Patents Examined by Raymond Alejandro
  • Patent number: 11955615
    Abstract: A battery-powered portable tool includes: a battery pack containing at least one all-solid-state battery cell; a tool main body, on which and/or inside which the battery pack is mountable and from which the battery pack is demountable; and a plurality of components contained in the battery pack and/or in the tool main body. The plurality of components is disposed in a first layout or physical configuration when the temperature is low and is disposed in a second layout or physical configuration when the temperature is high. The first layout or physical configuration differs from the second layout or physical configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Masaaki Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 11955594
    Abstract: The electrode comprises: a plurality of unit electrodes formed by connecting a plurality of electrodes made of an electrode mixture having a solid shape to each other; a separator interposed between the plurality of unit electrodes; and an electrode tab attached to the unit electrode, wherein the electrode tab comprises first and second electrode tabs, which are respectively attached to the unit electrodes and have different specific resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Soo Kim, Young Deok Kim, Song Yi Han
  • Patent number: 11955676
    Abstract: A unit configured as constituent part of a fuel cell for use in novel electrochemical hydrogen compressor material technology system includes a combination of a hydrocarbon auto-thermal reformer, a water-gas shift reactor, and at least two countercurrent flow heat recuperators at least one of which is downstream from both the reformer and reactor. Optionally, two of the at least two recuperators are separated by the reactor to generate H2 in addition to that already contained in reformate formed at the reformer. The unit may include a proton conducting membrane that includes an inorganic polymer with pores filled with an organic polymer, each of which is configured to operate individually within a wide range of temperatures with no added solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona
    Inventors: Peiwen Li, Xinhai Xu, Shuyang Zhang, Xiaoxin Wang
  • Patent number: 11955673
    Abstract: Systems and methods for real-time continuous monitoring of fuel cell membrane degradation are provided. At least one microsensor can be used as an inline sensor integrated at the cathode exhaust and/or the anode exhaust of a fuel cell, such as a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)). The microsensor can monitor the PEMFC degradation status by sensing the emission of fluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: THE FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    Inventors: Dongmei Dong, Shekhar Bhansali, Tinsley Benhaddouch, Christopher Metler, John Marcial, Justin Fuentes
  • Patent number: 11949065
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte including an inorganic lithium ion conductive film and a porous layer on a surface of the inorganic lithium ion conductive film, wherein the porous layer includes a first porous layer and a second porous layer, and the second porous layer is disposed between the inorganic lithium ion conductive film and the first porous layer, and wherein the first porous layer has a size greater which is than a pore size of the second porous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jusik Kim, Sewon Kim, Hyunseok Kim, Michael Edward Badding, Zhen Song, Karen E. Thomas-Alyea, Lincoln James Miara, Dongmin Im
  • Patent number: 11949077
    Abstract: Provided is a battery module. The battery module includes a first cooling tube, a second cooling tube connected to the first cooling tube and arranged on a different plane than the first cooling tube, and a branching portion connecting the first cooling tube to the second cooling tube, wherein the branching portion includes a lower connection tube connected to the first cooling tube, an upper connection tube connected to the second cooling tube, and a connection member into which one of the lower connection tube and the upper connection tube is inserted, the connection member being inserted into the other of the lower connection tube and the upper connection tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juyong Park, Heonhee Kim, Dongjin Park
  • Patent number: 11942611
    Abstract: A battery thermal management system for an air vehicle includes a liquid heat exchange circuit, an air heat exchange circuit in selective fluid communication with ram air, a liquid-air heat exchanger positioned on the liquid heat exchange circuit and the air heat exchange circuit to exchange heat therebetween. The system includes at least one battery in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange circuit. The at least one battery is configured to charge and/or discharge to heat the at least one battery above a pre-determined minimum battery temperature. A method for controlling a thermal management system for an air vehicle includes determining if at least one battery is within a thermal range of operation for heating. The method includes charging and/or discharging the at least one battery to heat the at least one battery if the at least one battery is within the thermal range of operation for heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan Rheaume
  • Patent number: 11942613
    Abstract: A battery thermal runaway detection sensor system for use within a battery enclosure housing one or more batteries. The system has at least one gas sensor for detecting a venting condition of a battery cell of hydrogen, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, and providing a sensed output in real time. A microcontroller determines power management and signal conditioned output on the concentration of specific battery venting gases based on the sensed output from said at least one gas sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: AMPHENOL THERMOMETRICS, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Allen Engle, Neil Roberts
  • Patent number: 11936008
    Abstract: A power system for a vehicle or a stationary installation and a method of operating a battery module. The power system includes an electronic operator unit, a power control unit, a system control unit, and a battery pack. The power control unit is coupled to a system component and has a predetermined power demand. The system control unit generates a power system data map and is communicatively coupled to a pack communications bus, the electronic operator unit, and the power control unit. The battery pack has a plurality of sockets. The power bus is coupled to the plurality of sockets and to the power control unit. The power bus includes a negative power bus and a positive power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: PALATOV GROUP LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Palatov
  • Patent number: 11936051
    Abstract: A catalyst structure includes: (1) a substrate; (2) a catalyst layer on the substrate; and (3) an adhesion layer disposed between the substrate and the catalyst layer. In some implementations, an average thickness of the adhesion layer is about 1 nm or less. In some implementations, a material of the catalyst layer at least partially extends into a region of the adhesion layer. In some implementations, the catalyst layer is characterized by a lattice strain imparted by the adhesion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaf
    Inventors: Friedrich B. Prinz, Shicheng Xu, Yongmin Kim, Thomas Jaramillo, Drew C. Higgins, Maha Yusuf, Zhaoxuan Wang, Kyung Min Lee, Marat Orazov, Dong Un Lee, Tanja Graf, Thomas Schladt, Gerold Huebner, Hanna-Lena Wittern, Jonathan Edward Mueller
  • Patent number: 11936030
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrode for an electrochemical cell includes providing an admixture including an electroactive material, a binder, and a solvent. The method further includes rolling the admixture to form a sheet and forming a multi-layer stack from the sheet. The method further includes forming an electrode film precursor by performing a plurality of sequential rollings, each including rolling the stack through a first gap. The plurality of sequential rollings includes first and second rollings. In the first rolling, the stack is in a first orientation. In the second rolling, the stack is in a second orientation different from the first orientation. The method further includes forming an electrode film by rolling the electrode film precursor through a second gap less than or equal to the first gap. The method further includes drying the electrode film to remove at least a portion of the solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dewen Kong, Xiaochao Que, Meiyuan Wu, Haijing Liu, Xiaosong Huang, Mark W. Verbrugge
  • Patent number: 11936053
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to electrical feedthroughs for thin battery cells. A battery cell enclosure includes a terraced portion having a reduced thickness relative to another portion of the enclosure. The enclosure includes an opening disposed on a horizontal surface of the terraced portion for receiving the electrical feedthrough. Because the feedthrough is disposed on the horizontal surface of the terraced portion, the feedthrough may be over-sized thereby reducing the resistance and impedance of the feedthrough without increasing the height or thickness of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian K. Shiu, Christopher R. Pasma, Andrew Meyers, Haran Balaram
  • Patent number: 11936038
    Abstract: An anode active material for lithium ion batteries includes one or more unaggregated silicon particles having a mass-based chlorine content of from 5 to 200 ppm and a volume-weighted particle size distribution having diameter percentiles d50 of from 0.5 ?m to 10.0 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Pfeiffer, Eckhard Hanelt, Harald Hertlein, Karl Hesse, Robert Maurer
  • Patent number: 11929476
    Abstract: Disclosed are battery cooling apparatus for electric vehicle, method of manufacturing, and an insulator structure for the apparatus including an insulator having a side wall of the insulator define an upper open part, a tube inserted into the upper open part of the insulator, and a gap filler disposed in a space between an upper surface of the tube and the battery cell, wherein the side wall comprises an inner inclined surface inclined inward and a tube accommodation part formed in an inner surface of the side wall to accommodate an outer part of the tube, and a gap filler application space is formed between the battery cell and the tube, when the tube is inserted between the tube accommodation part of the insulator and an inner bottom surface of the insulator, and a top of the side wall being located higher than the upper surface of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hwa Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 11929534
    Abstract: A method for a redox flow battery may include, interrupting cycling of the redox flow battery, including charging the redox flow battery to a threshold charge condition, draining positive and negative electrolyte from the redox flow battery, circulating a wash solution through the redox flow battery, and returning the positive and negative electrolyte to the redox flow battery, and resuming cycling of the redox flow battery. In this way, contamination of the redox flow battery system can be reduced, thereby prolonging the life and increasing performance of the redox flow battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Brady Thompson
  • Patent number: 11923584
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a membrane for a redox flow battery which is prevented from being curled and exhibits high power efficiency, a membrane electrode assembly for a redox flow battery, a cell for a redox flow battery, and a redox flow battery. The object can be attained by a membrane for a redox flow battery, comprising a first ion-exchange resin layer, an anion-exchange resin layer containing an anion-exchange compound, and a second ion-exchange resin layer in the presented order, wherein a value obtained by dividing a thickness of the first ion-exchange resin layer by a thickness of the second ion-exchange resin layer is 0.7 or more and 1.3 or less, and a thickness of the anion-exchange resin layer is 0.02 ?m or larger and 3 ?m or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroko Kamochi, Yuka Kanada, Kazuya Kai, Junya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11923516
    Abstract: Provided herein are apparatuses and methods of useful for managing pressure in electrochemical devices. The methods and systems use inputs and combinations of inputs to predictively pressurize or depressurize a battery. The methods minimize energy losses from excessive battery pressure when the battery is not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: QuantumScape Battery, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Hettrich
  • Patent number: 11909076
    Abstract: A method of making a fuel cell stack includes applying an electrically conductive, compliant contact print ink containing an electrically conductive material, a plasticizer, a solvent, and a binder to at least one of a surface of an electrode of a fuel cell or a surface of an interconnect, and placing the fuel cell and the interconnect in the fuel cell stack such that the compliant contact print ink is located between the electrode of the fuel cell and the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andres Leming
  • Patent number: 11901532
    Abstract: Provided is a battery module and battery rack having enhanced fire safety features. The battery module includes a swelling/pressure sensor that detects swelling of a battery cell. An output signal of the sensor is used to halt operation of a battery rack/battery system containing the battery module and prevent charging and discharging of the battery module. In an embodiment, the battery module uses an AC-to-AC power supply to provide AC frequency power for balancing battery cells of the battery module. In an embodiment, the battery rack includes an internal water fire suppression system that provides battery cooling in the event of a battery cell fire to prevent the spread and/or reigniting of the fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VLTRU SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Virgil L. Beaston, Michael W. Allen, David Middleton, Howard Scott Ryan
  • Patent number: 11901567
    Abstract: This anode catalyst layer for a fuel cell contains electrode catalyst particles, a carbon carrier on which the electrode catalyst particles are loaded, water electrolysis catalyst particles, a proton-conducting binder, and graphitized carbon. At least part of the carbon carrier has a crystallite size La of 3.0 nm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: CATALER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Hori, Yosuke Horiuchi