Patents Examined by Sean P Cullen
  • Secondary battery including electrolyte having an unsaturated cyclic ester carbonate
    Patent number: 10833362
    Abstract: A secondary battery is provided. The secondary battery includes a cathode; an anode; and an electrolytic solution, wherein the anode comprises an anode active material layer, wherein the anode active material layer comprises a carbon material, wherein the anode active material layer has a thickness from about 40 micrometers to about 100 micrometers, and wherein the electrolytic solution comprises an unsaturated cyclic ester carbonate represented by Formula (2): where R5 and R6 are selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen group, an alkyl group, an alkyne group, and an aryl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Ihara, Tadahiko Kubota
  • Heating element and circuit managing equivalent series resistance of energy storage cell
    Patent number: 10826133
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of keeping an energy storage cell at or above a target temperature, includes receiving at a processing circuit, an analog voltage that is proportional to a temperature of the energy storage cell, converting, at the processing circuit, the analog voltage to a pulse-width-modulated signal having a duty cycle that is proportional to the analog voltage, and driving a switch, with the pulse-width-modulated signal, between conductive and non-conductive states to modulate a voltage passing across (or a current flowing through) a heating element in series with the switch, the heating element being in thermal communication with the energy storage cell, wherein the duty cycle of the pulse-width-modulated signal is adjusted to maintain the temperature of the energy storage cell at or above the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Sanmina Corporation
    Inventors: James Kenneth White, Paul Sweere, Alec Shen
  • Battery enclosure allowing selective airflow to and from the battery enclosure
    Patent number: 10826139
    Abstract: A battery enclosure shaped and sized to accept and surround a battery includes an outer case defining an aperture and having a base forming a bottom of the battery enclosure, the case having a first wall connected to a second wall, the second wall connected to a third wall, and a fourth wall portion connected to the first and third walls, each of the first, second, third, and fourth walls extending orthogonally from the base. The battery enclosure including a separable outer lid shaped to fit around the aperture of the case. The outer case and the outer lid having a material having thermal conductivity of less than about 0.3 W/mK, the battery enclosure has an air inlet selectively providing airflow to the battery enclosure and an air outlet selectively providing airflow from the battery enclosure, the outer case has a first thickness, the outer lid portion has a second thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dave G. Rich, Saad Hasan, Jeffrey Wyka, Jianfeng Wang, Dewen Kong, Haijing Liu
  • Pouch-type secondary battery including pouch case with concave groove having bottom surface with area larger than opening area of concave groove and pouch film forming apparatus
    Patent number: 10818884
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pouch-type secondary battery, which includes an electrode assembly having a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate disposed to face each other and a pouch case having a concave groove formed to accommodate the electrode assembly, wherein the pouch case includes a first pouch film and a second pouch film thermally fused to the first pouch film, and wherein a concave groove is formed in at least one of the first pouch film and the second pouch film, and the concave groove has a bottom surface on which the electrode assembly is placed so that the bottom surface has an area equal to or greater than an area of a reference surface that covers an opening of the concave groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Pil Lee, Eun-Bee Kim, Ji-Young Kim, Eun-Kyung Mok, Hye-Ri Jung
  • Fuel cell unit and fuel cell vehicle
    Patent number: 10818955
    Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell module including a fuel cell stack including: a stacked body in which unit cells are stacked; a pair of end plates sandwiching the stacked body in a stacking direction; a facing member facing an outer surface of the stacked body extending along the stacking direction; and first and second restriction members arranged between the facing member and the stacked body, and restricting a position of the stacked body in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction by contacting with the outer surface; and fixing members fixing the fuel cell module to a fixed member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Uchiyama, Masayuki Ito
  • Non-aqueous electrolyte electricity-storage element including positive electrode having carbonaceous material with fluorine on surface
    Patent number: 10811674
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte electricity-storage element which includes a positive electrode including a positive-electrode active material capable of inserting and releasing anions, a negative electrode including a negative-electrode active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive-electrode active material is formed of a carbonaceous material, and a surface of the carbonaceous material includes fluorine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Abe, Yoshio Itoh, Tatsuya Dan, Yuka Araki, Shuhei Takeshita
  • Battery pack including plural electrochemical cells encapsulated by encapsulant and method of manufacture
    Patent number: 10797285
    Abstract: Embodiments of encapsulated battery packs, control circuitry, and their methods of manufacture are described. In one such embodiment, a battery pack includes a plurality of electrochemical pouch cells and an elastomeric encapsulant that forms at least one external surface of the battery pack. In another embodiment, a battery pack includes a plurality of electrochemical pouch cells with a portion of an encapsulant disposed between the electrochemical pouch cells and the outer housing. In yet another embodiment, a method of controlling an operation of a system includes using a current threshold of one or more electrochemical cells determined at least in part on at least one of a temperature and a state of charge of the one or more electrochemical cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Battery Systems North America LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence O. Hilligoss, Paul A. Daniel, Adrian G. Lamy
  • Fuel cell system and determination method including injector failure determination based on circulation hydrogen pump power consumption
    Patent number: 10797331
    Abstract: A fuel cell system determines whether or not the injector is failed using a determination result, the determination result showing whether or not a fluctuation range determined for power consumed by a hydrogen pump is a predetermined value or less, the fluctuation range being generated by opening and closing of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaori Oya, Masahiro Okuyoshi, Tetsuya Bono
  • Terminal arrangement for an energy storage device
    Patent number: 10790495
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a two-dimensional or three-dimensional array of battery cells, each cell having a polygonal (i.e, rectangular) shape and a “three side-and-one side” terminal configuration. In some embodiments, the terminal configuration allows the cells to be electrically connected in any configuration, series, parallel, or series parallel simply by changing the orientation of the cell relative to adjacent cells and applying pressure to maintain contact. For a rectangular cell shape, this is achieved by providing three like charged terminals (such as positive) on three respective sides of the cell and one oppositely charged terminal (such as negative) on a fourth side of the cell while maintaining a neutral charge on both of the end surfaces of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Mehul Botadra, Robert Schoenherr
  • Nitrogen-functionalized platinum-iridium electrocatalyst
    Patent number: 10784518
    Abstract: The invention provides a nitrogen-functionalized platinum-transition metal catalyst having the formula Pt-M-NX/C (where M is a transition element such as Fe, Co, Ni, Nb, Ta, Ir, Rh, or Ru) for use at the hydrogen electrode of a hydrogen/bromine redox flow battery. The new catalyst possesses excellent activity and durability in the HBr/Br2 environment, showing superior resistance to halide poisoning than conventional Pt/C or Pt-M/C catalysts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Northeastern University
    Inventors: Sanjeev Mukerjee, Michael Bates, Shraboni Ghoshal, Huong Thi Thanh Doan
  • Power generation cell with reduced pressure loss between reactant gas passage and reactant gas flow field
    Patent number: 10784524
    Abstract: A first metal separator of a power generation cell includes boss pairs. Each of the boss pairs includes two first bosses provided adjacent to a hole and adjacent to each other between a passage bead and an oxygen-containing gas flow field. A gap facing the hole is formed between the two first bosses. The second metal separator includes one second boss facing the boss pair through a resin film. The second boss extends over the two first bosses as viewed in a separator thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Tomana, Kentaro Ishida
  • Composite body having lithium composite metal oxide with cobalt on surface, lithium battery, and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 10784531
    Abstract: A composite body includes a positive electrode active material composed of a lithium composite metal oxide containing Li and at least one type of transition metal, and an electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode active material is present on one surface of the composite body, the one type of transition metal is Co, and the molar ratio of Co (cobalt) in the positive electrode active material (lithium cobalt oxide) present on the one surface is equal to or more than the molar ratio of O (oxygen).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Okuyama
  • Separator including resin member formed inside porous substrate, and secondary battery equipped therewith
    Patent number: 10777795
    Abstract: The separator for secondary battery, comprising: a porous substrate having a melting temperature or a decomposition temperature of 200° C. or more; and a resin member formed at least inside of the substrate in a plane section that occupies at least a part of a plane along with a thickness direction of the substrate; wherein said resin member is coated on inner surfaces of pores without completely blocking connecting paths that connects pores of the porous member, and wherein a distribution density of the resin member becomes lower toward inside of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Shimura, Noboru Yoshida, Kazuhiko Inoue
  • Jig set including handle for mounting energy storage system
    Patent number: 10770702
    Abstract: A jig set for mounting an ESS pack, which is used to mount an ESS pack to a wall or a structure corresponding to the wall, includes: a mounting unit having a partially protruding portion capable of being coupled to one surface of an ESS pack case; and a handle unit including a handlebar to be grasped by an operator, and a locking bar, which is integrally connected to the handlebar and is attachable to and detachable from the protruding portion of the mounting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ki-Youn Kim, In-Jae Gang, Jin-Kyu Shin, Bum-Hyun Lee, Sang-Hyun Jo
  • Cable-type secondary battery including spaced spring inner electrode support wound on outside of winding core
    Patent number: 10770732
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cable-type secondary battery, including: a winding core; an inner electrode support wound on the outside of the winding core in the form of a spaced spring so that the winding core may be exposed partially; a sheet-type first inner electrode formed on the outside of the exposed winding core by spiral winding; a sheet-type first separation layer formed on the outside of the first inner electrode by spiral winding; a sheet-type second inner electrode formed on the outside of the first separation layer by spiral winding; a second separation layer formed on the outside of the second inner electrode by spiral winding; and an outer electrode formed on the outside of the second separation layer by spiral winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Sung Uhm, Je-Young Kim, Jong-Hwa Choi, Suk-In Noh, Young-Ji Yuk
  • Cable-type secondary battery including winding core having guide portions
    Patent number: 10770758
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cable-type secondary battery, including: a winding core having guide portions formed by intaglio or relief in a spiral shape on the surface thereof; a sheet-type first inner electrode formed on the outside of the winding core surface between the guide portions by spiral winding; a sheet-type first separation layer formed on the outside of the first inner electrode by spiral winding; a sheet-type second inner electrode formed on the outside of the first separation layer by spiral winding; a second separation layer formed on the outside of the second inner electrode by spiral winding; and an outer electrode formed on the outside of the second separation layer by spiral winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Sung Uhm, Je-Young Kim, Jong-Hwa Choi, Suk-In Noh, Dong-Chan Lee
  • Lithium metal secondary battery containing anode-protecting polymer layer and manufacturing method
    Patent number: 10770721
    Abstract: Provided is lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly disposed between the cathode and the anode, wherein the anode comprises: (a) a foil or coating of lithium or lithium alloy as an anode active material; and (b) a thin layer of a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain no less than 5%, a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?6 S/cm at room temperature, and a thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, wherein the high-elasticity polymer contains an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer having a molecular weight from 0.5×106 to 9×106 g/mole and is disposed between the lithium or lithium alloy and the electrolyte or separator-electrolyte assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang
  • Lithium titanate powder including phosphorous, active material, electrode sheet, and energy storage device using the same
    Patent number: 10759673
    Abstract: Provided is a lithium titanate powder for an electrode of an energy storage device, wherein the lithium titanate powder includes Li4Ti5O12 as a main component and has a specific surface area of 5 to 50 m2/g, a total-fine pore volume of the lithium titanate powder is 0.03 to 0.5 ml/g and the lithium titanate powder includes a phosphorus atom in an amount of 0.03 to 1% by mass, an active material containing the lithium titanate powder, an electrode sheet containing the active material, and an energy storage device using the electrode sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: UBE INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Miyoshi, Hirofumi Takemoto, Hiroshi Fujino
  • Battery pack including insertion guide groove with L-shaped opening
    Patent number: 10756317
    Abstract: In the present invention, there is provided a battery pack including first to fifth terminal portions sequentially arrayed at one side surface of a housing, wherein the first terminal portion formed on one end side of the one side surface is a positive electrode terminal, the fifth terminal portion formed on the other end side is a negative electrode terminal, the fourth terminal portion formed adjacently to the fifth terminal portion is an ID terminal, and the fourth terminal portion and the fifth terminal portion are proximate to each other; and a guide portion for guiding the loading and unloading of the battery pack into and from a battery mounting portion is formed substantially in the center of the one side surface in array with the terminal portions, and the third terminal portion arranged centrally is formed at a position deviated toward the one end side or the other end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Enari, Katsuhiro Suzuki, Hidenori Minami
  • Generation of wrinkle-free silicon monoxide electrodes using separate preformation and formation
    Patent number: 10749211
    Abstract: A solid electrolyte interface is grown on a silicon monoxide electrode in a battery cell, including by charging the battery cell up to a first voltage while the battery cell is uncompressed in order to partially grow the solid electrolyte interface. After partially growing the partial solid electrolyte interface, the battery cell is rested. After resting the battery cell, the battery cell is charged to a second, higher voltage while the battery cell is compressed in order to further grow the partially grown solid electrolyte interface. After the solid electrolyte interface is grown on the silicon monoxide electrode, the battery cell is charged for one or more cycles while the battery cell is compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: WISK AERO LLC
    Inventors: Chen Li, Patrick K. Herring