Patents Examined by Robert S Carrico
  • Patent number: 10147954
    Abstract: A positive electrode (10) for an air cell of the present invention includes: a catalyst layer (11) composed of a porous layer containing electrical conductive carbon (1), a binder (2), and a catalyst component (3); and a fluid-tight gas-permeable layer (12) composed of a porous layer containing an electrical conductive carbon (1a) and a binder (2). The fluid-tight gas-permeable layer is stacked on the catalyst layer. This configuration can facilitate series connection of the air cells while preventing electrolysis solution from leaking out of a positive electrode. It is therefore possible to enhance the manufacturing efficiency and handleability of the air cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Tsukada, Kazufumi Kodama, Shigemasa Kuwata, Atsushi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 10128469
    Abstract: In a prismatic sealed secondary battery provided with an outer can made of a metal, the ability of inserting the electrode assembly into the outer can is improved to restrain the displacement and damages of the insulation member when inserting the electrode assembly into the outer can. The prismatic sealed secondary battery of the present invention includes an insulation member having a bottomed box shape which is a shape obtained by eliminating the upper surface from the surfaces of a hexahedron having a cuboid form, wherein each width of at least a pair of side surfaces facing each other in the insulation member is smaller than the width of the electrode assembly facing the pair of side surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Hattori, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, Toshiyuki Nohma
  • Patent number: 10115994
    Abstract: Solid-state battery structures and methods of manufacturing solid-state batteries are disclosed. More particularly, embodiments relate to solid-state batteries having one or more subdivided electrode layers. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd Jurgen Neudecker, Shawn William Snyder, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Tor Collins Anderson
  • Patent number: 10102979
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing an electrode utilizing electron beam (EB) or actinic radiation to cure the electrode binder is provided. A process is also disclosed for mixing specific actinic or EB radiation curable polymer precursors with electrode solid particles to form an aqueous mixture, application of the mixture to an electrode current collector, followed by the application of actinic or EB radiation to the current collector for curing the polymer, thereby binding the electrode binder to the current collector. Lithium ion batteries, electric double layer capacitors, and components produced therefrom are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Miltec Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Voelker, John Arnold, Joseph Fasolo
  • Patent number: 10103388
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a fine catalyst particle comprising a palladium-containing particle and a platinum outermost layer covering the palladium-containing particle, wherein a first composite body containing palladium and platinum is formed by mixing the palladium-containing particle with a first solution in which a platinum compound is dissolved, and then covering at least part of a surface of the palladium-containing particle with platinum; wherein a second composite body containing palladium, platinum and copper is formed by mixing the first composite body with a second solution in which a copper compound is dissolved, and then covering at least part of a surface of the first composite body with copper using copper underpotential deposition; and wherein the copper in the second composite body is substituted with platinum derived from a third solution in which a platinum compound is dissolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichi Kaneko, Tsugio Fujisawa, Noriyuki Kitao, Makoto Adachi
  • Patent number: 10079380
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a jelly roll for a secondary battery configured by winding a cathode sheet, a separator, and an anode sheet, wherein electrode tabs are connected to uncoated portions of the electrode sheets, to which electrode active materials are not applied, by welding, and each of the electrode tabs is configured to have an embossed structure protruding toward the uncoated portion to improve weldability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jiyoung Oh, Ki Gon Kim, Dae Hyun Cho, Junbo Seo
  • Patent number: 10062907
    Abstract: Tensile strength in a width direction and a longitudinal direction is improved without damaging a ventilation characteristic. A perforated film is a perforated film provided with holes, each of the holes is arranged at an intersection of a plurality of virtual lines extending along a direction and a plurality of virtual lines extending along a direction, and the direction is different from the width direction and the longitudinal direction. The direction and the direction may be both inclined at an angle larger than 30° and smaller than 60° to the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI PAX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Tomono, Jun Muraoka, Isamu Sakayori
  • Patent number: 10056651
    Abstract: The present invention provides a molten sodium secondary cell. In some cases, the secondary cell includes a sodium metal negative electrode, a positive electrode compartment that includes a positive electrode disposed in a molten positive electrolyte comprising Na—FSA (sodium-bis(fluorosulonyl)amide), and a sodium ion conductive electrolyte membrane that separates the negative electrode from the positive electrolyte. One disclosed example of electrolyte membrane material includes, without limitation, a NaSICON-type membrane. The positive electrode includes a sodium intercalation electrode. Non-limiting examples of the sodium intercalation electrode include NaxMnO2, NaxCrO2, NaxNiO, and NaxFey(PO4)z. The cell is functional at an operating temperature between about 100° C. and about 150° C., and preferably between about 110° C. and about 130° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FIELD UPGRADING USA, INC.
    Inventors: Sai Bhavaraju, Mathew Robins
  • Patent number: 10050296
    Abstract: A biofuel cell comprising an anode and cathode wherein biocatalytic enzymes are purposefully oriented at each side of the fuel cell so as to increase and/or optimize the enzymes' performance in catalysis and/or electron transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: STC.UNM
    Inventors: Sofiya Malinova Babanova, Plamen B Atanassov
  • Patent number: 10026977
    Abstract: A humidification device for humidifying process gases, in particular for fuel cells, having a stack of repeating components, including a steam-permeable membrane, a first layer arrangement arranged on a first side of the membrane having a first flow layer for conducting a process gas to be humidified, a multiplicity of flow channels running parallel to the membrane, a second layer arrangement arranged on a second side of the membrane having a second flow layer for conducting a humidified gas including a multiplicity of flow channels running parallel to the membrane, and two protective films which adjoin the second flow layer on both sides and have a multiplicity of through-openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Mathias Purmann, Nils Brandau
  • Patent number: 10020514
    Abstract: An electrochemical stack comprising carrier ions, an anode comprising an anode active material layer, a cathode comprising a cathode active material layer, a separator between the anode and the cathode comprising a porous dielectric material and a non-aqueous electrolyte, and an ionically permeable conductor layer located between the separator and an electrode active material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: ENOVIX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Murali Ramasubramanian, Robert M. Spotnitz, Nirav S. Shah, Ashok Lahiri, Christopher G. Castledine, James D. Wilcox, Michael J. Armstrong, Robert A. Cole, Brian E. Brusca, Harrold J. Rust, III, Ken S. Matsubayashi, Laurie J. Lauchlan, Gunther A. Koblmiller
  • Patent number: 10020543
    Abstract: The present invention provides a molten sodium secondary cell. In some cases, the secondary cell includes a sodium metal negative electrode, a positive electrode compartment that includes a positive electrode disposed in a molten positive electrolyte comprising Na-FSA (sodium-bis(fluorosulonyl)amide), and a sodium ion conductive electrolyte membrane that separates the negative electrode from the positive electrolyte. One disclosed example of electrolyte membrane material includes, without limitation, a NaSICON-type membrane. Non-limiting examples of the positive electrode include Ni, Zn, Cu, or Fe. The cell is functional at an operating temperature between about 100° C. and about 150° C., and preferably between about 110° C. and about 130° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: FIELD UPGRADING USA, INC.
    Inventors: Sai Bhavaraju, Mathew Robins
  • Patent number: 10014503
    Abstract: Provided is a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator including a porous film containing, as a main component, polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 500,000, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator having an MD orientation ratio of 58% to 80%, a degree of MD orientation of 70% to 80%, and a degree of TD orientation of 65% to 85%, the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator having a film thickness of not more than 14 ?m, and the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator being excellent in shutdown temperature and puncture strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Takata, Masateru Sembara, Hiroshi Hamamatsu
  • Patent number: 10003093
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell operated under non-humidified conditions that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, a fuel gas channel facing the anode to supply it with fuel gas, an oxidant gas channel facing the cathode to supply it with oxidant gas, and a flow direction of the fuel gas and the oxidant gas are opposite. The fuel cell system may control a water vapor amount at an outlet of the fuel gas channel based on a value that is set based on a relationship between a voltage of the fuel cell and the water vapor amount. The fuel cell system may control an average flow rate of the fuel gas in the fuel gas channel based on a value that is set based on a relationship between a voltage of the fuel cell and the average flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryoichi Nanba, Yasushi Araki
  • Patent number: 9997763
    Abstract: A high current fuse with a short time constant is provided for use in an electric vehicle. The fuse is designed to exhibit thermal characteristics that are similar if not substantially identical to those of the wire bond interconnects used in the vehicle's battery pack. As a result, the system does not go into an overheat protection condition when the system is subjected to repetitive high current cycles, such as those common during aggressive and/or spirited driving. The fuse includes an arc suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Richard J. Biskup, Jean-Philippe Gauthier
  • Patent number: 9960405
    Abstract: A secondary battery module includes a plurality of secondary battery units each including at least one secondary battery, each secondary battery including an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, and first and second electrode terminals electrically connected to the electrode assembly, wherein for at least the first secondary battery unit of the plurality of secondary battery units, each of the corresponding at least one secondary batteries further includes a short-circuit member electrically connected to the corresponding first electrode terminal and protruding to the outside of the case upon the internal pressure of the case reaching a high-pressure condition; at least one fuse connecting at least two of the plurality of secondary battery units to one another in series; and a short circuit connection member having a first side facing each of the short-circuit members of the at least one secondary battery of the first of the plurality of secondary battery units and a second side el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minyeol Han, Chiyoung Lee, Seokyoon Yoo, Hyungyu Park
  • Patent number: 9941516
    Abstract: This invention provides a rechargeable cell comprising an electrode including: a plurality of porous clusters of silver particles, wherein each cluster includes: (a) a plurality of silver particles, and (b) crystalline particles of zirconium oxide (ZrO2), wherein at least a portion of the crystalline particles of ZrO2 is located in pores formed by a surface of the plurality of silver particles. Electrodes of the present invention catalyze the reduction of oxygen in alkaline solution. When the cell is charged, the silver in the electrodes can be oxidized to Ag2O and further to AgO. Upon discharge, the reduction of the oxidized silver results in additional available energy. This invention provides electrodes for use in rechargeable cells or batteries and methods of making thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ernst Khasin, Arie Zaban
  • Patent number: 9923190
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a positive electrode active material precursor and a positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery having a concentration-gradient layer using a batch reactor, and to a positive electrode active material precursor and a positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery prepared by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-Ryeol Yu, Moon-Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 9905860
    Abstract: A water activated lithium battery cell having a thermal agent component for warming up cell components upon deployment. Also a water-activated battery system that is adapted to operate in and/or on the surface of a waterbody (i.e., a body of water including those which are natural or man made). In various embodiments the battery system comprises an operably breachable hermetic enclosure and at least one lithium battery cell having an open-cathode architecture, the lithium cell disposed inside the hermetic enclosure and therein maintained in an open ionic circuit condition (i.e., an inactive state) throughout battery system storage. Moreover, optionally, a thermal agent may be disposed inside the hermetic enclosure for warming up one or more battery cell components, the agent typically water activated, which is to mean that it (the thermal agent) evolves heat by reacting with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: POLYPLUS BATTERY COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven J. Visco, Lutgard C. De Jonghe, Vitaliy Nimon, Alexei Petrov, Ian Wogan, Yevgeniy S. Nimon, Bruce D. Katz
  • Patent number: 9893514
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal formed at one face having a sealed surplus portion and a protection circuit module (PCM) electrically connected to the battery cell via the anode terminal and the cathode terminal, wherein the PCM includes a board having a protection circuit formed thereon, the board being provided with an anode terminal connection part and a cathode terminal connection part connected to the anode terminal and the cathode terminal, respectively, a PCM case configured to receive the board through an open face thereof so that the PCM case surrounds the board, and an electrically insulative lid to close the open face of the PCM case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong Woon Choi, Hyung Gu Yun, Migeum Choi