Patents Examined by Richard H. Lilley, Jr.
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Patent number: 5510208Abstract: A battery cell sleeve assembly comprises first and second cylindrical sleeves contiguously joined and defining an internal recess for receiving a battery cell. The first sleeve is comprised of a plurality of substantially unidirectional longitudinally extending first elongated fibers of high conductivity, low density, material embedded in an epoxy matrix. The second sleeve is comprised of a plurality of second and third elongated fibers of high conductivity, low density, material also embedded in an epoxy matrix, the second and third fibers being substantially unidirectional extending transverse of the first fibers, the second and third fibers extending in mutually transverse directions.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1994Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.Inventors: John C. Hall, Juan F. Leon
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Patent number: 5510202Abstract: A quasi-passive regenerative fuel cell system in accordance with the invention utilizes hydrogen that is stored in a metal hydride form. Advantageously, this embodiment reduces the system's operating pressures from roughly 21 MPa (3,000 psia) to roughly 2.1 MPa (300 psia), when fully charged, and eliminates the need for gaseous oxygen storage altogether. All oxygen consumed by the fuel cell system can be extracted directly from the surrounding air. All oxygen produced by the electrolyzer is, in turn, vented back into the atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1994Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: Rockwell International CorporationInventor: Lowell R. McCoy
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Patent number: 5508123Abstract: A power supplying device including a body portion having an inner end with a vertical wall on which are mounted a pair of electrodes, the vertical wall having a bottom extending outwardly to form a battery seat, the battery seat having a bed provided with two opposite grooves one at each side thereof and a spring-loaded retainer member close to an outer edge of the battery bed, a dry battery pack including a housing and a cover, the housing being for receiving dry batteries and provided at one end with two openings for mounting a pair of electrodes, the housing having a bottom formed with two flanges one at each side thereof and a slot close to another end of the housing, and a rechargeable battery pack including a casing and a covering plate, the casing being for receiving rechargeable batteries, the covering plate having a cavity adapted to receive the retainer member, the casing having a bottom formed with two flanges one at each side thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1995Date of Patent: April 16, 1996Assignee: Wey Henn Co., Ltd.Inventor: Chih-Lung Fan
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Patent number: 5506072Abstract: A reversible high energy capacity battery and method of making that battery. A cathode is formed by packing a mixture of from about 10 to 90 weight percent finely divided sulfur and from about 90 to 10 weight percent finely divided graphite about an electrically conductive electrode, preferably in a porous enclosure. This cathode and a reactive metal anode are placed in a case of suitable configuration which is non-reactive with other components. An electrolyte is prepared by dissolving a metal solute and an ionic sulfide solute in a polar solvent, such as water. Buffering agents, conditioners and complexing agents may be added to the electrolyte to improve battery life and performance.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1995Date of Patent: April 9, 1996Assignee: Eric B. GriffenInventors: Eric B. Griffin, Jack V. Edling
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Patent number: 5506076Abstract: This invention discloses an alkali secondary battery which includes a cadmium-free positive electrode whose swelling ratio is decreased, and in which the cycle characteristic is improved and the charge efficiency in use at high temperatures is also improved. This alkali secondary battery includes a positive electrode accommodated in a case and having a structure in which a paste containing nickel hydroxide grains, a conductor, and a binder is filled in a metal porous body, a negative electrode accommodated in the case and so arranged as to oppose the positive electrode with a separator sandwiched between them, and an alkali electrolyte contained in the case. The nickel hydroxide grains contained in the positive electrode have a structure in which cobalt and at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of copper, bismuth, chromium, gallium, indium, lanthanum, scandium, and yttrium are coprecipitated with metal nickel at a ratio of 1.5 to 11.0 wt % with respect to nickel hydroxide.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1994Date of Patent: April 9, 1996Assignee: Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kunihiko Miyamoto, Takeshi Fukuju, Ken Sugimoto
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Patent number: 5503949Abstract: In a plate block for lead batteries having plates of one polarity with plate lugs which are thicker than the plate lugs of the plates of the other polarity, an equalization of the volumes and of the areas of the two lug types is achieved by providing the thicker lugs with a wedge-like taper toward their end, so that the end thickness of the tapered lugs is less than that of the thinner lugs, which are left in their original shape (i.e., an essentially rectangular cross-section). As a result, the heat applied to the two lug types is balanced during casting on of the pole bridges in similar casting molds and at the same lead temperature. The wedge-like geometry is imparted to the thicker lugs by machining them with a face milling tool.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1994Date of Patent: April 2, 1996Assignee: Varta Batterie AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jose Arus, Gerald Boke, Herbert Koss
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Patent number: 5501924Abstract: A cathode for use in an electrochemical cell having an anode and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a manganese dioxide active material and an additive which includes SnO.sub.2. The cathode of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in an electrochemical cell having a zinc anode and an alkaline electrolyte.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: March 26, 1996Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.Inventors: Wendi M. Swierbut, John C. Nardi
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Patent number: 5500309Abstract: The positive electrode of a Ni/metal hydride accumulator is formed from a mass mixture of Ni(OH).sub.2 and an oxidation-resistant graphite. The stable graphite is notable for a high degree of crystallinity and a low ash content. In conventional Ni/metal hydride accumulators, cobalt compounds play an essential part in developing a conductive matrix within their positive nickel hydroxide electrodes, leading to reductive destruction of the matrix by severe high temperature short circuit testing. In contrast, the same accumulators, with positive electrodes produced according to the present invention, survive the test with only a temporary and slight decline in capacity.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1994Date of Patent: March 19, 1996Assignee: Varta Batterie AktiengesellschaftInventors: Frank Lichtenberg, Klaus Kleinsorgen, Gunter Hofmann
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Patent number: 5498489Abstract: A lithium battery constructed of lithium ion containing folded and stacked electrochemical cells is described, having a folded continuous, flexible lithium ion containing polymer laminate electrolyte sandwiched between first and second polarity lithium containing discrete electrode plates. The first and second polarity discrete electrode plates are carried, respectively, by first and second electrical current conducting flexible polymer laminates. The assembled polymer laminates are folded and stacked, connected to current collectors and packed into a lithium battery case.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1995Date of Patent: March 12, 1996Inventors: Sankar Dasgupta, James K. Jacobs
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Patent number: 5498764Abstract: A negative electrode for lithium secondary cells comprises a substrate having a metallic lithium matrix on at least a surface portion thereof. An element is dispersed and doped in the lithium matrix and has an electronegativity greater than that of metallic lithium. The element is present in the matrix at a concentration of from less than 5.times.10.sup.19 atoms/cm.sup.3 to 5.times.10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.3. By this, dendrite crystals of lithium are suppressed from forming during the course of charge and discharge cycles. A lithium secondary cell using the negative electrode is also described.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1994Date of Patent: March 12, 1996Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun Hasegawa, Katsuhiko Suzuki
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Patent number: 5498496Abstract: A battery of this invention is equipped with a positive electrode having a following structure. A resin sheet is bonded to one side or both sides of a metal sheet, a large number of through holes are made at least on the resin sheet, and an active material is filled in the through holes.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1994Date of Patent: March 12, 1996Assignee: Yuasa CorporationInventors: Masaaki Sasaki, Tohru Horii, Masahiro Arakawa, Kazuo Murata
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Patent number: 5498486Abstract: A battery has an exposed negative terminal (2), but the positive terminal (10) is hidden within the casing of the battery and instead only a dummy terminal (3) is visible. When the vehicle is parked, power is fed from the positive terminal (10) through an isolator relay (12) to an INHIBIT circuit (C). When power is made available through the ignition switch to a terminal (6), power is fed via a socket (4) to a keypad. A predetermined code has to be set into the keypad in order to pass an operating signal to an electronic lock (13), which is effective to switch the relay (12) to connect power to an ENABLE circuit (B) and to disconnect the supply from the INHIBIT circuit (C). This causes a solenoid (9) to operate for a time determined by a timer (14) so that the positive terminal (10) is connected to the dummy terminal (3) through a plunger (9A). When the ignition key is moved to the start position power is supplied through the starter lead connected from the terminal (3) to a starter motor.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1995Date of Patent: March 12, 1996Assignee: B.I.G. Batteries LimitedInventor: Peter P. Gatehouse
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Patent number: 5496665Abstract: A hydrogen-occlusion-alloy electrode comprises a current collector on which an active material mixture is supported, wherein the active material mixture contains hydrogen-occlusion-alloy powder, a binding agent and an electrically conductive material as essential components, and the electrically conductive material consists of powder containing carbon and nickel as essential components and has a carbon content of 0.2 to 3% by weight. The hydrogen-occlusion-alloy electrode is incorporated in a battery and restrains the internal pressure of the battery from rising when the battery is overcharged.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1994Date of Patent: March 5, 1996Assignee: Furukawa Denchi Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Jun Furukawa
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Patent number: 5496664Abstract: An active material for a positive electrode for lithium secondary batteries and composed of a lithium-manganese oxide (Li.sub.x Mn.sub.2 O.sub.4) with a spinel structure is produced by mixing manganese dioxide with lithium formate (HCOOLi) and/or lithium acetate (CH.sub.3 COOLi), heating the resulting mixture for 10 to 100 hours, preferably at a temperature of from 600.degree. C. to 750.degree. C., and if necessary, grinding the heated mixture. The constituents of the mixture contain manganese and lithium in a molar ratio (Mn:Li) of 2:x, where 0.5<x<1.5. The resulting product has an extremely fine crystallinity and exhibits good cycling stability.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1994Date of Patent: March 5, 1996Assignee: Varta Batterie AktiengesellschaftInventor: Gerhard Sterr
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Patent number: 5496663Abstract: A lithium ion battery comprising a negative electrode, a non-aqueous solvent and a positive electrode having LiV.sub.2 O.sub.5 admixed with a conductive material. The conductive material is preferably carbon in an amount ranging from about 2 percent to 20 percent by weight of the positive electrode. Ten percent by weight is preferred. The LiV.sub.2 O.sub.5 is formed by discharging an admixture of V.sub.2 O.sub.5 and the conductive material in an electrochemical reactor with a lithium metal negative electrochemical and having an electrolyte salt in a non-aqueous solvent to reduce by one Faraday per mole of V.sub.2 O.sub.5 the admixture to convert all of the V.sub.2 O.sub.5. The cell is preferably discharged to about 2.8 volts to form the LiV.sub.2 O.sub.5 positive electrode which is then removed and formed into a predetermined electrode configuration for use as a positive electrode in a cell without lithium metal present.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1995Date of Patent: March 5, 1996Assignee: Tracor Applied Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Charles R. Walk, Nehemiah Margalit
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Patent number: 5494763Abstract: An improved electrochemical cell is provided using a high surface area can electrodes as the negative electrode in an alkali metal hydroxide electrolyte.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1995Date of Patent: February 27, 1996Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Wishvender K. Behl, Edward J. Plichta
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Patent number: 5492779Abstract: A valve-regulated, deep-cycling, gas-recombinant, high energy, lead-acid battery operating at superambient temperatures and internal pressures wherein the sidewalls of the battery container (i.e., intersected by the intercell partitions) are abnormally thin and reinforced against bulging by ribs which project from the container and extend in a direction transverse the intercell partitions. The ribs will preferably have a sinuous shape for optimal strength and heat transfer from the battery.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1994Date of Patent: February 20, 1996Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: Jeffrey J. Ronning
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Patent number: 5492782Abstract: A high-storage-capacity electrical storage battery (20) includes a plurality of fiber anodes (22), a plurality of fiber cathodes (28) bundled together and interspersed with the fiber anodes (22), and an electrolyte in the interstices (40) between the fiber anodes (22) and the fiber cathodes (28). The fiber anodes (22) and the fiber cathodes (28) include anode fibers (24) and cathode fibers (30) that are each preferably of a diameter of 0.010-0.050 inches. A tubular compliant lateral casing (44) laterally surrounds the fiber anodes (22), the fiber cathodes (28), and the electrolyte. A compliant end plate (46) is sealed to the lateral casing (44) at each end thereof with an end of each fiber anode (22) extending out of a first end plate at a first end of the battery (20), and an end of each fiber cathode extending out of a second end plate at a second end of the battery (20). A protective metallic housing (45) overlies the compliant lateral casing (44).Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 1994Date of Patent: February 20, 1996Assignee: Hughes Aircraft CompanyInventor: Lin R. Higley
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Patent number: 5489493Abstract: A hermetically sealed alkaline cell having an anode such as a zinc anode, an aqueous alkaline electrolyte solution and a manganese dioxide cathode in which the cathode is composed of a mixture of a minor amount of highly porous manganese dioxide and a major amount of low porosity manganese dioxide and wherein said mixture provides ion diffusion paths through the cathode.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: February 6, 1996Assignee: Eveready Battery Company, Inc.Inventor: Lewis F. Urry
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Patent number: 5487960Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode, in which a mixture of the positive electrode active material contains an acid containing at least one of P, B, Si, Mo, and W or a salt thereof. The battery has improved safety in case of abrupt temperature rise.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1995Date of Patent: January 30, 1996Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mitsutoshi Tanaka