Patents Examined by Thomas H. Parsons
  • Silicon oxide-carbon composite and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 10084183
    Abstract: Provided are a silicon oxide-carbon composite and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a silicon oxide-carbon composite including mixing silicon and silicon dioxide to be included in a reaction chamber, depressurizing a pressure of the reaction chamber to obtain a high degree of vacuum while increasing a temperature in the reaction chamber to a reaction temperature, reacting the mixture of silicon and silicon dioxide in a reducing atmosphere, and coating a surface of silicon oxide manufactured by the reaction with carbon, and a silicon oxide-carbon composite manufactured thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Cheol Hee Park, Han Nah Jeong, Sang Yun Jung, Byung Kyu Lim, Yong Ju Lee
  • System and method for controlling fuel cell module
    Patent number: 10084196
    Abstract: A fuel cell module has a hydrogen recirculation pump and a controller. The controller receives a signal indicating the response of the pump to changes in the density or humidity of gasses in the hydrogen recirculation loop. The controller is programmed to consider the signal in controlling one or more balance of plant elements that effect the removal of water from the stack. In a process for operating the fuel cell module, the signal is considered when controlling one or more balance of plant elements that effect the removal of water from the stack. For example, an increase in current drawn from a constant speed or voltage recirculation pump indicates an increase in humidity and suggests that water should be removed from the stack, for example by increasing a coolant temperature set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventor: Paolo Forte
  • Photosynthetic electrochemical cells
    Patent number: 10056659
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides photosynthetic electrochemical cells including photosynthetic compounds and methods of generating an electrical current using the photosynthetic electrochemical cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramaraja P. Ramasamy
  • Electrical appliance
    Patent number: 10044027
    Abstract: An object is to increase the conductivity of an electrode including active material particles and the like, which is used for a battery. Two-dimensional carbon including 1 to 10 graphenes is used as a conduction auxiliary agent, instead of a conventionally used conduction auxiliary agent extending only one-dimensionally at most, such as graphite particles, acetylene black, or carbon fibers. A conduction auxiliary agent extending two-dimensionally has higher probability of being in contact with active material particles or other conduction auxiliary agents, so that the conductivity can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Takemura, Tamae Moriwaka
  • Bus bar assembly including integrated bus bar support
    Patent number: 10026942
    Abstract: A battery module is provided. The battery module includes a set of stacked battery cells, each stacked battery cell including at least one cell tab and a bus bar assembly including a bus bar, a bus bar support overmolded around a sense line electrically coupled to the battery cells, the bus bar support including cell tab openings having the plurality of cell tabs extending therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jason R. Davis, Robert Dickie, Kevin Martus, Michael Shenberger, David Allen, Michael Wiener
  • Fuel cell system and mobile article
    Patent number: 10008728
    Abstract: A fuel cell system, which includes a fuel cell for generating electric power and which discharges externally water remaining in the fuel cell by supplying a gas to the fuel cell, includes discharge amount estimating means, for estimating, based on the state of the fuel cell (the amount of residual water or an inclination angle), the amount of water to be discharged from the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mikio Kizaki
  • Metal nanoparticle-graphene composites and methods for their preparation and use
    Patent number: 10003084
    Abstract: Methods of forming metal nanoparticle-graphene composites are provided. The methods can include mixing a metal precursor with graphite oxide in the presence of a liquid medium to form a metal precursor-graphite oxide mixture, and exfoliating the graphite oxide and reducing the metal precursor in the metal precursor-graphite oxide mixture to deposit metal nanoparticles on a first major surface of a graphene sheet formed by exfoliation of the graphite oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
    Inventors: Ramaprabhu Sundara, Vinayan Bhaghavathi Parambath, Rupali Nagar
  • Anode active material including porous silicon oxide-carbon material composite and method of preparing the same
    Patent number: 9991509
    Abstract: Provided are an anode active material including a porous silicon oxide-carbon material composite which includes a porous silicon oxide including pores and a line-type carbon material coated on a surface, in the pores, or on the surface and in the pores of the porous silicon oxide, and a method of preparing the anode active material. Since the silicon oxide of the anode active material according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the plurality of pores, resistance to the mechanical stress due to a volume change may be improved. Also, since the line-type carbon material is bonded to the inside of the pores, conductivity may not be decreased even in the case in which internal cracks occur in the porous silicon oxide and lifetime characteristics may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Woo Yoo, Je Young Kim, Yong Ju Lee, Seung Youn Choi, Yoon Ah Kang, Mi Rim Lee, Hye Ran Jung
  • Fuel cell and analysis device that comprise it
    Patent number: 9975119
    Abstract: A fuel cell comprising: at least one microfluidic channel that allows the capillary flow and, preferably, also diffusion of at least one suitable fluid for generating electricity, at least one receiving absorbent region coupled to each microfluidic channel, at least one collecting absorbent region coupled to each microfluidic channel, a cathodic zone coupled to each microfluidic channel, and an anodic zone coupled to each microfluidic channel, where each receiving absorbent region and each collecting absorbent region are coupled to one of the microfluidic channels such that when a fluid suitable for generating electricity is deposited in the receiving absorbent region, it flows by capillary action through the microfluidic channel to reach the collecting absorbent region where it is absorbed. As well as an analysis device comprising one or more of these fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Inventors: Maria de les Neus Sabate Vizcarra, Juan Pablo Esquivel Bojorquez
  • Battery pack having novel cooling structure
    Patent number: 9972873
    Abstract: A battery pack including battery cells or unit modules (unit cells), configured to have a structure including a battery module group including one or more battery modules each having the unit cells mounted in a pack case in a state in which the unit cells are uprightly arranged in a width direction of the pack such that the unit cells are spaced apart by a spacing distance for coolant flow, a coolant introduction part continuously defined in a space between a bottom of the pack case and the battery module group, a coolant discharge part defined between a top of the pack case and the battery module group, an electronic member located at one side of the module group, the electronic member being mounted in an inner space defined by the coolant discharge part, and a coolant flow channel defined between the coolant introduction part and the coolant discharge part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Chae Ho Chung, JiYoung Choi, JaeHun Yang, SangYoon Jeong, WonChan Park, YongSeok Choi, YoungHo Lee
  • Aqueous liquid composition, aqueous coating liquid, functional coating film and composite material
    Patent number: 9959985
    Abstract: Provided is an aqueous liquid composition including a water-based medium containing water, a polymer having at least one type of groups selected from hydroxyl groups and amino groups, and phosphonobutanetricarboxylic acid. The polymer is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide, polyamino acid, polyvinyl alcohol, polyallylamine, polyvinylamine, a polyamidine, a polyethylenimine, and their derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: DAINICHISEIKA COLOR & CHEMICALS MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ichinomiya, Kozaburo Hayashi, Yoshihiko Iijima, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
  • Non-aqueous electrolyte solution and lithium secondary battery comprising the same
    Patent number: 9947966
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery comprising a non-aqueous electrolyte solution comprising lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) and a phosphazene compound as additives, a positive electrode comprising a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-based oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode and a separator. According to a non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery of the present invention, a rigid SEI layer may be formed at a negative electrode during the initial charging of the lithium secondary battery comprising the same, the output properties of the lithium secondary battery may be improved, and the output properties after storing at high temperature and capacity properties may be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Min Lim, Shul Kee Kim, Chul Haeng Lee, Gwang Yeon Kim
  • Flow field plate for a fuel cell
    Patent number: 9947943
    Abstract: A flow field plate for a bipolar plate or bipolar plate assembly of a fuel cell or a fuel cell stack has an electrode facing front side, a backside and at least a cooling fluid manifold for supplying cooling fluid to the flow field plate. The backside includes a cooling fluid flow field for substantially uniformly distributing the cooling fluid over the flow field plate. The flow field plate further includes a cooling fluid sub-manifold which is adapted to provide cooling fluid from the cooling fluid manifold to a cooling fluid flow field. The cooling fluid sub-manifold is fluidly disconnected from the cooling fluid flow field, a bipolar plate or bipolar plate assembly including a flow field plate, as well as a fuel cell or fuel cell stack including such a flow field plate and/or bipolar plate or such a bipolar plate assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: POWERCELL SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Andreas Bodèn, Thomas Tingelöf, Axel Baumann Ofstad, Jari Ihonen, Anders Tenstam
  • Touch sensor element for detecting critical situations in a battery cell
    Patent number: 9941551
    Abstract: A battery cell, in particular a lithium-ion battery cell, is described, which comprises a negative electrode (25), a separator (24) and a positive electrode (23), wherein the battery cell has a touch sensor element (1) for detecting elements resting on the touch sensor element (1) or exerting pressure on the touch sensor element (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gero Nenninger, Anselm Berg
  • Silicon-containing material and secondary-battery active material including silicon-containing material
    Patent number: 9935310
    Abstract: Providing a silicon-containing material having a novel structure being distinct from the structure of conventional silicon oxide disproportionated to use. A silicon-containing material according to the present invention includes at least the following: a continuous phase including silicon with Si—Si bond, and possessing a bubble-shaped skeleton being continuous three-dimensionally; and a dispersion phase including silicon with Si—O bond, and involved in an area demarcated by said continuous phase to be in a dispersed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nakagaki, Nobuhiro Goda, Manabu Miyoshi, Yushi Kondo, Kensuke Yotsumoto
  • Lithium-ion secondary battery and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9929398
    Abstract: A Lithium-ion secondary battery (100A) has a negative electrode current collector (241A) and a negative electrode active material layer (243A) coated on the negative electrode current collector (241A). The negative electrode active material layer (243A) contains negative electrode active material particles (710A). The negative electrode active material particles (710A) include graphite particles each at least partially covered by an amorphous carbon film (750). The weight ratio X of the amorphous carbon film (750) in the negative electrode active material particles (710A) is 0.02?X?0.06. The negative electrode active material particles (710A) have a linseed oil absorption number Y (mL/100 g) of 35 (mL/100 g)?Y?70 (mL/100 g).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Takahata
  • Hybrid electrolyte
    Patent number: 9923235
    Abstract: A nanoparticulate organic hybrid material comprising inorganic nanoparticles covalently grafted with at least one anion of an organic sodium or lithium salt is provided. In addition, a process for preparing the nanoparticulate organic hybrid material and its use in the preparation of electrolytes suitable for lithium and sodium secondary batteries are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CIC ENERGIGUNE
    Inventors: Michel Armand, Irune Villaluenga, Teófilo Rojo Aparicio
  • Battery module
    Patent number: 9012063
    Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells aligned in one direction, first and second end plates, the plurality of battery cells being positioned between the first and second end plates, and a top plate covering top surfaces of the battery cells, the top plate including first and second ends connected to the first and second end plates, respectively, via first and second fastening portions, respectively, the first and second fastening portions being different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Myung-Chul Kim
  • Single cell for a battery for making electrical contact
    Patent number: 9012069
    Abstract: A single cell for a battery includes electrodes, preferably electrode foils, which are arranged within a cell housing. A current output lug is electrically connected to each electrode, and at least electrodes of opposite polarity are separated and electrically insulated from one another by a separator, preferably a separator foil. Current output lugs having the same polarity are electrically conductively connected to a pole, wherein the respective poles are guided from the interior of the cell housing to the outside. Each pole is electrically conductively connected to an electrically conductive area on an outer side of the cell housing, wherein the relevant two areas of different polarity are electrically insulated from one another. The pole lugs which are arranged on the relevant areas project in a free-standing manner out of the cell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Dirk Schroeter
  • Method for producing battery electrode
    Patent number: 9012078
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a battery electrode having a configuration in which an active material layer containing an active material 22 and a polymer material 24 is retained on a current collector 10, the method comprising a step of applying a paste for forming an active material layer 28 containing the active material 22 and the polymer material 24 in a solvent 26, to the current collector 10, and a step of forming an active material layer on the current collector 10 by drying the applied paste 28. An ionic polymer exhibiting cationic or anionic properties in the paste 28 is used as at least one kind of the polymer material 24, and an electric potential having an opposite polarity to that of the ionic polymer 24 is applied to the current collector 10 after the paste 28 has been applied to the current collector 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiko Nakano