Patents Examined by Yoshitoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10490820
    Abstract: In a positive-electrode active material layer of a positive-electrode plate for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a dispersion index value C determined from a small-size-particle ratio A and a coefficient B of variation and expressed by an expression, C=B/A3, is 0.8 or less. The small-size-particle ratio A is a ratio of the number of small-size-particle-containing spots where a detected intensity of phosphorus is equal to or lower than a detected density of trilithium phosphate having a particle size of 1 ?m or less, to the number of phosphorus-containing spots among the analyzed spots. The coefficient B of variation is a ratio of a standard deviation of segmented-region accumulated values to an arithmetic mean of the segmented-region accumulated values each of which is the sum of detected intensities in the phosphorus-containing spots in a corresponding one of the segmented regions obtained through segmentation of the analyzed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yamazaki, Masanori Kitayoshi, Takashi Miura
  • Patent number: 10483530
    Abstract: A main object of the present disclosure is to provide a cathode active material that is used in a fluoride ion battery and is capable of being charged and discharged at a high potential. The present disclosure achieves the object by providing a cathode active material used in a fluoride ion battery, the cathode active material comprising: a Ce element, a S element, and a F element; and a composition represented by CeSF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidenori Miki
  • Patent number: 10476082
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface coated positive electrode active material, a preparation method thereof, and a lithium secondary battery including the same. More specifically, it relates to a positive electrode active material of which surface is coated with a nanofilm including polyimide (PI) and carbon black, a preparation method thereof, and a lithium secondary battery including the same. The positive electrode active material of which surface is coated with the nanofilm according to the present invention is capable of preventing direct contact of the positive electrode active material with an electrolyte thereby suppressing a side reaction between the positive electrode active material and the electrolyte, and as a result, a lifespan property of a lithium secondary battery using a positive electrode including the same may be significantly improved, and particularly, a lifespan property and conductivity are capable of being enhanced under a high temperature and high voltage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd., UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology)
    Inventors: Wook Jang, Sang Young Lee, Seung Beom Cho, Jun Seong Ahn, Jang Hoon Park, Ju Myung Kim
  • Patent number: 10476080
    Abstract: An electrode is provided having a front region adjacent to a separator and a back region adjacent to a current collector. The electrode includes an anion-absorbing material and a cation-absorbing material. The electrode exhibits a compositional profile such that the anion-absorbing material is present at a higher volume percent at the back region than at the front region. Also provided are electrochemical cells that employ such an electrode as a positive electrode. Optionally, the cells include an electrolyte comprised of a solution of a solvent and a salt dissolved therein at a concentration of at least about 2M when the cell is in a fully discharged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Karen E. Thomas-Alyea, Masoud Aryanpour, Jeong-Ju Cho
  • Patent number: 10468890
    Abstract: A system comprising a series of at least two benthic microbial fuel cells (BMFC), wherein each BMFC comprises an anode electrically connected to a cathode, and wherein for each BMFC there is a first and second comparator configured to monitor BMFC voltage to determine if the voltage falls below one of two present thresholds. The output of the first comparator is electrically connected to the BMFC via a switch and the output of the second comparator is electrically connected to a pulse width monitor (PWM) block via a switch. A DC/DC converter is electrically coupled to each BMFC and configured to transfer energy stored in each BMFC to a battery, wherein the DC/DC converter is driven by the PWM block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Alex G. Phipps, Lewis Hsu, Maxwell M. Kerber, David B. Chadwick, Y. Meriah Arias-Thode, Jeffrey Kagan
  • Patent number: 10461334
    Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode has a microporous layer on at least one surface of an electroconductive porous substrate. The microporous layer has a first microporous layer in contact with the electroconductive porous substrate, and a dense layer in contact with the first microporous layer. The thickness of the dense layer is at least 1 ?m. The average number density B of pores having a pore diameter of 0.15-1 ?m in the dense layer is at least 1.3A, where A is the average number density of pores having a pore diameter of 0.15-1 ?m in the microporous layer disposed on at least one surface of the electroconductive porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Tanimura, Masamichi Utsunomiya, Michio Wakatabe, Toshiya Kamae
  • Patent number: 10453622
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode for an energy storage device includes: forming a current collector from a conductive material; forming a primer layer on the current collector; injecting dry powder electrode materials into the primer layer, wherein the dry powder electrode materials injected into the primer layer form an electrode film in electrical contact with the current collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: LiCAP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Linda Zhong, Martin Matthew Zea, Kathleen Jingling Qiu
  • Patent number: 10422025
    Abstract: A tantalum or tantalum alloy which contains pure or substantially pure tantalum and at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Mo, W and Re to form a tantalum alloy that is resistant to aqueous corrosion. The invention also relates to the process of preparing the tantalum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: H.C. Starck Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Aimone, Evan Hinshaw
  • Patent number: 10421664
    Abstract: Provided is a porous lithium composite phosphate-based compound containing lithium and having open pores formed in primary particles. As the open pores are formed in the primary particles themselves, a contact area between an electrolyte and the lithium composite phosphate-based compound is maximized, and low conductivity is compensated for, such that a diffusion rate of lithium ions is remarkably increased, and when the lithium composite phosphate-based compound is used as an active material of a secondary battery, the secondary battery may be charged and discharged at a high speed. Additionally, there are advantages in that an electrode density may be significantly increased in addition to the increase in the diffusion rate of the lithium ions, and charge and discharge cycle characteristics may be significantly stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SK INNOVATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Gu Kang, Seong Ho Lee, Jung In Yeon, Kook Hyun Han, Jung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 10424817
    Abstract: A pouch type rechargeable battery according to an exemplary embodiment includes: an electrode assembly that includes a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode; a fixing member that includes a first fixing member and a second fixing member positioned at opposite sides of the electrode assembly; and a pouch that is provided with an accommodation part for accommodating the electrode assembly and a sealing part that surrounds the accommodation part and is thermo-bonded, wherein the fixing member may have a first part overlapping the electrode assembly, a second part overlapping the sealing part, and a width of the second part is narrower than the sealing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Kyun Park
  • Patent number: 10424816
    Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery (100) includes a wound electrode body (80), a nonaqueous electrolyte, and a box-shaped case (50). The wound electrode body includes a positive electrode (10), a negative electrode (20), and a separator (40). The box-shaped case contains the wound electrode body and the nonaqueous electrolyte. The wound electrode body includes a starting-end-side negative electrode remainder portion (22) provided in a winding-direction starting end portion (81) of the wound electrode body. The winding-direction starting end portion exists at a winding center side. The starting-end-side negative electrode remainder portion protrudes toward the winding center side along a winding direction beyond the positive electrode. A surplus nonaqueous electrolyte exists in a gap between the wound electrode body and the box-shaped case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukiyoshi Ueno, Tomoyuki Mizuno, Kunimitsu Yamamoto, Junko Ohira, Kaoru Inoue, Hideaki Fujita, Hideki Sano
  • Patent number: 10400314
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: H.C. STARCK INC.
    Inventors: Paul Aimone, Mei Yang
  • Patent number: 10403910
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fuel cell stack with improved manufacturing performance. The fuel cell stack includes: a separator that comprises a diffusion part, as being provided with a diffusion channel, configured to distribute reaction gas and cooling water and a reaction part, as being continuously formed from the diffusion part and provided with a reaction channel that has a height greater than that of the diffusion channel, configured to move reaction gas distributed from the diffusion part and generate electrons by a chemical reaction; and a gas diffusion layer configured to contact the separator at the diffusion part and the reaction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sang Mun Jin, Yoo Chang Yang
  • Patent number: 10388916
    Abstract: An energy storage apparatus including: an energy storage device; an outer covering; electric equipment disposed in the outer covering; and a housing part which houses the electric equipment, wherein a drain passage, which is disposed in a region covered by the electric equipment and through which water is discharged to outside of the region, is formed on a lower wall surface below the electric equipment in the housing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventor: Masamitsu Tononishi
  • Patent number: 10381625
    Abstract: A composite membrane includes: an organic layer having a plurality of through holes; and ion conductive inorganic particles disposed in the through holes, wherein a hydrophobic coating layer is disposed on a surface of the ion conductive inorganic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wonsung Choi, Dongmin Im, Soonchul Kwon, Sungcheol Kim, Taeyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 10374248
    Abstract: Stable solutions comprising high concentrations of charged coordination complexes, including iron hexacyanides are described, as are methods of preparing and using same in chemical energy storage systems, including flow battery systems. The use of these compositions allows energy storage densities at levels unavailable by other iron hexacyanide systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Arthur J. Esswein, John Goeltz, Desiree Amadeo
  • Patent number: 10367179
    Abstract: Disclosed is a battery pack allowing easy assembling of a cell assembly and a pack housing and also ensuring reinforced rigidity, and a vehicle comprising the same. The battery pack includes a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries and having outer protrusions formed at an outer side surface thereof to extend vertically; and a pack housing configured to have an inner space in which the cell assembly is accommodated, the pack housing having inner protrusions formed at an inner side surface thereof to extend vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Sop Eom, Jun-Yeob Seong, Ki-Youn Kim, Sung-Chun Yu, Dal-Mo Kang
  • Patent number: 10361465
    Abstract: A secondary battery is disclosed. The secondary battery has a bipolar electrode, an electrolyte layer, and a porous insulator. The bipolar layer includes a positive electrode layer formed on one surface of a collector foil and a negative electrode formed on the other surface of the collector foil. The electrolyte layer is famed at least on a surface of at least one of the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer. The porous insulator is formed to a lateral surface of at least one of the positive electrode layer, the negative electrode layer, and the electrolyte layer. The electrolyte layer is laminated by at least one layer relative to the bipolar electrode to configure a bipolar battery. The porous insulator also includes an inorganic particle and a reactive agent for lowering a fluidity of the liquid electrolyte bleeding from the electrolyte layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shimpei Amasaki, Yusuke Kaga, Kazuaki Naoe, Makoto Abe, Etsuko Nishimura, Akihiko Noie
  • Patent number: 10333177
    Abstract: Metal hydride batteries comprising an electrolyte composition which comprises an aqueous solution comprising potassium hydroxide (KOH) and one or more halide and/or oxyacid salts exhibit reduced degradation of the anode material during operation. The salts are for instance alkali metal salts. Anode materials exhibit for instance <100 % of the degradation of the same anode material in the same battery when replacing the electrolyte composition with 30 weight percent (wt %) aqueous KOH and the conductivity of the electrolyte composition is for instance ?85 % of 30 wt % aqueous KOH. Anode materials are for example ABx high capacity hydrogen storage alloys comprising Mg where x is from about 0.5 to about 5 and which has a discharge capacity of ?400 mAh/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Kwo Young, Shuli Yan, Simon K. Y. Ng
  • Patent number: 10333169
    Abstract: A magnesium-ion battery containing an anode of magnesium metal, a cathode, capable of absorption and release of Na ions; and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a sodium ion salt selected from NaHMDS, NaPF6 and a sodium carborane and a magnesium ion salt selected from PhMgCl—AlCl3 (APC), a Mg carborane, and MgHMDS—Cl is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen Ling, Ruigang Zhang, Rana Mohtadi, Oscar Tutusaus