide particles that exhibit a high initial discharge capacity and are excellent in thermal stability when used as a positive electrode active substance for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries, and a process for producing the Li-Nicomposite oxide particles. The Li-Ni composite oxide particles of the present invention have a composition of LixNi1?y?a?bCoyM1aM2bO2 wherein x, y, a and b represent 1.00?x?1.10; 0<y?0.25; 0<a?0.25; and 0?b?0.10, respectively; M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al and Mn; and M2 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr and Mg, in which a product of a metal occupancy (%) of lithium sites of the Li-Ni composite oxide as determined by Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction thereof and a crystallite size (nm) of the Li-Ni composite oxide as determined by the Rietveld analysis is not less than 700 and not more than 1400.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TODA KOGYO CORP.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Ishizaki, Kazuhiko Kikuya, Takahiko Sugihara, Teruaki Santoki, Takamitsu Harada, Masaki Nishimura, Yuji Mishima, Hideaki Sadamura
  • Patent number: 9698409
    Abstract: [Object] It is an object to provide an injection method for injecting an electrolyte and an electrolyte injection apparatus which allow the electrolyte to be injected and filled into an electrode assembly within an outer can with favorable permeation, thereby easily manufacturing an electrolyte secondary battery having favorable cycle characteristics at good yield. [Solution] A solution injection nozzle 10 is inserted into a solution injection hole 101 of an outer can 100 in which an electrode assembly 110 is stored, and the solution injection hole 101 is hermetically sealed by a pressure reducing pad 11 provided so as to surround a periphery of the solution injection nozzle 10. An inside of the outer can 100 is made into a negative pressure through the pressure reducing pad 11, and an electrolyte L is supplied from the solution injection nozzle 10 into the outer can 100. The outer can 100 is rotated with the solution injection nozzle 10 as a rotation center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: O.M.C. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9698393
    Abstract: A battery unit of an automated guided vehicle comprises a casing installed in a chassis of the automated guided vehicle, a battery housed in the casing, a control panel housed in the casing to monitor a charge and discharge state of the battery, and electric components housed in the casing and electrically connected to the battery. The battery is arranged in the casing such that a battery bottom surface is separated from the casing bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihito Fukui, Mitsuru Hirayama