Patents Examined by Wyatt McConnell
  • Patent number: 9899658
    Abstract: A high current fuse with a short time constant is provided for use in an electric vehicle. The fuse is designed to exhibit thermal characteristics that are similar if not substantially identical to those of the wire bond interconnects used in the vehicle's battery pack. As a result, the system does not go into an overheat protection condition when the system is subjected to repetitive high current cycles, such as those common during aggressive and/or spirited driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ATIEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Richard J. Biskup, Jean-Philippe Gauthier
  • Patent number: 9893341
    Abstract: A device for connecting tabs of battery cells includes an isolation board defining a first through slot seated on the surfaces of the battery cells from which the tabs extending out; a metal plate mounted on a surface of the isolation board afar from the battery cells, the metal plate defining a second through slot corresponding to the first through slot of the isolation board; and a metal conductive plate secured to the metal plate. The tabs of the battery cells extending through the first through slot and the second through slot are bent and seated on a surface of the metal plate afar from the isolation board, and the metal conductive plate is detachably fastened to the metal plate so that the tabs of the battery cells are securely sandwiched between the metal plate and the metal conductive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Yajie Chen, Weibo Zou, Yangang Yang
  • Patent number: 9882230
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack has a multiplicity of individual cells, which each include an anode flow field, a membrane electrode arrangement, and a cathode flow field. Each flow field has a media inlet and channels for carrying the media. The anode flow fields and/or the cathode flow fields have the media inlet on their upward-facing side when used as intended, and are open on their downward-facing side when used as intended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Philipp Hausmann, Matthias Jesse, Cosimo Mazzotta
  • Patent number: 9865858
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes: a positive electrode mixture layer provided on a main plane of a positive electrode current collector; a negative electrode mixture layer provided on a main plane of a negative electrode current collector; and an insulator covering a region of a part of a surface of a gradually-decreasing portion included in the positive electrode mixture layer. The portion has thickness gradually decreasing toward a terminal of the positive electrode mixture layer; the surface of the portion has a tangent line in contact with the surface in at least two contact points, and has a depressed part between any adjacent two contact points on the tangent line; and an end of the insulator is positioned between the contact points closest to and farthest from the terminal of the positive electrode mixture layer along the tangent line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: AUTOMOTIVE ENERGY SUPPLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu Oshima, Shinichiro Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 9853295
    Abstract: The present invention inexpensively provides an electrode material for a fuel electrode, the electrode material having CO2 resistance and being capable of forming a fuel cell having high electricity generation performance. An electrode material for a fuel electrode, the electrode material constituting a fuel electrode of a fuel cell including a proton-conductive solid electrolyte layer, includes a perovskite-type solid electrolyte component and a nickel (Ni) catalyst component, in which the solid electrolyte component includes a barium component, a zirconium component, a cerium component, and a yttrium component, and the mixture ratio of the zirconium component to the cerium component in the solid electrolyte component is set to be 1:7 to 7:1 in terms of molar ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Higashino, Masatoshi Majima, Naho Mizuhara, Chihiro Hiraiwa
  • Patent number: 9831503
    Abstract: Dual use gas diffusion-gas evolution electrodes containing diamond-like carbon are described, which can act as gas diffusion electrodes during discharge, and gas evolution electrodes during recharge. Electrodes of the disclosed materials are electrochemically robust, inhibit multi-step reactions, and have high, isotropic thermal conductivity. The disclosed electrodes can be used as air electrodes of rechargeable metal-air batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: COULOMBIC, INC.
    Inventor: David Andrew Sopchak
  • Patent number: 9831497
    Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery (100A) includes a positive electrode current collector (221A) and a positive electrode active material layer (223A) retained on the positive electrode current collector (221A). The positive electrode active material layer (223A) contains positive electrode active material particles, a conductive agent, and a binder. The positive electrode active material particles (610A) each include a shell portion (612) made of primary particles (800) of a layered lithium-transition metal oxide, a hollow portion (614) formed inside the shell portion (612), and a through-hole (616) penetrating through the shell portion (612). The primary particles (800) of the lithium-transition metal oxide have a major axis length of less than or equal to 0.8 ?m in average of the positive electrode active material layer (223A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9825292
    Abstract: A process for producing lithium titanate which includes the steps of synthesizing a lithium titanate hydrate intermediate via aqueous chemical processing, and thermally treating the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate to produce the lithium titanate. The lithium titanate hydrate is preferably (Li1.81H0.19)Ti2O<<2H2O. The lithium titanate is preferably Li4Ti5O12 (LTO). Synthesizing the lithium titanate hydrate intermediate may include mixing a titanium-containing compound with a lithium-containing compound in a solvent to produce a lithium-titanium precursor mixture. Preferably the titanium-containing compound includes titanium tetrachloride TiCl4. Also, a lithium titanate obtained according to the process and a lithium battery including the lithium titanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: HYDRO-QUEBEC, MCGILL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: George Demopoulos, Hsien-Chieh Chiu, Karim Zaghib, Abdelbast Guerfi
  • Patent number: 9818991
    Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery, which can improve a coupling force between a case and a cap plate and can improve stability of the secondary battery, by forming a coupling protrusion on a side surface of the cap plate and forming a coupling groove corresponding to the coupling protrusion on an inner surface of the case. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, and a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case. A coupling protrusion protruding toward an inner surface of the case is formed on a side surface of the cap plate, and a coupling groove corresponding to the coupling protrusion is formed on the inner surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaeil Seong
  • Patent number: 9819052
    Abstract: A secondary battery capable of safely improving a battery performance is provided. An electrolyte with which a separator 13 is impregnated contains an alkyl sulfone and a low-polar solvent (a solvent having a relative permittivity of 20 or less) together with an aluminum salt. The alkyl sulfone facilitates the redox reaction of aluminum, and further reduces the reactivity of the electrolyte. Additionally, the low-polar solvent suppresses the block of the redox reaction of aluminum. In charge and discharge, it becomes easy to electrochemically efficiently precipitate and dissolve aluminum, and further to inhibit the corrosion of a metallic exterior package member or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yui Senda, Kenta Yamamoto, Yuri Nakayama, Reina Ito
  • Patent number: 9812727
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems for the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen, having redox mediator/redox catalyst pairs and an electrolyte solution in contact with an electrode. The redox mediator is included in the electrolyte solution, and the redox catalyst may be included in the electrolyte solution, or alternatively, may be in contact with the electrolyte solution. In one form a cobalt redox catalyst is used with a quinone redox mediator. In another form a nitrogen oxide redox catalyst is used with a nitroxyl type redox mediator. The systems can be used in electrochemical cells wherein neither the anode nor the cathode comprise an expensive metal such as platinum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Shannon S. Stahl, James B. Gerken, Colin W. Anson
  • Patent number: 9812738
    Abstract: Disclosed is a battery comprising a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte; the cathode comprises a cathode material, the cathode material comprises a cathode active material which is capable of reversibly intercalating and deintercalating a first metal ions; the electrolyte comprises at least a solvent capable of dissolving solute, the solute being ionized to a second metal ions that can be reduced to a metallic state during a charge cycle and be oxidized from the metallic state to the second metal ions during a discharge cycle and the first metal ions that can deintercalate from the cathode active material during the charge cycle and intercalate into the cathode active material during the discharge cycle; and the anode and/or the electrolyte further comprise an additive which is a bismuth compound. The gas production amount could be effectively reduced when the battery is being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignees: POSITEC POWER TOOLS (SUZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Liu, Pu Chen, Jing Yan
  • Patent number: 9806313
    Abstract: A coated method for the preparation of a separator comprising multiple layers of glass or glass and ceramic particles for use in an electrochemical cell, an electrochemical cell comprising such a separator and the use of such an electrochemical cell. The method comprises the steps of providing a mixture of an organic polymeric material, glass or glass and ceramic particles and at least one solvent, and preparing a multilayer by phase inversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Leclanche'
    Inventors: Pierre Blanc, Hilmi Buqa
  • Patent number: 9806304
    Abstract: Provided is a secondary battery, which can prevent a protective circuit board and an electrode terminal from colliding with each other by providing a gasket including a support unit protruding from a top surface of a cap plate to be higher than the electrode terminal. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case, an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly and upwardly protruding through a terminal throughhole of the cap plate, and a gasket interposed between the cap plate and the electrode terminal and electrically insulating the cap plate and the electrode terminal from each other. The gasket includes a support unit protruding from the cap plate to be higher than the electrode terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaeil Seong
  • Patent number: 9799901
    Abstract: There is provided a control method of a flow regulating valve of an oxidizing gas in a fuel cell. In a load disconnected state that the fuel cell is electrically disconnected from a load, the control method gradually opens the flow regulating valve that is configured to supply the oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell by a predetermined valve opening each time from a full-close position or gradually closes the flow regulating valve by a predetermined valve opening each time from a full-open position, so as to gradually change a supply amount of the oxidizing gas introduced to the cathode and cause hydrogen transmitted from an anode to the cathode in the fuel cell to be oxidized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomio Yamanaka, Mitsuhiro Nada, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9799917
    Abstract: This invention relates to a waterborne fluoropolymer composition useful for the fabrication of Li-ion-Battery (LIB) electrodes. The fluoropolymer composition contains an organic carbonate compound, which is more environmentally friendly than other fugitive adhesion promoters currently used in waterborne fluoropolymer binders. An especially useful organic carbonate compound is ethylene carbonate (EC) and vinylene carbonate (VC), which are solids at room temperature, and other carbonates which are liquid at room temperature such as propylene carbonate, methyl carbonate and ethyl carbonate. The composition of the invention is low cost, environmentally friendly, safer, and has enhanced performance compared to current compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Arkema Inc.
    Inventors: Ramin Amin-Sanayei, Scott R. Gaboury
  • Patent number: 9793541
    Abstract: The specification relates to a composite particle for storing lithium. The composite particle is used in an electrochemical cell. The composite particle includes a metal oxide on the surface of the composite particle, a major dimension that is approximately less than or equal to 40 microns and a formula of MM?Z, wherein M is from the group of Si and Sn, M? is from a group of Mn, Mg, Al, Mo, Bronze, Be, Ti, Cu, Ce, Li, Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, Zr, K, and Na, and Z is from the group of O, Cl, P, C, S, H, and F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventor: Shailesh Upreti
  • Patent number: 9786889
    Abstract: Provided is an electrode assembly of a secondary battery, including: a first electrode unit and a second electrode unit; a separation membrane interposed between the first electrode unit and the second electrode unit; and a first coating unit having an insulating member which is made of a metal oxide material and is coated along front and rear edge portions of the first electrode unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SK INNOVATION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min Seong Kim
  • Patent number: 9786885
    Abstract: Battery separators are generally provided. In some embodiments, the battery separators may comprise a non-woven web including a plurality of inorganic particles (e.g., silica). The non-woven web may include, in some embodiments, a plurality of relatively coarse glass fibers (e.g., having an average diameter of greater than about 1.5 microns), e.g., such that the non-woven web has a particular largest pore size and median pore size. The combination of inorganic particles with a non-woven web having features described herein may exhibit enhanced electrolyte stratification distance and/or reduced electrolyte filling time. In some embodiments, such improvements may be achieved while having relatively minimal or no adverse effects on another property of the battery separator and/or the overall battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hollingsworth & Vose Company
    Inventor: Zhiping Jiang
  • Patent number: 9786899
    Abstract: A terminal component includes an external terminal that is provided above a cover covering an electrode body; and an internal terminal that is provided below the cover and extends through a through-hole of the external terminal. A part of the internal terminal protrudes above the external terminal. A dimension of the part of the internal terminal in a radial direction of the through-hole is larger than a diameter of the through-hole. The external terminal has a joint surface that is a first part of an upper surface of the external terminal and that is joined to the internal terminal, and a non-joint surface that is a second part of the upper surface of the external terminal and that is located outside the joint surface. The joint surface is located higher than at least part of the non-joint surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke Nakamura