Patents Examined by Ula Corinna Ruddock
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Patent number: 10090544Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell stack; a fuel gas supply/exhaust unit; an oxidant gas supply/exhaust unit; and a control unit. The control unit determines whether there is a phenomenon in the fuel cell stack resulting from local power generation concentration within a plane of a membrane electrode assembly due to a water distribution. When it is determined that there is the phenomenon, the control unit controls at least one of the fuel gas supply/exhaust unit and the oxidant gas supply/exhaust unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2011Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaaki Matsusue
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Patent number: 10090549Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a contact element in an electrochemical device (9) such as an SOFC or an EHT which comprises the following steps: a) use is made of: at least one cell (8) consisting of an assemblage made up of an electrode to be hydrogenated (5)-electrolyte (4)-electrode to be oxygenated (3); at least one first interconnector (1); and at least one second interconnector (7); b) at least one layer of a conducting material is deposited on the first interconnector (1) and/or the second interconnector (7); c) an electrochemical device (9) is assembled; said method being characterized in that: d) a thermomechanical treatment is carried out on the electrochemical device obtained on completion of step c). The invention also relates to an electrochemical device (9) equipped with at least one contact element (2) obtained according to this fabrication method.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2013Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventors: Stephane Di Iorio, Bertrand Morel, Cyril Rado
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Patent number: 10090538Abstract: The purpose is to suppress positional misalignment between the diffusion layer and the frame. The manufacturing method of an electrode frame assembly for fuel cell comprises the steps of: (a) placing a frame and a diffusion layer to be stacked on each other; and (b) punching out the diffusion layer and the frame in the stacked state to form in the frame an opening in a shape matching with the punched-out diffusion layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuo Kanai, Tomokazu Hayashi, Keisuke Mizuno, Hiroshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 10084214Abstract: A battery assembly is provided. The battery assembly includes a first module having a first plurality of cells and a first voltage measurement device. The battery module includes a sense wire, coupled to a voltage measurement input of the first voltage measurement device and resistively coupled to a terminal of the first plurality of cells. The battery assembly includes a second module having a second plurality of cells and being configured to couple to the first module with the terminal of the first plurality of cells coupling to a terminal of the second plurality of cells via a connector and with the sense wire coupling to the terminal of the second plurality of cells via the connector.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Atieva, Inc.Inventor: Richard J. Biskup
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Patent number: 10084192Abstract: In embodiments, a fuel cell stack is provided that includes an interconnect between a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, and a contact layer in contact with, and disposed between, an electrode of the first fuel cell and the interconnect. The contact layer may include a chromium-getter material. This chromium-getter material may consist of lanthanum oxide, lanthanum carbonate, and/or calcium carbonate.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2014Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: VERSA POWER SYSTEMS, LTDInventors: Anthony Wood, Hongpeng He, Tahir Joia
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Patent number: 10084196Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 3, 2013Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Hydrogenics CorporationInventor: Paolo Forte
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Patent number: 10056655Abstract: A manufacturing method of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: a lithium phosphate dispersion manufacturing step of manufacturing a lithium phosphate dispersion by dispersing lithium phosphate in a solvent without adding a positive-electrode active material; a positive electrode mixture paste manufacturing step of manufacturing a positive electrode mixture paste by mixing the lithium phosphate dispersion with a positive electrode material including the positive-electrode active material; and a step of manufacturing a positive electrode including a positive electrode mixture layer on a surface of a current collector member by applying the positive electrode mixture paste on the surface of the current collector member and drying the positive electrode mixture paste.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuyuki Yamazaki, Masanori Kitayoshi, Takashi Miura
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Patent number: 10044047Abstract: A method for producing an electrode-membrane-frame assembly according to the present invention includes arranging a previously molded first molded body on a circumferential region of first catalyst layer close to first gas diffusion layer, arranging a previously molded second molded body on a circumferential region of second catalyst layer close to second gas diffusion layer, and forming a third molded body by injection molding so as to integrally connect the first molded body and the second molded body and not to be directly in contact with an inner side region of second main surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane positioned on an inner side of an outer edge part of the second molded body when viewed from a thickness direction of the polymer electrolyte membrane, whereby a frame having the first, second, and the third molded body is formed. Thus, the polymer electrolyte membrane can be prevented from deteriorating.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Masaki Yamauchi, Yoichiro Tsuji, Atusi Murata, Takashi Morimoto, Toshihiro Matsumoto
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Patent number: 10044048Abstract: The present invention includes a fuel cell system having a plurality of adjacent electrochemical cells formed of an anode layer, a cathode layer spaced apart from the anode layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer. The fuel cell system also includes at least one interconnect, the interconnect being structured to conduct free electrons between adjacent electrochemical cells. Each interconnect includes a primary conductor embedded within the electrolyte layer and structured to conduct the free electrons.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: LG FUEL CELL SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Zhien Liu
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Patent number: 10033033Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has the internal resistance of 10 m?/Ah or less (SOC of 50%) and has a power generating element containing the following: a positive electrode obtained by forming, on the surface of a positive electrode current collector, a positive electrode active substance layer containing a positive electrode active substance; a negative electrode obtained by forming, on the surface of a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active substance layer containing a negative electrode active substance; and a separator. The positive electrode active substance is made to contain a spinel type lithium manganese composite oxide and a lithium nickel-based composite oxide, and the mixing ratio of the lithium nickel-based composite oxide is 50 to 70% by weight relative to the total 100% by weight of the spinel type lithium manganese composite oxide and the lithium nickel-based composite oxide.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Ohara, Yoshiaki Nitta, Gentaro Kano, Tomoya Kubota, Masanori Aoyagi
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Patent number: 8894721Abstract: A method for beam welding a multi-sheet work stack includes positioning a first sheet adjacent to a second sheet, and positioning a third sheet adjacent to the second sheet such that a single common welding interface is defined. An energy beam is directed onto the interface until a fusion weld forms along the interface. The third sheet may define a flange or a tab portion. The flange portion may be placed in direct contact with the first sheet along the interface, while the tab portion may be inserted into a slot of the second sheet to contact the first sheet at the interface. The beam may be a laser or ion beam. The lower melting temperature sheet may be positioned farther from the source of the energy beam than the other sheets. The welded assembly may be a battery module, with the sheets being an interconnect member and battery tabs.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2011Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Wayne W. Cai, Thomas B. Stoughton, Xiang Zhao
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Patent number: 8658228Abstract: A tubular fuel cell module comprising a tubular fuel cell capable of improving current collection efficiency, and a fuel cell comprising the fuel cell module are provided. A fuel cell module (100) includes a plurality of tubular fuel cells (10A, 10A, . . . ) arranged in parallel and a first current collector (35), wherein the tubular fuel cells (10A, 10A, . . . ) are woven by the first current collector (35) in a direction crossing an axial direction of the tubular fuel cells (10A, 10A, . . . ) in a plan view.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2006Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Haruyuki Nakanishi, Shigeaki Murata, Masahiro Imanishi, Yoshihisa Tamura