Patents Examined by Wyatt McConnell
  • Patent number: 9620802
    Abstract: The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of the present invention is a fuel cell MEA including an anion exchange membrane and a catalyst layer disposed on the surface of the membrane. In the MEA, the anion exchange membrane is an anion-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane in which a graft chain having anion conducting ability is graft-polymerized on a substrate formed of a skived film of ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin. This MEA has various superior properties for achieving an improvement in the power output of an anion exchange PEFC compared to conventional MEAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakano, Koso Matsuda, Hiroyuki Nishii
  • Patent number: 9614218
    Abstract: A composite carbon particle for use in a negative electrode of a lithium-ion secondary battery, the composite carbon particle including a core particle composed of a carbon material obtained by heating, at not higher than 2500° C., petroleum coke having a Hardgrove grindability index (HGI value) of 30 to 60 (defined by ASTM D409), and a covering layer composed of a carbonaceous material obtained by heating an organic compound at 1000° C. to 2000° C. The composite carbon particle has a 50% particle diameter (D50) of 1 ?m to 30 ?m in a volume-based cumulative particle size distribution as measured by a laser diffraction method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Masataka Takeuchi, Yoshihito Yokoyama, Chiaki Sotowa
  • Patent number: 9614198
    Abstract: An example battery cell shrink-wrapping method includes covering a side of a battery cell with a section of a shrink-wrap material. The side interfaces with a cold plate when the battery cell is within a battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hyung Min Baek, Brian Utley
  • Patent number: 9614263
    Abstract: Thermal management systems for high energy density batteries, particularly arrays of such batteries, and methods of making and using thereof are described herein. The system includes one or more thermal conductive microfibrous media with one or more phase change materials dispersed within the microfibrous media and one or more active cooling structures. Energy storage packs or arrays which contain a plurality of energy storage cells and the thermal management system are also described. Further described are thermal or infrared shielding blankets or barriers comprising one or more thermal conductive microfibrous media comprising one or more phase change materials dispersed within the microfibrous media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: IntraMicron, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongyun Yang, Bruce J. Tatarchuk, Troy J. Barron, Paul S. Dimick
  • Patent number: 9614247
    Abstract: A button cell has a winding arranged in the cup-shaped, positive-polarity housing half such that one of the flat end sides points in the direction of the cup base, the circumferential outer side thereof bears against the circumferential cup wall and the outer side together with the cup wall forms a clamping zone in which the first current output conductor is clamped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Varta Microbattery GmbH
    Inventors: David Ensling, Edward Pytlik, Jürgen Ernsperger, Winfried Gaugler, Berthold Häussler, Claus-Christian Fischer
  • Patent number: 9601792
    Abstract: The present application relates to a fuel cell system and a method for driving same, which can produce stable electricity, enhance load following capability, and simultaneously increasing fuel utilization rate and energy efficiency by separately managing a base load and a load following of a fuel cell, and the fuel cell system according to one embodiment of the present application comprises: a molten carbonate fuel cell for generating electricity by using fuel; a reaction gas for shifting discharge gas into water gas; a buffer tank for storing the water gas; and a driving device which is actuated by using the water gas that is stored and provided from the buffer tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: DOOSAN HEAVY INDUSTRIES & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Hoon Kim, Choa Moon Yun, Tae Hee Kim, Gi Pung Lee, Tae Won Lee
  • Patent number: 9595735
    Abstract: A method for producing a sulfide solid electrolyte material includes a step of adding an ether compound to a coarse-grained material of a sulfide solid electrolyte material and microparticulating the coarse-grained material by a pulverization treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiura, Hiroki Kubo, Yuichi Hashimoto, Takayuki Koyama
  • Patent number: 9590228
    Abstract: A new battery structure as disclosed allows convective flow of electrolyte through three-dimensional structured electrodes. Hierarchical battery structure design enables three-dimensional metal structures with fluid transport capabilities. Some variations provide a lithium-ion battery system with convective electrolyte flow, comprising: a positive electrode comprising a lithium-containing electrode material and a conductive network with hollow liquid-transport conduits; a negative electrode comprising a lithium-containing electrode material in the conductive network; a separator that electronically isolates the positive and negative electrodes; and a liquid electrolyte contained within the hollow liquid-transport conduits of the conductive network. The hollow liquid-transport conduits serve as structural members, and the walls of these conduits serve as current collectors. The conductive networks may include a micro-lattice structure with a cellular material formed of hollow tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: HRL Laboratroies, LLC
    Inventors: John Wang, Tobias A. Schaedler, Christopher S. Roper, Christopher P. Henry, Alan J. Jacobsen, Ping Liu, Geoffrey P. McKnight, William Carter
  • Patent number: 9590279
    Abstract: A lithium ion (Li-ion) battery module includes a container with one or more partitions that define compartments within the container. Each of the compartments is configured to receive and hold a prismatic Li-ion electrochemical cell element, and a cover is configured to be disposed over the container to close the compartments. The container includes a polymer blend including a base polymer and one or more additives blended into the base polymer. The base polymer is electrically nonconductive and the one or more additives are configured to increase a thermal conductivity of the container to promote transfer of heat generated from the electrochemical cell elements through the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kem M. Obasih, Matthew R. Tyler
  • Patent number: 9583804
    Abstract: An energy store is provided, having at least one stack, each stack having at least one storage cell, which in turn has an air electrode and a storage electrode. The storage electrode is adjacent to channels, which contain a storage medium and water vapor. The channels have a larger cross-sectional area than the cross-section of the storage medium, which condition causes unhindered spreading of a reaction gas in the area between the storage electrode and the storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drenckhahn, Horst Greiner, Norbert Kellner, Harald Landes, Roland Reichenbacher
  • Patent number: 9581988
    Abstract: A powertrain having a Lithium-ion (Li-ion) traction battery including solid active particles is operated according to a state of charge of the battery based on an estimated Li-ion concentration profile of a representative solid active particle of a reduced-order model of the battery. The concentration profile is estimated according to the reduced-order model from the measured voltage and current of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Tae-Kyung Lee
  • Patent number: 9583743
    Abstract: An electrical storage device includes a case body having an opening, a lid, which closes the opening and has a through hole, an electrode assembly accommodated in the case body, and an electrode terminal. The electrode terminal has a base and a polar column portion, which projects from the base and shaped to pass from the inside of the case body through the through hole and protrude to the outside. A sealing member is sandwiched between the inner surface of the lid and a seat surface of the base. In a root portion of the polar column portion coupled to the base, in at least a part of the polar column portion around an axis thereof, a tapered portion, which spreads in the cross-sectional shape toward the base along the axis of the polar column portion, is provided. The sealing member is arranged radially outside of the tapered portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Atsushi Minagata, Motoaki Okuda, Hiroyasu Nishihara
  • Patent number: 9583780
    Abstract: An automotive or other power system including a flow cell, in which the stack that provides power is readily isolated from the storage vessels holding the cathode slurry and anode slurry (alternatively called “fuel”) is described. A method of use is also provided, in which the “fuel” tanks are removable and are separately charged in a charging station, and the charged fuel, plus tanks, are placed back in the vehicle or other power system, allowing fast refueling. The technology also provides a charging system in which discharged fuel is charged. The charged fuel can be placed into storage tanks at the power source or returned to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the charged fuel in the storage tanks can be used at a later date. The charged fuel can be transported or stored for use in a different place or time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: 24M Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yet-Ming Chiang, Ricardo Bazzarella
  • Patent number: 9577254
    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 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9570749
    Abstract: A negative electrode includes a current collector; and a negative active material layer on at least a surface of the current collector. The negative active material layer includes a porous matrix including lithium titanium oxide particles and metal nanoparticles that are alloyable with lithium. An average particle diameter of the lithium titanium oxide particles is at least two times greater than an average particle diameter of the metal nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Duk-Hyoung Yoon, So-Ra Lee, Hye-Ri Eom
  • Patent number: 9561579
    Abstract: A flexible solid electrolyte includes a first inorganic protective layer, an inorganic-organic composite electrolyte layer including an inorganic component and an organic component, and a second inorganic protective layer, where the inorganic-organic composite electrolyte layer is disposed between the first inorganic protective layer and the second inorganic protective layer, and the inorganic component and the organic component collectively form a continuous ion conducting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung-wook Baek, Tae-young Kim, Young-sin Park, Jae-myung Lee
  • Patent number: 9543585
    Abstract: Provided is a binder composition for electrodes that has high stability in the form of a liquid composition dissolved or dispersed in a solvent and can improve cycle property of a non-aqueous electrolyte battery. The binder composition used is a binder composition including a polymer A containing 80% by weight or more and 99.9% by weight or less of a repeating unit derived from a monomer including a nitrile group and 0.1% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less of a repeating unit derived from an ethylenically unsaturated compound, wherein a weight-average molecular weight of the polymer A is 500,000 to 2,000,000, and a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of the polymer A is 13 or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 9543574
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing electrode materials, which comprises the following steps: (a) mixing the following with one another: (A) at least one phosphorus compound, (B) at least one lithium compound, (C) at least one carbon source, (D1) at least one water-soluble iron compound in which Fe is present in the +2 or +3 oxidation state, (D2) at least one iron source which is different than (D1) and is water-insoluble and in which Fe is present in the zero, +2 or +3 oxidation state, (b) thermally treating the mixture obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Bastian Ewald, Ivana Krkljus, Jordan Keith Lampert
  • Patent number: 9537184
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery of an embodiment includes: a battery can; an electrode assembly in the battery can formed by rolling up a positive electrode, a separator and a negative electrode; an organic electrolyte solution in the battery can; a positive electrode lead in the battery can connected to the positive electrode; a negative electrode lead in the battery can connected to the negative electrode; and an overcharge preventer in the battery can; a cap body sealing the battery can; a positive electrode terminal fixed to the cap body and connected to the positive electrode lead; and a negative electrode terminal fixed to the cap body and connected to the negative electrode lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichi Takahashi, Hirokiyo Mamyoda, Kiyoshi Senoue, Tatsuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9537137
    Abstract: The main object of the present invention is to provide a cathode active material capable of reducing the initial interface resistance against a solid electrolyte material. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a cathode active material comprising a cathode active substance exhibiting strong basicity and a coat layer formed so as to cover the surface of the above-mentioned cathode active substance and provided with a polyanionic structural part exhibiting acidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Tsuchida, Hiroshi Nagase, Shigeki Sato, Masashi Kodama, Haruhisa Hirokawa