Patents Examined by Stephen J Yanchuk
  • Patent number: 10451684
    Abstract: Provided is a battery pack comprising a plurality of batteries; and a plurality of memories that correspond respectively to the batteries and that each record deterioration information of the corresponding battery. Each set of a battery and a corresponding memory may be formed integrally as a battery cell. As a result, the deterioration information of each battery cell can be known even after the battery pack is disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: ITOCHU Corporation, The Japan Research Institute, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki Murase, Kazuhiro Muto
  • Patent number: 10454106
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are double-layer cathode active materials comprising a nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material and a transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte. Since the nickel-based cathode active material as an inner layer material has high-capacity characteristics and the transition metal mixture-based cathode active material as an outer layer material facing an electrolyte has superior thermal safety, the double-layer cathode active materials have high capacity, high charge density, improved cycle characteristics and superior thermal safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: IUCF-HYU (INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY)
    Inventors: Yang Kook Sun, Myung Hoon Kim, Shin Ho Suk
  • Patent number: 10446866
    Abstract: A proton conductor is a proton conductor represented by a composition formula of BaZr1?x?yYxInyO3, and x and y in the composition formula satisfy 0<y?0.013 and 0<x+y<0.5. A small amount of In is added to the composition in a predetermined range, whereby a resistance of the crystal grain boundary of the proton conductor can be decreased so as to compensate for or even exceed the increase in resistance in the crystal gains of the proton conductor caused by the addition of In, and as a result, the entire resistance can be decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Kamata, Tomohiro Kuroha, Yukimune Kani, Hiroshige Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10439183
    Abstract: A battery housing for a traction motor battery of a vehicle is disclosed that includes a plurality of elongated impact absorbing members attached to the walls of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members may be integrally formed with the walls of the enclosure. The impact absorbing members include an arcuate wall that is designed to be deformed in the event of an impact to absorb impact forces and protect the battery. The impact absorbing members may be oriented to extend either in a horizontal orientation or vertical orientation. The impact absorbing members may be retained by T-shaped guide on the outer surface of the walls of the enclosure or may be integrally formed in one piece on the outer surface of each of the walls of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, Saeed David Barbat, William L. Stanko, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche
  • Patent number: 10439175
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack includes a plurality of cell modules connected to each other via bus bars, each cell module including a plurality unit cells with electrode terminals connected to the bus bars, a plurality of spacers between the cell modules, first and second plates coupled to opposite sides of the spacers, the first and second plates being configured to support the cell modules therebetween, and flow paths between the unit cells in a length direction of the unit cells, the flow paths being between side surfaces of the spacers and side surfaces of the unit cells, and being further partially set by sides of the bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-Kurn Park, Dong-Rak Kim, Jong-Rock Choi, In-Seob Song
  • Patent number: 10424795
    Abstract: A porous gas diffusion substrate that includes: (a) a porous non-woven web comprising carbon fibers; and (b) a carbonaceous residue; wherein the carbonaceous residue is embedded within the porous non-woven web; (c) a fluorinated polymer; and (d) inert particles wherein at least some of the carbon fibers of the porous non-woven web have a coating comprising the fluorinated polymer and inert particles is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Technical Fibre Products Limited
    Inventors: James Matthew Cash, Michael Jeschke, Victoria Jane Wright, Jonathan David Brereton Sharman
  • Patent number: 10418618
    Abstract: The present application relates to a top cover structure for a power battery and a power battery, the top cover structure includes a first electrode assembly, a second electrode assembly, a first resistor, a second resistor, a top cover plate, a first short circuit component and a second short circuit component, the first electrode assembly is electrically connected with the top cover plate through the first resistor for all time, the first short circuit component and the second short circuit component are both attached onto the top cover plate, when an internal pressure of the power battery exceeds a reference pressure, the first short circuit component and the second short circuit component deform by effect of pressure, so as to form a first electrical connecting path and a second electrical connecting path, the second resistor is connected into the first electrical connecting path in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhiyu Wang, Peng Wang, Rulai Cai, Baisong Chen
  • Patent number: 10403941
    Abstract: A temperature controller, for a battery, includes: a temperature control part configured to control a temperature of the battery by a phase change of a heat medium between a liquid phase and a gas phase; a gas phase flow passage through which a gas phase heat medium that flows out of the temperature control part flows; a heat medium cooling part configured to condense the gas phase heat medium that flows in from the gas phase flow passage; and a liquid phase flow passage through which the liquid phase heat medium flows from the heat medium cooling part to the temperature control part, the temperature control part and the heat medium cooling part being arranged such that a liquid surface of the liquid phase heat medium in the heat medium cooling part is positioned on an upper side than a liquid surface of the liquid phase heat medium in the temperature control part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiko Arai, Yoshiaki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10374224
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-aqueous electrolyte solution secondary battery includes: (A) preparing a first composite material by mixing a first positive electrode active material, a first conductive material and a first binder; (B) preparing a second composite material by mixing a second positive electrode active material, a second conductive material and a second binder; and (C) manufacturing a positive electrode by forming a positive electrode composite layer including the first composite material and the second composite material. The first positive electrode active material has an average discharge potential lower than that of the second positive electrode active material. The first conductive material has a first OAN. The second conductive material has a second OAN. A ratio of the second OAN to the first OAN is 1.3 or more and 2.1 or less. A sum of the first OAN and the second OAN is 31.64 ml/100 g or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Torita, Tatsuya Hashimoto, Keiichi Takahashi, Akihiro Taniguchi, Shuji Tsutsumi, Yusuke Fukumoto, Yuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10371753
    Abstract: In some variations, a method of real-time monitoring of battery capacity comprises correlating electrode open-circuit voltage with electrode state of charge for a selected electrode; compiling a look-up table to correlate the electrode open-circuit voltage with the electrode capacity at different values of the active-material capacity; during real-time operation, identifying first and second times at which battery terminal voltages are approximated as battery open-circuit voltages; and calculating battery capacity based on the difference in battery open-circuit voltages at the first and second times, current integration, and the look-up table. No reference electrode is needed, and a complete battery charge/discharge is not necessary to determine the capacity. This technique can therefore be implemented on-board and in real time to provide reliable capacity estimation even as the battery ages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Shuoqin Wang, John Wang, Souren Soukiazian, Jason A. Graetz
  • Patent number: 10367218
    Abstract: Provided is an electrode catalyst layer excellent in gas transportability by using an electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell comprising a catalyst containing a catalyst carrier and a catalytic metal carried on the catalyst carrier and an electrolyte, wherein the catalyst partially is coated with the electrolyte, and a specific surface area of the catalytic metal which gas can reach without passing through an electrolyte is 50% or more, with respect to the total specific surface area of the catalytic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., DAIMLER AG, FORD MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iden, Atsushi Ohma, Shinichi Takahashi, Tetsuya Mashio, Norifumi Horibe
  • Patent number: 10367189
    Abstract: An anode-free rechargeable battery is disclosed. The battery includes an anode current collector and a cathode containing an active cation Mn+, where n=1, 2, or 3. The anode-free rechargeable battery further includes a separator placed between the anode current collector and the cathode. The anode-free rechargeable battery also includes an electrolyte including a salt or salt mixture containing an active cation Mn+ dissolved in a solvent or solvent mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Ji-Guang Zhang, Jiangfeng Qian, Wu Xu, Wesley A. Henderson
  • Patent number: 10322942
    Abstract: The invention provides a composition having the formula (I): xXO2.yY2O5, (wherein: 0.5<x<0.7; 0.3<y<0.5; X comprises one or more of silicon, titanium, germanium and zirconium; and Y comprises one or more of phosphorus, vanadium arsenic and antimony), or a hydrate thereof, in which the composition comprises more than 50 wt % or more of crystalline material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS
    Inventors: Pierrot Sassou Attidekou, John Thomas Sirr Irvine
  • Patent number: 10319964
    Abstract: A battery array frame according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a frame body extending along a longitudinal axis and including a top frame rail, a bottom frame rail and frame arms that connect between the top frame rail and the bottom frame rail. An insert extends inside the frame body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hyung Min Baek, Rajaram Subramanian
  • Patent number: 10300453
    Abstract: A device which can increase the rates of interfacial reactions including heterogeneous electron transfer reactions, the device comprising at least one sono(electro)chemical cell adapted to hold a thin layer of condensed fluid which is optionally adapted to participate in a heterogeneous electron transfer reaction, wherein the cell is further adapted to provide an ultrasonic transducer face to propagate sound waves into the thin layer of condensed fluid, and wherein the cell is still further adapted with an opening to provide the thin layer of condensed fluid with at least one interface which provides for reflection of the sound waves from the interface back into the thin layer of condensed fluid. The cells are configured to provide for a thin layer operation as opposed to a bulk operation. In method embodiments, ultrasound is applied to the thin layer of condensed fluid. The application of ultrasound is carried out both without cooling of the cell and without pressurization of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Inventors: Johna Leddy, Chester G. Duda, Jacob Lyon, William J. Leddy, III
  • Patent number: 10273586
    Abstract: A separator plate and a frame member for an electrochemical cell are provided. The separator plate includes a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom to define a flow field. A pair of end features arranged along opposite sides of the flow field, each end feature extending substantially the length of the flow field. A periphery portion is provided having a first set of openings and a second set of openings. Wherein the plurality of protrusions and pair of end features extend from a plane defined by the periphery portion. The frame member includes features for facilitating assembly and reducing the risk of an over constrained condition. The frame member further having ports divided by a bridge member to support the frame member under operating pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: PROTON ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Roemer, Blake Carter, Luke Dalton
  • Patent number: 10256500
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus relating to three-dimensional battery structures and methods of manufacturing them are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, a three-dimensional battery comprises a battery enclosure, and a first structural layer within the battery enclosure, where the first structural layer has a first surface, and a first plurality of conductive protrusions extend from the first surface. A first plurality of electrodes is located within the battery enclosure, where the first plurality of electrodes includes a plurality of cathodes and a plurality of anodes, and wherein the first plurality of electrodes includes a second plurality of electrodes selected from the first plurality of electrodes, each of the second plurality of electrodes being in contact with the outer surface of one of said first plurality of conductive protrusions. Some embodiments relate to processes of manufacturing energy storage devices with or without the use of a backbone structure or layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Enovix Corporation
    Inventors: Harrold J. Rust, III, Ashok Lahiri, Murali Ramasubramanian, Robert M. Spotnitz
  • Patent number: 10256495
    Abstract: A fuel cell includes a pair of interconnectors (ICs); a cell main body provided between the ICs and including an electrolyte, a cathode and an anode formed on respective surfaces of the electrolyte; and a current collection member provided between at least one of the cathode and the anode and the IC for electrically connecting the cathode and/or the anode and the IC. The current collection member has a connector abutment portion which abuts the IC, a cell main body abutment portion abutting the cell main body, and a connection portion connecting the connector abutment portion and the cell main body abutment portion, the portions being continuously formed. Between the cell main body and the IC, a spacer is provided so as to separate the connector abutment portion and the cell main body abutment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hotta, Daisuke Komatsu, Naoto Matsui, Shinobu Okazaki, Hideki Uematsu, Hiroya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10249918
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a case, a battery device, an intervening member and a temperature detection device. The battery device may be disposed within the case and include a cell holder configured to accommodate a plurality of battery cells. The intervening member may be provided between the cell holder and at least one of the plurality of cell holder. The temperature detection device may be disposed between the intervening member and at least one of the plurality of cell holder, so that the temperature detection device directly contacts at least one of the battery cells for detecting a temperature thereof. At least one of the cell holder and the intervening member may have an elasticity, so that the temperature detection device may be directly pressed against at least one of the battery cells due to an elastic deformation of the least one of the cell holder and the intervening member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Naito
  • Patent number: 10243200
    Abstract: A secondary battery having a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte is provided. The cathode includes a cathode active material containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of sulfur S and phosphorus P in a portion near the particle surface of a lithium composite oxide. A content of the kind in the portion is larger than that in the particle of the lithium composite oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Soma, Atsumichi Kawashima, Masayuki Ihara, Hideki Nakai, Kenichi Kawase