Patents Examined by Prince Willis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5670273
    Abstract: A method of fabricating electrochemical cells and batteries wherein the successive anode and cathode layers are separated by a polymeric electrolyte layer having a protruding polymer edge around its perimeter which reduces the likelihood of inadvertent contact between the anode and cathode current collectors is provided. The polymer edge functions as a non-conducting physical barrier positioned between adjacent current collectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Valence Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Velasquez, Douglas B. Holmes, E. Lawrence Goglin
  • Patent number: 5667911
    Abstract: Continuous seamless cross-plied battery separators are formed by bringing at least two anisotropic with respect to mechanical strength (e.g. uniaxially oriented), microporous plies into adhering face contact such that the uniaxial orientation of one microporous ply is angularly biased relative to the other microporous ply (e.g., between 20.degree. to 90.degree.). This biased relationship between the microporous plies is most preferably achieved by spirally or helically slitting a tubular microporous membrane. The plies are adhered to one another with adhesive and/or by means of heat and pressure. The cross-plied battery separators of this invention exhibit increased puncture strength without significant decrease in permeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Hoechst Celanese Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Ching Yu, Carlton F. Dwiggins
  • Patent number: 5665486
    Abstract: The invention is a container for storage batteries including a box (3, 20) provided with one or more cells, each of which is suitable to receive metallic plates (10) dipped in the electrolyte and connected to each other so as to make up a positive pole and a negative pole, a cover (2, 30) closed on the box along the perimetrical edge of said box, characterized in that each cell (3, 11, 12, 13) of said container has at least an electrolyte feed pipe (7, 14, 16, 18) with one end communicating with the opening made on the cover and with the other placed near the bottom of the box, and at least a level pipe (5, 15, 17, 19) of said electrolyte with one end communicating with the opening made on the cover and with the other end coinciding with the electrolyte level inside every cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Inventor: Olimpio Stocchiero
  • Patent number: 5665685
    Abstract: A gear or transmission lubricant composition, comprising a major portion of mineral base oil, containing added thereto (A) a phosphorus-containing metal-free organic compound, such as a phosphate ester or amine salt thereof, and (B) an oil-soluble copolymer of (a) an alkyl (meth)acrylate and (b) a N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl (meth)acrylate, shows improved sludge dispersibility, and is useful as automatic transmission fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shoji Takigawa
  • Patent number: 5665488
    Abstract: A method of making a battery separator useful in flooded cell type lead acid batteries comprising providing a sheet of microporous polyolefin material having two planar surfaces, forming at least one hollow rib extending from one of the planar surfaces, and wholly or partially filling the hollow rib with a rib core material. The forming of the hollow rib and the filling of the hollow rib with rib core material may be effected in separate steps or simultaneously. Where the formation and filling of the hollow rib take place simultaneously, the process involves applying at least one bead of a rib core material to one planar surface of the sheet of microporous polyolefin material, pressing the bead of rib core material into said microporous polyolefin sheet to thereby displace the microporous polyolefin material located thereunder outwardly from the other planar surface to thereby form a rib member projecting from said other planar surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: AMTEK Research International LLC
    Inventors: James Young, Gregory T. Humphrey, Daniel K. Lee
  • Patent number: 5660946
    Abstract: Sealed lead-acid cells and batteries include an expandable cover capable of accommodating the grid growth which occurs in service, the expandable cover comprises a first region which expands outwardly toward a second region and a flange which defines the terminal opening, and the cells or batteries include a terminal cover sealing assembly comprising inner-and outer-cell sealing members which together form an annulus in which the flange is seated and retain one or both include resilient seals such as an O-ring that provide a terminal-cover seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: GNB Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Kump, Deborah Huke, Edward Mattan
  • Patent number: 5660953
    Abstract: A method of enforcing a regular manganese dioxide cathode to become gradually and substantially rechargeable is described, where the cathode capacity is increased towards the theoretical capacity of the cathode. The method involves mixing 20-51 wt % MnO.sub.2, 5-25 wt % metallic bismuth and 30-70 wt % graphite powder to form a homogenous mixture, subjecting the mixture to a pressing force to form an electrode and subjecting the electrode to successive discharge/charge cycles at a rate where the cathode capacity becomes greater than 75% of the theoretical capacity after 4-7 cycles. The method provides for a simple and inexpensive way of forming a rechargeable manganese dioxide cathode without complex chemical synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: The University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Lijun Bai, William A. Adams, Brian Conway, De Yang Qu
  • Patent number: 5659946
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multicell battery by connecting a plurality of cells in series, with the purposes of improving the charge/discharge characteristics and enhancing the productivity of the manufacturing process. A convex electrode terminal formed in the upper part of one cell is welded to one end of a lead tab, and another cell is disposed above the cell connected to the lead tab so that the center lines of the two cells are parallel. A flat electrode terminal formed in the lower part of the other cell and another end of the lead tab are welded indirectly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Harima, Masao Nakamura, Takashi Nonoshita, Isao Uehara, Saburo Nakatsuka
  • Patent number: 5658683
    Abstract: A cell comprising a casing, a roll electrode element accommodated in said casing, and an electrolyte filled into the casing, the roll electrode element being composed of at least one sheet-like positive electrode, at least one sheet-like negative electrode and at least one film separator which are arranged alternately in an overlapped relation to each other such that the sheet-like positive electrode is brought into contact with the sheet-like negative electrode through the separator film, to form an electrode laminate, wherein the electrode laminate is wound around a core having an approximately rhombic shape in section to form a roll having a multi-layered structure and, after removal of the core, the roll of the electrode laminate is compressed to obtain the roll electrode element having an ellipsoidal shape in section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kageyama, Noboru Hoshina
  • Patent number: 5658357
    Abstract: A process for forming durable, mechanically strong compacts from feed mixtures comprising solid particles in contact with a liquid (e.g., carboniferous particles in contact with water) which does not require use of a binder is disclosed. The process comprises applying a compressive stress to the feed mixture either by compacting the feed in a mold or by extruding the feed through the die of a suitable extrusion apparatus while controlling certain process parameters, including the moisture content and the zeta potential of the particulate feed. The process can be used to form large, cylindrically-shaped compacts from coal particles (i.e., "coal logs") so that the coal can be transported in a hydraulic coal log pipeline or by conventional means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Henry Liu, Yuyi Lin, Tom Marrero, Bill Burkett
  • Patent number: 5658681
    Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system including a reforming reactor for reacting a fuel with water to produce a hydrogen-rich reformed gas including carbon monoxide; a CO shift reactor for carrying out a CO shift reaction to decrease the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reformed gas; a CO removal reactor for oxidizing carbon monoxide in the reformed gas to carbon dioxide; and a fuel cell for generating electric power by reaction of the reformed gas with a gaseous oxidizing agent. Processors determine output required of the fuel cell and a proper space velocity for reformed gas entering the CO removal means, based on input values for the amount of the reformed gas fed to the CO removal means and the determined output required of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignees: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Sato, Koichi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 5658863
    Abstract: A biodegradable lubricant which is prepared from: about 60-99% by weight of at least one biodegradable synthetic ester base stock which comprises the reaction product of: a branched or linear alcohol having the general formula R(OH).sub.n, wherein R is an aliphatic or cyclo-aliphatic group having from about 2 to 20 carbon atoms and n is at least 2; and mixed acids comprising about 30 to 80 molar % of a linear acid having a carbon number in the range between about C.sub.5 to C.sub.12, and about 20 to 70 molar % of at least one branched acid having a carbon number in the range between about C.sub.5 to C.sub.10 and wherein no more than 10% of the branched acids used to form the biodegradable synthetic ester base stock contains a quaternary carbon; wherein the ester base stock has an oxygen to carbon ratio of between about 0.15:1 to 0.3:1 and exhibits the following properties: at least 60% biodegradation in 28 days as measured by the Modified Sturm test; a pour point of less than -25.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Carolyn Boggus Duncan, Leah Katherine Meade
  • Patent number: 5656389
    Abstract: In the electrochemical cell comprising a housing in which two diffusion electrodes are arranged which contain active catalyst particles and at whose rears in each case a contiguous compartment for a gas is provided, a compartment for a liquid electrolyte being provided between the diffusion electrodes, there is arranged, between the diffusion electrodes, at least one ion exchanger membrane directly in front of one of the diffusion electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Tetzlaff, Rudiger Walz, Freddy Helmer-Metzmann
  • Patent number: 5656393
    Abstract: A polymer bonded electrode composite composed of a polymer matrix having electrochemically active particulate therein and having a porous conductive sheet encapsulated within the matrix is disclosed. Further, a continuous process of forming the electrode composite by extrusion using a cross-head die is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
    Inventors: Frank Peter Boer, James Daniel Idol, Jr., Ketan Vasantlal Shah, Cung Vu
  • Patent number: 5654113
    Abstract: A rechargeable electrochemical battery having a solid organic electrolyte and a thin film cathode and anode. In particular, the battery employs a proton-conducting organic polymer which is a mixture of a strong acid and a base polymer, a thin film anode containing a hydride alloy, and a thin film cathode containing a NiO.sub.x active material. The battery is rechargeable and capable of fast discharging and recharging. Further, the battery can be hermetically sealed in a case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Comsat Corporation
    Inventors: Hariharan Vaidyanathan, Martin W. Earl
  • Patent number: 5654114
    Abstract: There is disclosed a nonaqueous secondary battery comprising, as a negative-electrode-active material, an oxide mainly comprising at least one of semimetals of the group IVB or VB of the periodic table, which is capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium, in which (1) a positive-electrode-active material is a cobalt oxide, having an average grain size (D) represented by the formula:3<D<9.0 .mu.m,and the volume of the cobalt oxide, which is occupied by grains of from 3 to 15 .mu.m, being not less than 80% of the total volume, and a nonaqueous electrolyte comprises a lithium salt; or (2) a positive electrode and a negative electrode are set up in a swirl form and the width of the negative electrode is wider by a range of from 0.2 mm to 5 mm than that of the positive electrode. The nonaqueous secondary battery of the invention exhibits high discharge potential, a large discharge capacity, satisfactory charge-and-discharge cycle characteristics, and high safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Kubota, Mitsutoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5653787
    Abstract: A distillate fuel composition for reducing silver corrosion in two-cycle internal combustion engines which comprises motor gasoline, a lubricating oil basestock and a combination of a 2,5-dihydrocarbyldithio-1,3,4-thiadiazole of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently R.sup.3 S or H where R.sup.3 is a hydrocarbyl group containing from 1 to 16 carbon atoms with the proviso that at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is not hydrogen, and an adduct of benzotriazole or tolyltriazole and an alkoxyamine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Company
    Inventor: Marc-Andre Poirier
  • Patent number: 5650239
    Abstract: A method of restoring electrochemical activity to an electrode of a battery. The battery is a bipolar, electrochemical flow battery including a predetermined number of electrochemical cells and an electrolyte. The method includes reversing the direction of the normal cycling current through the battery, and may include lowering the pH of the electrolyte in the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: ZBB Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Lex, Joseph F. Mathews, Phillip A. Eidler
  • Patent number: 5647875
    Abstract: A desired color shade is produced on a textile substrate by treating a dyed textile substrate, which has an initial color shade which is partly due to color caused by the presence thereon of a vat dye and partly due to color caused by the presence thereon of a sulfur dye, with a chlorine-free decolorizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous alkaline medium, whereby the color shade of the substrate is changed from said initial color shade to said desired color shade by removal therefrom of a proportion of the color attributable to the sulfur dye without removing as large a proportion of the color attributable to the vat dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Clariant Finance (BVI) Limited
    Inventor: Michael W. Dixon
  • Patent number: 5648324
    Abstract: A photoresist stripping composition containing:(a) 20-70% by weight of an organic polar solvent having a dipole moment of more than 3.5;(b) 70-20% by weight of alkanolamine compounds; and(c) 0.1-10% by weight of 2,2'[[methyl-1H-benzothiazol-1-yl)methyl]imino]bis-ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: OCG Microelectronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Honda, Donald F. Perry, Taishih Maw