Patents Examined by Stewart A Fraser
  • Patent number: 11539043
    Abstract: A negative active material, a lithium battery including the negative active material, and a method of preparing the negative active material. The negative active material includes: a core particle including a silicon based alloy; carbon nanoparticles disposed on a surface of the core particle; and an amorphous carbonaceous coating layer disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the core particle. The negative active material may improve the lifetime characteristics of the lithium batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changsu Shin, Hyunki Park, Uisong Do, Sangeun Park, Sungsu Kim
  • Patent number: 11539064
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a cluster diameter of 2.96 to 4.00 nm and a converted puncture strength of 300 gf/50 ?m or more. The polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a low electric resistance and an excellent mechanical strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Inoue, Takumi Ishii
  • Patent number: 11532855
    Abstract: Provided is a layered double hydroxide (LDH) separator including a porous substrate made of a polymeric material; and a hydroxide-ion conductive layered compound being a LDH and/or a LDH-like compound with which pores of the porous substrate are plugged. The LDH separator has a mean porosity of 0.03% to less than 1.0%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, LTD.
    Inventors: Sota Okochi, Shohei Yokoyama, Naoko Inukai, Sho Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11532815
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery which includes a lithium composite transition metal oxide including nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn), wherein a portion of nickel (Ni) sites of the lithium composite transition metal oxide is substituted with tungsten (W), and an amount of a lithium tungsten oxide remaining on surfaces of lithium composite transition metal oxide particles is 1,000 ppm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventors: Ji Hye Kim, Byung Chun Park, So Ra Baek, Tae Gu Yoo, Wang Mo Jung
  • Patent number: 11527758
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an aluminum foil and an aluminum member for electrodes having good adhesiveness to an electrode material and high conductivity with the electrode material. Provided is an aluminum foil having through holes including an aluminum oxide film having a thickness of 25 nm or less on a surface of the aluminum foil, and further a hydrophilic layer on a part of a surface of the aluminum oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hirokazu Sawada
  • Patent number: 11522204
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a first cooling line configured to circulate a first coolant that passes via the fuel cell stack, a first radiator disposed on the first cooling line, a valve configured to switch a flow path of the first coolant to the fuel cell stack or the first radiator, and a controller connected to the valve and configured to set a target temperature at an inlet of the fuel cell stack and a correction coefficient for controlling an opening degree of the valve, measure a first coolant temperature at an outlet of the fuel cell stack and a second coolant temperature at an outlet of the first radiator, calculate the opening degree of the valve based on the first coolant temperature, the second coolant temperature, the target temperature, and the correction coefficient, and correct the correction coefficient based on comparison of a third coolant temperature at the inlet of the fuel cell stack and the target temperature, in response to the opening degree being within a first ran
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Kyung Choi, Jong Bo Won
  • Patent number: 11522254
    Abstract: This embodiment provides an energy storage apparatus that includes: a plurality of energy storage devices, each having an external terminal; and a bus bar configured to conductively connect the external terminals to each other between different ones of the plurality of energy storage devices. The bus bar includes a pair of connecting portions, each placed on the external terminal. Each of the pair of connecting portions includes a plurality of curved welded portions, each formed in a curved shape that convexly curves inward in a first direction where the pair of connecting portions are aligned. The plurality of curved welded portions are formed to be aligned in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: BLUE ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11522169
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of manufacturing a sulfide-based all-solid-state battery, and a sulfide-based all-solid-state battery manufactured thereby, wherein the battery includes a surface heat-treated positive electrode active material, which is simply performed by heating a positive electrode active material at 400° C. to 600° C. in an inert gas state, as a low-cost method of uniformly treating the surface of a positive electrode active material such that the positive electrode active material does not react with a sulfide-based solid electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chi Ho Jo, Wang Mo Jung, Hyuk In Moon, Ying Shirley Meng
  • Patent number: 11515533
    Abstract: Provided is a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the active material including a lithium-transition metal composite oxide containing lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, having a layered structure, having a ratio D50/DSEM of from 1 to 4, and having a ratio of a number of moles of nickel to a total number of moles of metals other than lithium of greater than 0.8 and less than 1, a ratio of a number of moles of cobalt to the total number of moles of metals other than lithium of less than 0.2, a ratio of a number of moles of manganese to the total number of moles of metals other than lithium of less than 0.2, and a ratio of the number of moles of manganese to a sum of the number of moles of cobalt and the number of moles of manganese of less than 0.58.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Kitano, Hayaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11513439
    Abstract: A composition includes a near infrared absorbing pigment and a solvent, in which the near infrared absorbing pigment is at least one selected from a colorant compound which has a cation and an anion in the same molecule, a colorant compound which is a salt of a cationic chromophore and a counter anion, and a colorant compound which is a salt of an anionic chromophore and a counter cation, a D50 particle size in which a cumulative volume in a particle size distribution of particle sizes of the near infrared absorbing pigment is 50% is 100 nm or lower, and d values of Hansen solubility parameters of the near infrared absorbing pigment and the solvent satisfy a predetermined expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsushi Miyata, Takuya Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 11508969
    Abstract: An anode for an energy storage device includes a current collector. The current collector includes: i) an electrically conductive substrate including a first electrically conductive material; ii) a plurality of electrically conductive structures in electrical communication with the electrically conductive substrate, wherein each electrically conductive structure includes a second electrically conductive material; and iii) a metal oxide coating. The metal oxide coating includes one or both of: a) a first metal oxide material in contact with the electrically conductive substrate; or b) a second metal oxide material in contact with the electrically conductive structures; or both (a) and (b). The anode further includes lithium storage coating overlaying the metal oxide coating, the lithium storage layer including a total content of silicon, germanium, or a combination thereof, of at least 40 atomic %. The electrically conductive structures are at least partially embedded within the lithium storage coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Graphenix Development, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Brewer, Terrence R. O'Toole
  • Patent number: 11508982
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprising stacked unit cells, each comprising a membrane electrode assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes disposed on both surfaces thereof, two separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly, and a frame-shaped resin sheet disposed between the two separators and around the membrane electrode assembly to attach the separators, wherein the resin sheet comprises a first protrusion protruding in the planar direction of the resin sheet and occupying a part of a first region occupied by a reaction gas inlet manifold, and a second protrusion protruding in the planar direction of the resin sheet and occupying a part of a second region occupied by a reaction gas outlet manifold; and wherein the resin sheet comprises at least one water discharge hole at a predetermined position of at least one protrusion selected from the group consisting of the first protrusion and the second protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Okabe
  • Patent number: 11508965
    Abstract: A method of making a prelithiated anode for use in a lithium-ion battery includes providing a current collector having an electrically conductive layer and a metal oxide layer overlaying the electrically conductive layer. The metal oxide layer has an average thickness of at least 0.01 ?m. A continuous porous lithium storage layer is deposited onto the metal oxide layer by a CVD process. Lithium is incorporated into the continuous porous lithium storage layer to form a lithiated storage layer prior to a first electrochemical cycle when the anode is assembled into the battery. The anode may be incorporated into a lithium ion battery along with a cathode. The cathode may include sulfur or selenium and the anode may be prelithiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Graphenix Development, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Brewer, Kevin Tanzil, Paul D. Garman, Robert G. Anstey, Isaac N. Lund
  • Patent number: 11502315
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for purging the condensate water and hydrogen of a fuel cell stack, which may allow the condensate water and hydrogen discharged from a stack to be directly bypassed to an exhaust line of a humidifier rather than a shell side of the humidifier to be purged to the atmosphere according to the operation state and operation condition of the stack, thereby solving a problem in that an inverse voltage is generated upon cold operation of a fuel cell system, a flooding phenomenon occurs in the stack, or the like to improve the operation stability of the stack and the operation efficiency of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bong Hyun Jung, Ik Jae Son
  • Patent number: 11502356
    Abstract: The present technology provides a battery that includes an air cathode, an anode, an aqueous electrolyte that includes an amphoteric surfactant, and a housing that includes one or more air access ports defining a total area of void space (“vent area”), where (1) the battery is a size 13 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.050 mm2 to about 0.115 mm2; or (2) the battery is a size 312 metal-air battery and the total vent area defined by all of the air access ports is from about 0.03 mm2 to about 0.08 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Energizer Brands, LLC
    Inventors: Ian Pozdol, Marc Syvertsen, Tony Rubsam, Kokkie Schnetz
  • Patent number: 11498846
    Abstract: An effectively solvent-free alkali metal or alkali earth metal closo-borate salt is prepared in the presence of a non-aqueous solvent where the solvent can be removed to levels below one mole percent of the salt. The process involves the exchange of cations with a closo-borate anion via an acid-base process or a metathesis process. The solvent is removed from the alkali metal or alkali earth metal closo-borate salt by heating. The temperature can be greater than the melting point of the salt but lower than temperatures where decomposition occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Oscar Tutusaus, Rana Mohtadi
  • Patent number: 11502321
    Abstract: A redox flow battery and battery system are provided. In one example, the redox flow battery includes a set of pressure plates having a first pressure plate at a first terminal end and a second pressure plate at a second terminal end, the second terminal end and the first terminal end positioned on opposing longitudinal sides of the redox flow battery. The redox flow battery further includes a first cell stack positioned longitudinally between the first pressure plate and the second pressure plate, each of the first and second pressure plates includes a plurality stacking detents on a first flange and a plurality of stacking protrusions on a second flange, and the first flange and the second flange arranged on opposing vertical sides of the redox flow battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: ESS Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Casey, Craig Evans, Thiago Groberg, Yang Song
  • Patent number: 11502319
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a control method for a fuel cell. The control method includes: collecting, by a controller, state information of a fuel cell (FC) stack; determining, by the controller, a degradation state of the FC stack from the collected state information of the FC stack; correcting, by the controller, a basic threshold output corresponding to a present driving state of a vehicle on the basis of information of the determined degradation state of the FC stack; comparing, by the controller, a post-correction threshold output that is obtained by correcting the basic threshold output and a motor demand output, and determining, by the controller, stopping or restarting of a fuel cell; and controlling, by the controller, such that the determined stopping or restarting state of the fuel cell is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Young Woo Jung, Jung Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 11495804
    Abstract: An air electrode catalyst for an air secondary battery includes a pyrochlore-type composite oxide having two or more crystal structures having a different amount of oxygen. A battery, according to some embodiments, includes an electrode group including an air electrode and a negative electrode stacked with a separator therebetween, and a container accommodating the electrode group along with an alkali electrolyte solution, wherein the air electrode includes the air electrode catalyst. The air electrode catalyst may have a pyrochlore-type composite oxide having a crystal structure represented by Bi2Ru2O6.92 and a crystal structure represented by Bi2Ru2O7.33.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: FDK CORPORATION, JAPAN METALS AND CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Unoki, Takeshi Kajiwara, Takahiro Endo, Shigekazu Yasuoka, Yoshikatsu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11495792
    Abstract: Provided is an anode active material layer for a lithium battery. This layer comprises multiple particulates of an anode active material, wherein at least a particulate is composed of one or a plurality of particles of a high-capacity anode active material being encapsulated by a thin layer of elastomeric material that has a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10?7 S/cm (preferably no less than 10?5 S/cm) at room temperature and an encapsulating shell thickness from 1 nm to 10 ?m, and wherein the high-capacity anode active material (e.g. Si, Ge, Sn, SnO2, Co3O4, etc.) has a specific capacity of lithium storage greater than 372 mAh/g (the theoretical lithium storage limit of graphite).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Global Graphene Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Aruna Zhamu, Bor Z. Jang