Patents Examined by Tracy Dove
  • Patent number: 9406947
    Abstract: A metallic plate for a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) having, on at least one of its surfaces, a coating including: conductive material fillers; a polymer used as a binder; and a metal cation absorbing compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Rémi Vincent, Julien Tard
  • Patent number: 9385400
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a sealed battery capable of reducing leakage of helium gas introduced into an exterior. A method for manufacturing a sealed battery according to the present invention includes a leak testing step for detecting leak of helium gas (H) introduced into an exterior (30), a processing step for increasing apparent specific gravity of the helium gas (H) by mixing the helium gas (H) and the hydrocarbon gas with specific gravity larger than that of the helium gas (H) to prepare mixed gas (G), an introducing step for introducing the helium gas (H) into the exterior (30) with the apparent specific gravity of the helium gas (H) increased by introducing the mixed gas (G), and a sealing step for sealing the exterior (30) into which the helium gas (H) is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Tsukui, Hiroyasu Kado
  • Patent number: 9379364
    Abstract: A spring loaded rechargeable battery assembly is an apparatus that incorporates a particularly designed attachment mount in order to electrically engage a plurality of electronic cigarette/vaporizer components as part of a modular system. The apparatus utilizes an upper housing assembly, a retractable contact assembly, a battery control unit, a battery cell, a housing sleeve, and a lower housing assembly in order to function properly. Through the configuration of the upper housing assembly and the retractable contact plate, the spring loaded rechargeable battery assembly is able to form a preconfigured attachment mount that accommodates various fastener types but additionally includes an elastic pin system that engages vaporizer assembly terminals of various heights and widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Atmos Nation LLC
    Inventor: Yariv Alima
  • Patent number: 9368775
    Abstract: Active metal and active metal intercalation electrode structures and battery cells having ionically conductive protective architecture including an active metal (e.g., lithium) conductive impervious layer separated from the electrode (anode) by a porous separator impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte (anolyte). This protective architecture prevents the active metal from deleterious reaction with the environment on the other (cathode) side of the impervious layer, which may include aqueous or non-aqueous liquid electrolytes (catholytes) and/or a variety electrochemically active materials, including liquid, solid and gaseous oxidizers. Safety additives and designs that facilitate manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: PolyPlus Battery Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Visco, Bruce D. Katz, Yevgeniy S. Nimon, Lutgard C. De Jonghe
  • Patent number: 9346674
    Abstract: The catalyst for a fuel cell of the present invention includes a compound including at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, aluminum, and titanium, and a catalytic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoung-Ki Min, Chan-Hee Park, Hye-A Kim, Chan Kwak, Ho-Jin Kweon
  • Patent number: 9331333
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a negative electrode material for a sodium ion battery, and to a method for producing it. The active material of the electrode material is composed of an oxide with a structure corresponding to the layered structure of the compound Na2Ti3O7, said oxide conforming to the formula NaxTi(IV)aTi(III)bMcO7 (A), in which x denotes the number of Na+ ions inserted between the layers, per Ti3O7 structural unit, with 0<x?5; Ti(IV) and Ti(III) represent titanium in the oxidation states IV and III, respectively; M represents one or more elements selected from 3d transition metals and 4d transition metals; the values of x, a, b and c are such that the compound is electronically neutral in view of the oxidation state of the element or elements represented by M; and the ratio (a+b)/c is greater than 0.5. The electrode material is obtained by electrochemical reduction of an oxide Nax?Ti(IV)a?McO7(B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: AGENCIA ESTALAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Premkumar Senguttuvan, Rosa Maria Palacin, Jean-Marie Tarascon
  • Patent number: 9331342
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to electrochemical systems, e.g., a combination of an electrical energy source and an electrical energy storage system having a regenerative fuel cell system, that exhibit operational stability in harsh environments, e.g., both charging and discharging reactions in a regenerative fuel cell in the presence of an acid or a mixture of acids, or a halogen ion or a mixture of halogen ions. The electrochemical systems are capable of conducting both hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) and hydrogen oxidation reactions (HORs) in the same system. The electrochemical systems have low cost, fast response time, and acceptable life and performance. This disclosure also relates to methods of operating the electrochemical systems containing a regenerative fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: RAMOT AT TEL-AVIV UNIVERSITY LTD.
    Inventors: Emanuel Peled, Arnon Blum
  • Patent number: 9312540
    Abstract: A fabrication process for conformal coating of a thin polymer electrolyte layer on nanostructured electrode materials for three-dimensional micro/nanobattery applications, compositions thereof, and devices incorporating such compositions. In embodiments, conformal coatings (such as uniform thickness of around 20-30 nanometer) of polymer Polymethylmethacralate (PMMA) electrolyte layers around individual Ni—Sn nanowires were used as anodes for Li ion battery. This configuration showed high discharge capacity and excellent capacity retention even at high rates over extended cycling, allowing for scalable increase in areal capacity with electrode thickness. Such conformal nanoscale anode-electrolyte architectures were shown to be efficient Li-ion battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARCH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Pulickel M. Ajayan, Fung Suong Ou, Manikoth M. Shajiumon, Sanketh R. Gowda, Arava L. M. Reddy
  • Patent number: 9299997
    Abstract: To improve an output of a fuel cell and power generation efficiency by enhancing drainage of the fuel cell upon actuation below freezing temperature. In a fuel cell system that generates power by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas, the output of the fuel cell is measured when a temperature of the fuel cell after the actuation below freezing temperature exceeds 0 degree, and if a value of the output is equal to or less than a reference output value, pressure pulsation is applied to a cathode electrode to drain water built up in the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9293782
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment provides a winder for an electrode assembly of a rechargeable battery capable of improving productivity by shortening a winding cycle. A winder for an electrode assembly of a rechargeable battery according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a nip roll catching and feeding a positive plate and a negative plate, and a separator; a rotor disposed below the nip roll to rotate; and a plurality of winding cores arranged in the rotor at a regular interval in a rotation direction of the rotor to rotate and move forward or backward from the rotor, wherein the center of the nip roll, the center of any one winding core among the plurality of winding cores, and one surface of an electrode assembly of another winding core which is winding-completed form a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Un-Seop Kim, Eun-Soo Sin
  • Patent number: 9287572
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided integrating an annular pre-reformer as part of an anode recuperator of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Weingaertner, Vlad Kalika, Martin Perry
  • Patent number: 9276244
    Abstract: Provided is a method for reproducibly and efficiently producing a polyolefin porous film having a porous structure suitable for a separator for a battery without requiring a special apparatus. The method according to the present invention is a method for producing a polyolefin porous film, the method including conveying a raw material polyolefin sheet having pores into a furnace of a tenter type stretching machine, and tenter-stretching the sheet in a plurality of stretching regions in the furnace to produce a polyolefin porous film, wherein the plurality of stretching regions include at least two stretching regions having different film widening speeds, and the temperature of a stretching region having a high film widening speed is lower than that of a stretching region having a low film widening speed in the at least two stretching regions, and a stretching region having the highest film widening speed is situated in the front stage with respect to a stretching region having the lowest film widening speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Daizaburo Yashiki, Toshiki Innami
  • Patent number: 9276248
    Abstract: In order to provide a cell connector for the electrically conductive connection of a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell of an electrochemical device comprising a base body and a contact body, which is connected to the base body and is connected to one of the cell terminals in the assembled state of the cell connector, at which an electric potential is detectable in a particularly simple manner, it is proposed that the contact body comprises a voltage tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Jan Groshert, Armin Diez
  • Patent number: 9269961
    Abstract: A lithium battery includes a cathode, an anode including a component made of silicon, a separator element disposed between the cathode and the anode, an electrolyte, and a substrate. The anode is disposed over the substrate or the anode is integrally formed with the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Magdalena Forster, Katharina Schmut, Bernhard Goller, Guenter Zieger, Michael Sorger, Philemon Schweizer, Michael Sternad
  • Patent number: 9252443
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus (150) includes: a first desulfurizer (13) configured to remove, through adsorption, a sulfur compound in a raw material gas that is to be supplied to a reformer; a second desulfurizer (21) configured to hydrodesulfurize a sulfur compound in the raw material gas that is to be supplied to the reformer; a first passage (16) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer (13); a second passage (17) through which the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer (21), without passing through the first desulfurizer (13); a switch configured to switch a passage through which the raw material gas flows between the first passage (16) and the second passage (17); and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukimune Kani, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9252440
    Abstract: A gas supply system that supplies a gas after making confluence of the gas flows from gas containers includes: a supply pressure detector that detects supply pressure of the gas following the confluence; and a controller that permits a gas supply-destination apparatus to be activated if the supply pressure detected after an elapse of a determination time from a start of the gas supply is greater than or equal to a threshold pressure, and that prohibits the apparatus from being activated if the supply pressure is less than the threshold pressure. The controller uses a first determination time as the determination time if it is determined that internal pressures that are the gas pressures in the containers are not imbalanced between the containers, and uses a second determination time that is longer than the first as the determination time if it is determined that the internal pressures are imbalanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosei Yoshida, Kenji Komiya
  • Patent number: 9240608
    Abstract: A polyelectrolyte membrane fuel cell apparatus, includes a backing plate, a top clamping plate, at least one in-plane planar fuel cell assembly interposed between the top plate and the backing plate, and a current collector foil interposed between the planar fuel cell(s) and the top clamping plate, the current collector foil including an electrically non-conductive foil having a pattern of electrically conductive material provided thereon on the side facing the planar fuel cell. The fuel cell apparatus is held together by spot welds between the top clamping plate and the backing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: MYFC AB
    Inventors: Anders Lundblad, Lars Persson, Tommy Lovgren, Ola Hultberg, Daniel Karlsson
  • Patent number: 9219257
    Abstract: Disclosed is a non-aqueous electrolyte battery for suppressing the swell of a film-shaped exterior material. A gas adsorbing carbon material added to an anode mixture layer 9 of an anode 4 and/or to a cathode mixture layer 13 of a cathode 5 adsorbs a gas generated in the battery to suppress the gas storage in the battery, so that it is possible to suppress the swell of a film-shaped exterior material 3 caused by the storage of the gas generated within the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Yamaguchi, Yusuke Fujishige
  • Patent number: 9203097
    Abstract: A water vapor transfer separator plate assembly and a method of making the same. In such an assembly made up of a stack of alternating wet side plates and dry side plates with a membrane disposed between them, a humid fluid such as that found in a fuel cell cathode exhaust flows against one side of each membrane such that at least some of its moisture content travels across the membrane to a lower humidity fluid on the opposite side of the membrane. The lower humidity fluid, such as that found in a fuel cell cathode entrance, experiences an increase in its humidity by the operation of the moisture flow across the membrane. At least a portion of the assembly may be made thinner by removing diffusion media and reinforcing structure of the dry side plates such that the overall assembly is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David A. Martinchek, Thomas D. Bronchetti
  • Patent number: 9196931
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell, a protection circuit module (PCM) assembly having a connection member (A), an insulative mounting member having a connection member (B) embedded therein, and an insulative cap. The connection member (B) is coupled to a second electrode terminal of the battery cell by welding, such that the connection member (B) is electrically connected to the second electrode terminal of the battery cell, in a state in which the insulative mounting member is mounted on the battery cell. The connection member (A) is coupled to a first electrode terminal of the battery cell upward from a PCM, such that the connection member (A) is electrically connected to the first electrode terminal of the battery cell. The electrical connection between the PCM assembly and the connection member (B) is achieved in a physical contact fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ju-Hwan Baek, Ki Eob Moon, Soonkwang Jung, Cheol Woong Lee