Patents Examined by Zachary Best
  • Patent number: 9130218
    Abstract: Redox flow batteries (RFB) have attracted considerable interest due to their ability to store large amounts of power and energy. Non-aqueous energy storage systems that utilize at least some aspects of RFB systems are attractive because they can offer an expansion of the operating potential window, which can improve on the system energy and power densities. One example of such systems has a separator separating first and second electrodes. The first electrode includes a first current collector and volume containing a first active material. The second electrode includes a second current collector and volume containing a second active material. During operation, the first source provides a flow of first active material to the first volume. The first active material includes a redox active organic compound dissolved in a non-aqueous, liquid electrolyte and the second active material includes a redox active metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Wei Wang, Wu Xu, Liyu Li, Zhenguo Yang
  • Patent number: 9088042
    Abstract: A battery pack is disclosed. An embodiment of the battery pack includes a bare cell comprising a first surface, a positive electrode and a negative electrode; a circuit module disposed over the first surface and comprising a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal; a first lead plate disposed over the first surface and coupled to the positive electrode and the positive electrode terminal; and a second lead plate disposed over the first surface and coupled to the negative electrode and the negative electrode terminal; wherein the first surface of the bare cell is curved, and each lead plate has a curvature conforming to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyungho Park
  • Patent number: 9088023
    Abstract: An end cover assembly of battery includes a battery end cover, a terminal substrate, an airtight insulating pad and a secure assembly. The battery end cover has first and second surfaces and a first opening. The terminal substrate is disposed on the first surface of the battery end cover and has a protrusion portion and a airtight ring, wherein the protrusion portion penetrate through the battery end cover through the first opening, and the airtight ring is disposed towards the battery end cover around the protrusion portion. The airtight insulating pad is sandwiched between the terminal substrate and the battery end cover. The secure assembly is disposed on the second surface of the battery end cover to collaborate with the terminal substrate for fixing the battery end cover and making the battery end cover and the airtight ring to press the airtight insulating pad to achieve an airtight effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventor: Sheng-Fa Yeh
  • Patent number: 9085693
    Abstract: An electrode for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery including the same, the electrode including a polyamide imide (PAI)-based binder, wherein a 1,3-benzenediamine peak is not observed when a composition including components extracted from the electrode by a solvent capable of dissolving the polyamideimide (PAI)-based binder is analyzed with pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) under conditions of a pyrolysis temperature of about 750 to about 780° C., a pyrolysis time of about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds, and increasing a gas chromatography oven temperature from about 40° C. to about 300° C. at a rate of about 10° C./min.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Cheol-Hee Hwang
  • Patent number: 9088025
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a secondary battery including an electrode assembly, having pluralities of electrode tabs joined to electrode leads, mounted in a receiving part of a battery case, wherein the battery case has concave steps formed at the inner upper end of the receiving part thereof between electrode tab-electrode lead coupling portions (a cathode terminal portion and an anode terminal portion) of the electrode assembly and at the inner opposite sides of the receiving part thereof corresponding to the opposite sides of the electrode assembly such that the electrode assembly is in tight contact with the concave steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wooyong Lee, Byungjin Choi, Hyang Mok Lee, Chang Bum Ahn, Jun Hwan Jang
  • Patent number: 9077023
    Abstract: A cathode active material including: a lithium manganese oxide of which primary particles has a diameter of 1 ?m or more and which has a spinel structure in which an X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak intensity ratio of I(111)/I(311) is 1.0 or more; and a boron element disposed at least one position selected from the group consisting of inside the primary particles and on surfaces of the primary particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min-Ju Kim, Yong-Chul Park, Gyeong-Jae Heo, Hyun-Deok Lee, Mi-Ran Song, Jin-Hyoung Seo, Na-Leum Yoo
  • Patent number: 9077040
    Abstract: To provide a method that is capable of suppressing absorption of lithium ions into the inner portion of a resin collector that is used in a bipolar lithium ion secondary battery. The collector for a bipolar lithium ion secondary battery of the invention has at least two conductive layers. One of the conductive layers that constitute the collector (a first conductive layer) is configured by adding a conductive filler into a base material that contains an imide group-containing resin. The other of the conductive layers that constitute the collector (a second conductive layer) is configured by adding a conductive filler into a base material that contains a polar resin containing no imide group. The collector for a bipolar lithium ion secondary battery is further characterized in that when a bipolar electrode is formed, the first conductive layer is arranged on the positive electrode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Honda, Yasuyuki Tanaka, Shigeo Ibuka, Satoru Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9065113
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a case configured to accommodate an electrode assembly, a safety vent on a first side of the case, and a film unit disposed on the first side of the case, the film unit including a first film unit covering at least a part of the safety vent, the first film unit including a break unit, and a second film unit extending from the first film unit, the second film unit being adhered to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD., ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Byung-Kyu Ahn, Yong-Sam Kim, Sang-Won Byun, Sung-Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 9065122
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to lithium-ion batteries, and more specifically, to batteries having integrated separators and methods of fabricating such batteries. In one embodiment, a lithium-ion battery having an electrode structure is provided. The lithium-ion battery comprises an anode stack, a cathode stack, and a porous electrospun polymer separator comprising a nano-fiber backbone structure. The anode stack comprises an anodic current collector and an anode structure formed over a first surface of the anodic current collector. The cathode stack comprises a cathodic current collector and a cathode structure formed over a first surface of the cathodic current collector. The porous electrospun polymer separator is positioned between the anode structure and the cathode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Mahendra C. Orilall, Raman Talwar, Karl M. Brown, Lu Yang, Hooman Bolandi, Victor Pebenito, Connie P. Wang, Robert Z. Bachrach
  • Patent number: 9059436
    Abstract: A method for producing a lithium-ion secondary battery comprising positive and negative electrodes and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution is provided. The method comprises (A) with several different negative electrode active materials, determining density Xn (g/cm3) at several different number of taps applied, n, respectively; (B) determining density Y (g/cm3) of a negative electrode active material layer constituted with a mixture comprising each negative electrode active material; (C) based on a regression line, Y=aXn+b, determining the number of taps applied, n?, that gives a?0.5 and a determination coefficient R2?0.99; (D) based on a plot of Y=aXn?+b, determining a passing range of Xn? where negative electrode active material layer density Y is in a prescribed range; (E) selecting a negative electrode active material having Xn?in the passing range, and fabricating a negative electrode with this material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Takahata, Hideki Sano
  • Patent number: 9050898
    Abstract: A battery module includes two or more battery cells and a continuous wave fin disposed between the battery cells. The construction of the wave fin is generally one-piece such that fewer parts are needed to form the battery module. In a preferred form, the wave fin is made from a high thermal conductivity material to promote removal of heat generated by the batteries during their operation. Portions of the wave fin not in direct contact with the battery cells may be placed in direct contact with a heat sink to help remove excess heat from the module. Expansion units or related additional structure may be placed, along with the various battery cells, between the generally serpentine-shaped wave fin to provide uniformity in cell spacing. A method of making one or more battery modules is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sami A. Syed, Robert J. Heydel, John G. Dorrough
  • Patent number: 9017856
    Abstract: The stacked battery includes a negative electrode (46) and a positive electrode (41). The negative electrode has a negative electrode main portion (50) and a negative electrode lead (52). The positive electrode has a positive electrode main portion (45) and a positive electrode lead (51). The negative electrode main portion and the positive electrode main portion are stacked in a thickness direction with the negative electrode lead and the positive electrode lead extending in different directions as viewed from above. The positive electrode lead is fixed to a positive electrode case. In the positive electrode lead, a break place (X) is provided outside the negative electrode main portion as viewed from above when the negative electrode and the positive electrode are placed on top of each other. The break place (X) is broken when a shock is applied to the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Suetsugu Kanai, Kazuhiro Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 9012085
    Abstract: A lithium battery (1) including a positive electrode (10) containing low-crystallinity manganese dioxide having a specific surface area of 8 to 28 m2/g as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode (11) containing metallic lithium or a lithium alloy as a negative electrode active material, and an organic electrolyte is provided. The lithium battery (1), due to said low-crystallinity manganese dioxide contained therein, has excellent storage characteristics at high temperatures of 100° C. or higher, large-current discharge characteristics, large-current pulse discharge characteristics, low-temperature discharge characteristics, and like characteristics, and in addition, is cost advantageous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Morigaki
  • Patent number: 9005811
    Abstract: A composite of silicon and tin is prepared as a negative electrode composition with increased lithium insertion capacity and durability for use with a metal current collector in cells of a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-sulfur battery. This negative electrode material is formed such that the silicon is present as a distinct amorphous phase in a matrix phase of crystalline tin. While the tin phase provides electron conductivity, both phases accommodate the insertion and extraction of lithium in the operation of the cell and both phases interact in minimizing mechanical damage to the material as the cell experiences repeated charge and discharge cycles. In general, roughly equal atomic proportions of the tin and silicon are used in forming the phase separated composite electrode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xingcheng Xiao, Anil K. Sachdev, Mark W. Verbrugge, Ping Liu, John S. Wang
  • Patent number: 8999591
    Abstract: It is possible to prevent excessive power generation of a fuel cell when a failure has occurred. When a start signal is input, a fuel cell system sets an open end voltage of the fuel cell as an initial value of the output voltage of the fuel cell corresponding to the output current zero of the fuel cell. When the failure is detected, the fuel cell system reads out the open end voltage of the preset initial value as the output voltage corresponding to the output current zero and controls the voltage so that the output voltage of the fuel cell coincides with the open end voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Umayahara, Takeshi Maenaka
  • Patent number: 8986876
    Abstract: Provided are a cap assembly for a secondary battery. The cap assembly includes a cap-up, a PTC thermistor disposed under the cap-up, a vent disposed under the PTC thermistor, and an insulating plate disposed between the vent and the cap-up and preventing contact between the vent and the PTC thermistor. Here, the vent includes a curling part bent to cover an external surface of the insulating plate. Further, the secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a can accommodating the electrode assembly and having an opening, and the cap assembly which seals the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae-Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8980501
    Abstract: A first metal separator and an electrolyte electrode assembly are stacked in a fuel cell. The first metal separator comprises a convex portion that abuts against the electrolyte electrode assembly, and a concave portion forming an oxygen-containing gas flow channel between the electrolyte electrode assembly and the concave portion. A gold coating layer is formed on the convex portion. The gold coating layer includes a main gold coating portion and a reticulate gold coating portion that extends around the main gold coating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Utsunomiya, Teruyuki Ohtani, Toshiki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8974964
    Abstract: An oxygen reduction electrode, e.g., an air cathode, comprising manganese oxides having octahedral molecular sieve structures as active catalyst materials and use of such an electrode as a component of a metal-air cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Spectrum Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Akshaya Kumar Padhi, Denis D. Carpenter, Jeffrey A. Poirier
  • Patent number: 8968909
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fibrous separation membrane for secondary batteries, comprising: a polymer layer which partially melts and blocks pores thereof thus cutting off electric current when a temperature of a secondary battery is increased; and heat-resistant resin layers applied on both sides of the polymer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sun Ok Kim, Young Seuck Yoo, Jin Wook Na
  • Patent number: 8968900
    Abstract: A battery holder apparatus and method includes a sleeve with an inside surface and an outside surface where the sleeve is flexible. A battery receiving space is created within the sleeve where the battery receiving space expands and the sleeve flexes to accommodate a battery when inserted therein and the inside surface at least partially contacts the battery. And a connection device is provided on the outside surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: QMotion Incorporated
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Christopher Lee Wysoczynski, Harry Edward Asbury