Patents Examined by Patrick Ryan
  • Patent number: 9660307
    Abstract: A structure for effectively heating a battery. A battery is housed in a battery container. A condenser is formed such that a heating medium is in direct contact with a surface of the battery container, and condenses the heating medium to heat the battery via the battery container. The heating medium condensed by the condenser is supplied to an evaporator that heats and vaporizes the heating medium. The heating medium vaporized by the evaporator which is in vapor is circulated to the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuki Hirota, Shuji Tomura, Takaji Umeno, Takashi Shimazu, Takashi Murata
  • Patent number: 9660234
    Abstract: An enclosure for a traction motor battery of a vehicle is disclosed that includes a plurality of impact absorbing members on the exterior of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members have an arc-shaped or partially cylindrical wall and a flat wall that define a partially cylindrical pocket. In an impact, the arc-shaped wall collapses toward the flat wall to absorb the impact force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, William L. Stanko, Saeed David Barbat, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche
  • Patent number: 9660262
    Abstract: A positive electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention includes particles A of a lamellar type lithium transition metal oxide and particles B of a spinel type lithium transition metal oxide, as a positive active material, at a ratio within the range of A:B=20:80 to 80:20 (weight ratio), in which a particle size distribution of the positive active material has a peak based on the particles A and a peak based on the particles B within the range of 1 to 50 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Uebo, Keisuke Anami
  • Patent number: 9660233
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a base plate of a battery module assembly, wherein the base plate is made of a metal sheet having module receiving parts, on which one or more battery modules each including battery cells are loaded, formed at a top thereof, the sheet is provided at at least a portion of an outer edge thereof with upwardly bent side walls, and the module receiving parts are provided with reinforcement beads protruding toward the battery modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Juhan Kim, Bum Hyun Lee, Jun Yeob Seong, Jin-Kyu Shin
  • Patent number: 9653744
    Abstract: A method of starting a fuel cell system for a vehicle includes determining whether or not an activation signal of a fuel cell provided in the fuel cell system has been inputted, operating, if it is determined that the activation signal has been inputted, a cooling medium circulation pump to supply a cooling medium to an impurity removal mechanism for reducing a conductivity of the cooling medium, and driving an oxidant gas supply device and a fuel gas supply device in the fuel cell system to start activation of the fuel cell if it is determined that the conductivity of the cooling medium is less than or equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Matsumoto, Kazuyoshi Miyajima
  • Patent number: 9653710
    Abstract: An electrical energy store and a method for operating an electrical energy store are described. The electrical energy store includes: a housing; at least one energy storage element situated in the housing; and at least one gas-tight cavity, to which an internal pressure is applicable, situated in the housing, with the aid of which a pressure is exertable on at least one section of the energy storage element by applying the internal pressure to the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Schumann, Joerg Thielen
  • Patent number: 9649688
    Abstract: A lithium anode containing spherical lithium metal particles with an average diameter of between 5 and 200 ?m, which are bonded with a fluorine-free rubber-like binding agent from the groups saturated polyolefins and polyolefin copolymers, such as EPM (ethylene-propylene copolymers), EPDM (ethylene-propylene terpolymers) and polybutenes unsaturated polymers (diene polymers and diene copolymers), such as natural rubbers (NR), butadiene rubbers (BR), styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBR), polyisoprene rubbers and butyl rubbers (IIR, such as polyisobutylene isoprene rubber, PIBI) as well as heteroelement-containing copolymers, for example saturated copolymer rubbers, such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVM), hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber (HNBR), epichlorhydrin rubber (ECO), acrylate rubbers (ACM) and silicon rubbers (SI), as well as unsaturated copolymers, such as nitrile rubbers (NBR), for example, as well as galvanic cells containing the bonded lithium anode according to the invention and method for producin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwood Lithium GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Wietelmann, Ute Emmel, Christoph Hartnig
  • Patent number: 9649908
    Abstract: A heat pump cycle includes a refrigerant circuit and a coolant circuit. A first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger are disposed between the refrigerant circuit and the coolant circuit. The first heat exchanger includes an exterior heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator in a heating operation, and a radiator for radiating heat of a coolant. The second heat exchanger transmits a heat of high-pressure refrigerant to the coolant in the heating operation. A temperature of refrigerant within the second heat exchanger is higher than a temperature of refrigerant within the first heat exchanger. The heat obtained from the second heat exchanger is supplied to the first heat exchanger through the coolant. Further, the heat obtained from the second heat exchanger is stored in the coolant. In defrosting operation, the coolant that has stored the heat therein is supplied to the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Takeuchi, Seiji Inoue, Takashi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9653711
    Abstract: There is provided a flat battery including a positive electrode can, a negative electrode can, a positive electrode material, a negative electrode material, and a positive electrode ring provided on an inner surface of a bottom of the positive electrode can to hold one of the positive electrode material and the negative electrode material. The positive electrode ring has a side wall and a flange that extends outward to overlap an open end of a circumferential wall of the negative electrode can. The flange is placed between the open end of the circumferential wall of the negative electrode can and the inner surface of the bottom of the positive electrode can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Tsuda, Noriyuki Yabushita, Koji Yamaguchi, Atsushi Yamano
  • Patent number: 9653712
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a battery module including a battery cell array including two or more stacked battery cells, each of which is configured to have a structure in which an electrode assembly, including a cathode, an anode, and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode, is received in a battery case together with an electrolyte in a sealed state, and fixing members, each of which is integrally coupled to a portion or the entirety of an outer edge of a corresponding one of the battery cells, each of the fixing members being provided with an assembly type coupling structure, by which the fixing members are coupled to each other such that the battery cell array forms a stable stack structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yeob Seong, Dal Mo Kang, Byung O Kong, Youngsop Eom
  • Patent number: 9647271
    Abstract: An aspect of the subject technology/invention of the present disclosure includes electrode structures or elements/components that have (e.g., present) fractal and/or self-complementary shapes or structures, e.g., on a surface. Such shapes or structures can be pre-existing. The electrodes can be made of any suitable material. The electrodes may function or operate or be used as a “seed” structure to incorporate or receive a material or materials useful for lattice assisted nuclear reactions and/or cold fusion processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Cohen
  • Patent number: 9644277
    Abstract: An electrolyzer or unitized regenerative fuel cell has a flow field with at least one channel, wherein the cross-sectional area of the channel varies along at least a portion of the channel length. In some embodiments the channel width decreases along at least a portion of the length of the channel according to a natural exponential function. The use of this type of improved flow field channel can improve performance and efficiency of operation of the electrolyzer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Loop Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Michael MacKinnon, Matthew Paul Paone, Raoul Jacob Kingma, Greg John Montie
  • Patent number: 9647257
    Abstract: A battery pack is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells and a monitoring portion including a plurality of lines respectively electrically connected to the battery cells. The lines include a positive current line, a negative current line, and at least one monitoring line. The battery pack further includes a connector including a plurality of connector pins formed therein, wherein the connector pins are respectively electrically connected to the lines of the monitoring portion, and a protective circuit module accommodating the connector therein. The connector pins have different lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun-Tae Ro, Ji-Hwan Seol
  • Patent number: 9643859
    Abstract: To provide a carbonate compound and a cathode active material, whereby a lithium ion secondary battery having excellent cycle characteristics can be obtained. A process for producing a carbonate compound, which comprises mixing a sulfate (A) comprising a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn and a sulfate of Ni, or a sulfate comprising a sulfate of Mn, a sulfate of Ni and a sulfate of Co, and a carbonate (B) which is at least one carbonate selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, in the form of aqueous solutions and controlling the proportion of Mn to the total of Ni, Co and Mn contained in the sulfate (A) to be higher than 65 mol % at the initiation of the mixing, to precipitate a carbonate compound having a proportion of Mn of from 33.3 to 65 mol %, a proportion of Ni of from 17.5 to 50 mol % and a proportion of Co of from 0 to 33.3 mol % to the total of Ni, Co and Mn in the total average composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sakai, Tsubasa Takasugi, Takuya Teratani
  • Patent number: 9646745
    Abstract: A thermistor assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an elastomeric body, a thermistor housed at least partially inside the elastomeric body and a thermistor tip that protrudes outside of the elastomeric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Vedat Haydin, Deborah E. Callicoat, Francisco Fernandez, Brian Utley
  • Patent number: 9647303
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an overheat prevention energy storage system preventing self from overheating, comprising a heat dissipating external surface, wherein at least a portion of the external surface is coated with at least one layer of heat dissipation coating of high emissivity. The present invention further discloses a method for preventing overheat of the energy storage system and a method for forming at least one layer of heat dissipation coating of high emissivity onto at least part of an external surface of the energy storage system or assemblies thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignees: National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy, Shenhua Group Corporation Limited
    Inventors: Hong Jin, George H. Brilmyer, Michael T. Nispel, Dongxue Ren
  • Patent number: 9640828
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell stack assembly being thermally and mechanically compliant. The fuel cell stack comprises fuel feed pipe and fuel outlet pipe, a plurality of bundles of fuel cell tube sub-assemblies, the bundles being separated by an expansion gap to prevent thermal and mechanical stresses propagating from one bundle to an adjacent bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG Fuel Cell Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Dean
  • Patent number: 9640815
    Abstract: Provided are air humidification device and method for a fuel cell. The air humidification device and method for the fuel cell may cool an air compressor and air compressed by the air compressor and easily humidify air supplied to the fuel cell by mixing water with air and injecting the mixture into an inlet of the air compressor. In particular, the air humidification device and method may easily humidify air supplied to a cathode of the fuel cell by bypassing a portion of the compressed air from an outlet of an air compressor supplying air to the cathode of the fuel cell and simultaneously by injecting condensed water discharged from a fuel cell system into an inlet of the air compressor using the bypassed compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyuck Roul Kwon, Hyun Yoo Kim, Chang Ha Lee
  • Patent number: 9637861
    Abstract: An insulating (nonconductive) microporous polymeric battery separator comprised of a single layer of enmeshed microfibers and nanofibers is provided. Such a separator accords the ability to attune the porosity and pore size to any desired level through a single nonwoven fabric. Through a proper selection of materials as well as production processes, the resultant battery separator exhibits isotropic strengths, low shrinkage, high wettability levels, and pore sizes related directly to layer thickness. The overall production method is highly efficient and yields a combination of polymeric nanofibers within a polymeric microfiber matrix and/or onto such a substrate through high shear processing that is cost effective as well. The separator, a battery including such a separator, the method of manufacturing such a separator, and the method of utilizing such a separator within a battery device, are all encompassed within this invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Dreamweaver International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian G. Morin
  • Patent number: 9640795
    Abstract: A positive-electrode active material particle for an all-solid battery which includes a sulfide-based solid electrolyte includes an active material core and a reaction-inhibiting layer which contains carbon and with which the active material core is coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Uchiyama