Patents Examined by Ula C. Ruddock
  • Patent number: 11876255
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sealing arrangement, comprising: an elastomeric sealing element, which comprises a foamed material containing microspheres, and a metal layer having a surface structuring, the surface structuring comprising a plurality of depressions, wherein the sealing element is configured as a coating of the metal layer and is arranged at least in some areas on the surface structuring, wherein a concentration of the microspheres in the sealing element, measured perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer, is inhomogeneous. The disclosure additionally relates to a plate assembly, to an electrochemical system, and to a method for producing the sealing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: REINZ-DICHTUNGS-GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Wenzel, Wolfgang Berroth, Bernd Gaugler, Kai-Uwe Lemke, Andrè Speidel
  • Patent number: 11876207
    Abstract: A battery includes a cathode (101), an anode (102), and an electrolyte (103). The cathode (101) is made of a bicontinuous body having a three-dimensional network structure including a plurality of nanostructures. The electrolyte (103) is sandwiched between the cathode (101) and the anode (102) and made of a salt. The electrolyte (103) may be made of, e.g., an aqueous solution of one of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, or a mixture thereof. The anode (102) may contain, e.g., a metal selected from magnesium, zin, iron, and aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Nohara, Yoko Ono, Mikayo Iwata, Masahiko Hayashi, Takeshi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11876249
    Abstract: A conductive module includes: a conductive component as a flat flexible printed circuit substrate that electrically connects electric conductors to a plurality of battery cells; a thermistor that is placed on as electrical connection part of a bifurcating body of the conductive component and detects the temperature of a battery cell as a temperature detection target; and a housing that houses or/and holds the conductive component. The bifurcated body includes a coupling part that couples the electrical connection part to a main body. The electrical connection part is a part to which heat of an outer wall surface of the battery cell is directly or indirectly transferred from a surface on a side opposite to a placement surface on which the thermistor is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Matsushima, Yuuta Matsunaga, Hideto Masuki
  • Patent number: 11870076
    Abstract: A water-based binder for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. A binder for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery electrode, includes a crosslinked polymer having a carboxyl group or a salt thereof, and the crosslinked polymer includes a structural unit derived from an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; and a structural unit derived from a macromonomer including at least one compositional monomer selected from compounds represented by following formula (1): [C1] H2C?CR1—X??formula (1) wherein in formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen or a methyl group; X represents C(?O)OR2 or CN; and R2 represents a straight chain or branched C1-C8 alkyl group or a C3-C8 alkyl group having an alicyclic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: TOAGOSEI CO., LTD., PANASONIC ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiko Saito, Takashi Hasegawa, Atsushi Nishiwaki, Hideo Matsuzaki, Nobuhiro Sakitani, Sho Urata, Takaharu Morikawa
  • Patent number: 11870041
    Abstract: Improved battery separators are disclosed herein for use in flooded lead-acid batteries, and in particular enhanced flooded lead-acid batteries. The improved separators disclosed herein provide for enhanced electrolyte mixing and substantially reduced acid stratification. The improved flooded lead-acid batteries may be advantageously employed in applications in which the battery remains in a partial state of charge, for instance in start/stop vehicle systems. Also, improved lead-acid batteries, such as flooded lead-acid batteries, improved systems that include a lead-acid battery and a battery separator, improved battery separators, improved vehicles including such systems, and/or methods of manufacture and/or use may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Daramic, LLC
    Inventors: Eric H. Miller, M. Neal Golovin, Ahila Krishnamoorthy, Matthew Howard, James P. Perry, J. Kevin Whear
  • Patent number: 11862801
    Abstract: Batteries according to embodiments of the present technology may include a battery cell having a first current collector including a polymer and a metal at least partially disposed about surfaces of the polymer. An edge region of the first current collector may be maintained free of the metal on a first surface of the first current collector. The battery cell may include a second current collector. The battery cell may also include a separator disposed between the first current collector and the second current collector. The separator may include a polymer, and the separator and the first current collector may be laminated proximate the edge region of the first current collector along the first surface of the first current collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Qingcheng Zeng
  • Patent number: 11860062
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting coolant leakage that can accurately detect the coolant leakage height in the process of detecting coolant leakage in the event of coolant leakage in a battery pack. The apparatus can detect leakage of a coolant flowing through a battery, and includes a detection resistor unit provided in the battery pack and including a resistor, the detection resistor unit configured such that the resistor is disposed at different heights from a lower end of the battery pack toward an upper end of the battery pack and the resistor comes into contact with the coolant, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the detection resistor unit, and a detection unit configured to connect to the detection resistor unit, and detect whether the coolant leaks and the coolant leakage height based on an electrical signal received from the detection resistor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventor: Dong-Wan Ko
  • Patent number: 11862813
    Abstract: The present application relates to a composite separator, and an electrochemical device and an electronic device comprising the same. Some embodiments of the present application provide a composite separator, comprising: a first porous substrate and a cation exchange layer, wherein the cation exchange layer comprises a second porous substrate grafted with a functional group, wherein the functional group is selected from the group consisting of an alkali-metal-sulfonic functional group, an alkali-metal-phosphoric functional group and a combination thereof. The composite separator of the present application can effectively capture the transition metal ions eluted from a cathode through the cation exchange layer, thereby reducing the deposition of the transition metal ions on an anode and the self-discharge rate of the electrochemical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ningde Amperex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Zhaojin Li
  • Patent number: 11850837
    Abstract: There is provided a functional layer including layered double hydroxide. The functional has an average porosity of 1 to 40% and an average pore diameter of 100 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Sho Yamamoto, Megumi Fujisaki, Shohei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11843132
    Abstract: The present disclosure is to suppress the scratching of or damage to an exterior body or current collectors caused by displacement of terminals connected to electrode bodies when a battery expands or contracts. The displacement of terminals when a battery expands or contracts is prevented by arranging the protruding positions of the terminals side by side with at least one of a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal formed in a crank-like shape, and supporting the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal by a holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Kagami
  • Patent number: 11843116
    Abstract: Provided are a nickel-based active material precursor for a lithium secondary battery including a core, an intermediate layer located on the core, and a shell located on the intermediate layer, wherein porosity gradually decreases in the order of the core, the intermediate layer, and the shell, and each of the intermediate layer and the shell has a radial arrangement structure, a method for producing the nickel-based active material precursor, a nickel-based active material produced therefrom, and a lithium secondary battery including a cathode containing the nickel-based active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pilsang Yun, Jinhwa Kim, Hyunbeom Kim, Jaehyun Shim, Wooyoung Yang
  • Patent number: 11831043
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery which, when an upper end of a cylindrical can is clamped, can prevent deformation of a cap assembly so as to improve safety. For an example, a cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery is disclosed, the battery comprising: a cylindrical can; an electrode assembly received in the cylindrical can; and a cap assembly for sealing the cylindrical can, wherein: the cap assembly comprises a top plate having a notch formed thereon, a support plate disposed in close contact with a lower surface of the top plate and including a first through-hole formed through the center thereof, and a bottom plate electrically connected with the electrode assembly and connected to the lower surface of the top plate through the first through-hole; and the support plate has a strength greater than a strength of the top plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae Kyu Kim, Sung Gwi Ko, Shin Jung Kim, Byoung Min Chun
  • Patent number: 11830972
    Abstract: A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a core including a SiO2 matrix and a Si grain, and a coating layer continuously or discontinuously coated on the core. The coating layer includes SiC and C, and the peak area ratio of the SiC (111) plane to the Si (111) plane as measured by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) using a CuK? ray ranges from about 0.01 to about 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Eun Park, Young-Ugk Kim
  • Patent number: 11831054
    Abstract: A method of maintaining health of a flow battery includes determining an average oxidation state of a common electrochemically active elemental specie in first and second fluid electrolytes on, respectively, a positive side and a negative side of an electrochemical cell of a flow battery, and adjusting the average oxidation state in response to the average oxidation state deviating from a predefined average oxidation state value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Mason Darling, Michael L. Perry
  • Patent number: 11824203
    Abstract: Provided is a non-aqueous lithium-type electricity storage element which includes a positive electrode current collector having a positive electrode active material layer disposed thereon, wherein, in a solid-state 7Li-NMR spectrum of the positive electrode active material layer, a signal area ratio a/b, which is the ratio of a signal area ratio of component A having a signal at least at ?2 to 2.5 ppm to a signal area of component B having a signal at ?6 to ?2.5 ppm is 1.5 to 20.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuima Kimura, Kazuteru Umetsu, Yuichiro Hirakawa, Hitoshi Morita, Nobuhiro Okada
  • Patent number: 11824232
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one spark igniter containing an insulated cable where at least a first end of the insulated cable is positioned within a reaction zone of the fuel cell system. A power supply is configured to provide a direct current (DC) voltage to the at least one spark igniter such that a spark is generated at the first end of the insulated cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Siddharth Patel, Aniket Pratap, Michael Petrucha
  • Patent number: 11817541
    Abstract: A battery pack including a base substrate including first and second surfaces opposite to each other, an output terminal being on the first surface; and a battery cell on the second surface of the base substrate, the battery cell including an accommodation portion in which an electrode assembly is accommodated, and a terrace portion that seals the accommodation portion and which is bent toward the base substrate, an electrode tab connected to the electrode assembly being drawn out of the terrace portion and electrically connected to the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanghun Park, Heechul Seo
  • Patent number: 11811102
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and a process for the preparation of porous bipolar plates with pore volume density and pore size that can result in high water uptake by the plates while providing the desired resistance against gas permeation. The combination of porogens (pore-forming agents) with specific types of graphite particles and polymer binders provides the desired characteristics. The porous bipolar plates have high electrical conductivity and flexural strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Clarkson University
    Inventors: Sitaraman Krishnan, Michael Harrington, Aswin Prathap Pitchiya, Zackary Putnam, Daniel Orlowski
  • Patent number: 11811040
    Abstract: A battery module includes a module housing having a lower housing, a pair of side housings, front and rear housings, and an upper housing, for respectively covering a lower portion, both side portions, front and rear portions, and an upper portion of a cell stack. The lower housing includes a base plate configured to cover an entire lower surface of the cell stack and having a hole region forming a channel in at least one side of the base plate along a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of spacers disposed at predetermined intervals along the base plate and configured to support the cell stack apart from a surface of the base plate to form an empty space between the cell stack and the base plate. The hole region communicates with the empty space so that a cooling medium can be supplied to the empty space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventors: Sung-Won Seo, Dal-Mo Kang, Jeong-O Mun, Yoon-Koo Lee
  • Patent number: 11806813
    Abstract: An accumulator assembly includes first and second accumulator cells, each of which includes at least one electrical connection element. The accumulator assembly also includes a cell connector element which electrically connects the electrical connection element of the first accumulator cell with the electrical connection element of the second accumulator cell. The cell connector element is welded at least onto one of the electrical connection elements via a plurality of welding locations. The number and the location of the welding locations are selected according to an expected current density in such a way that more welding locations are arranged at locations with a higher expected current density, and zero or fewer welding locations are arranged at locations with a lower expected current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Scherer, Bernhard Nitschke, Ruediger Daub, Christoph Born, Philip Kotter