Patents by Inventor Brian J. Koch

Brian J. Koch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12148897
    Abstract: A monitoring assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium battery includes a porous sensory structure and a transducer. The porous sensory structure includes a sensory layer disposed on a major surface of a porous separator and a buffer layer disposed between the sensory layer and a facing surface of a negative electrode layer. The buffer layer electrically isolates the sensory layer from the facing surface of the negative electrode layer. The sensory layer includes an electrically conductive material and is configured to produce a response to an input signal or to a physical stimulus received within the electrochemical cell. The transducer is configured to process the response produced by the sensory layer to generate an output signal indicative of a diagnostic condition within the electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Gayatri V. Dadheech, Mark W. Verbrugge, Alok Warey, James R. Salvador, Robert D. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 12113184
    Abstract: A method of making a reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes providing a subassembly including a separator layer and a current collector layer coupled to the separator layer. The method further includes providing an electrode ink including an electroactive material, a binder, and a solvent. The method further includes creating a reference electrode precursor by applying an electroactive precursor layer to the current collector layer. The electroactive precursor layer covers greater than or equal to about 90% of a superficial surface area of a surface of the current collector layer. The electroactive precursor layer includes the electrode ink. The method further includes creating the reference electrode assembly by drying the electroactive precursor layer to remove at least a portion of the solvent, thereby forming an electroactive layer. The electroactive layer is solid and porous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Zhe Li, Alfred Zhang, Gayatri V. Dadheech
  • Publication number: 20240258657
    Abstract: A vehicle battery includes a pouch cell configured to provide power to at least one power system of a vehicle, and multiple electrode foils stacked together at least partially within the pouch cell. Each of the multiple electrode foils includes a foil extension at an end of the electrode foil, a first group of foil extensions are connected together via a first ultrasonic weld to define a first foil extension weld portion, and a second group of foil extensions are connected together via a second ultrasonic weld to define a second foil extension weld portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Hui-ping WANG, Hui WANG, Masound MOHAMMADPOUR, Lu HUANG, Jing GAO, Brian J. KOCH
  • Patent number: 12002932
    Abstract: A method of reforming a negative electrode layer of a secondary lithium battery may include execution of a reforming cycle that reforms a major facing surface of the negative electrode layer by eliminating at least a portion of a lithium dendrite or other lithium-containing surface irregularity that has formed on the major facing surface of the negative electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Xingcheng Xiao, Brian J. Koch
  • Patent number: 11973200
    Abstract: A reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium ion battery and methods of manufacturing the same. The reference electrode assembly includes a porous membrane having a major surface and a porous reference structure deposited on the major surface of the porous membrane. The porous reference structure includes a porous carbon layer and a porous reference electrode layer that at least partially overlaps the porous carbon layer on the major surface of the porous membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gayatri V. Dadheech, Mark W. Verbrugge, Alok Warey, Brian J. Koch, Jing Gao
  • Publication number: 20240072565
    Abstract: A battery charging system includes a charger that is dynamically controlled during charging, including during rapid charging events that include elevated voltage and/or elevated current levels. The charger is connectable to a battery cell of a rechargeable energy storage system. Operation includes transferring electric power having a charging current at a maximum charging rate to the battery cell. An anode potential offset setpoint is determined. A predicted anode potential offset is determined at an interface between the anode and the separator based upon the cell voltage for the battery cell. The charger is controlled to transfer the electric power to the battery cell based upon a temperature distribution in the battery cell and a difference between the anode potential offset setpoint and the predicted anode potential offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Han Zhang, Taylor R. Garrick, Brian J. Koch
  • Publication number: 20240061023
    Abstract: A system for in-situ mapping of electrode potential and thermal distribution is provided. The system includes a test device. The test device includes an anode, a cathode, a reference electrode, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode, and a voltage potential sensor configured for monitoring a voltage potential at a first position upon one of the anode or the cathode as compared to a voltage potential of the reference electrode. The system further includes an infrared sensor device configured for collecting data describing temperature variation across a surface of one of the anode or the cathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Taylor R. Garrick, Wei Zeng
  • Publication number: 20230402687
    Abstract: A battery cell includes an anode, a cathode, a liquid electrolyte, and a battery cell case. The battery cell case is configured to house the anode, the cathode, and the liquid electrolyte and includes a case interior wall arranged proximate one of the anode and the cathode, a battery case ceiling, and a battery case floor catching and collecting the liquid electrolyte due to force of gravity. The case interior wall defines a pattern of surface tension varying between hydrophobic and hydrophilic along the case interior wall between the battery case floor and the battery cell ceiling. The pattern of surface tension thereby facilitates self-propulsion of the liquid electrolyte in opposition to the force of gravity and a predetermined distribution of the liquid electrolyte along the battery cell wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Yanyan Zhang, Zhe Li, Daniel J. Wilson, Xingcheng Xiao
  • Publication number: 20230402866
    Abstract: The concepts herein provide a method and associated system for charging a battery, such as a vehicle battery that is part of a propulsion system. The method includes determining a charging current profile for a lithium metal anode of the battery, determining an increasing current charging protocol based upon the charging current profile and charging the battery based upon the increasing current charging protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch
  • Publication number: 20230368367
    Abstract: A system for inspecting a battery component includes a heating device configured to heat a surface of the battery component to a selected temperature, an optical-visible imaging device configured to take an optical image of the surface, a thermal imaging device configured to take a thermal image of the surface, and a processor configured to acquire the optical image and the thermal image. The processor is configured to correlate the thermal image with the optical image, identify a feature of interest in at least one of the optical image and the thermal image, determine a geometric characteristic and a temperature characteristic associated with the feature of interest, and determine whether the feature of interest is a defect based on the geometric characteristic and the temperature characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Wei Zeng, Scott E. Parrish, Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Xingcheng Xiao
  • Patent number: 11813958
    Abstract: A vehicle, and a balancing device and method of controlling a state of charge of a reference electrode in a battery. The balancing device includes a measurement circuit and a charging circuit. The measurement circuit is configured to obtain a measurement of a reference voltage of the reference electrode. The charging circuit is configured to adjust the reference voltage based on the measurement. The state of charge of the reference electrode is controlled based on the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Koch, Jing Gao, Alfred Zhang, Alok Warey, Jason Graetz, Chia-Ming Chang, Daniel M. Zehnder, Patrick J. Webb, Souren Soukiazian
  • Publication number: 20230291077
    Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack reference electrodes, methods for making/using such devices, and battery cells with stacked electrodes segregated by electrode separator assemblies including thermal barriers and built-in reference electrodes. An electrochemical device, such as a lithium-class secondary battery cell, includes an insulated and sealed housing with an ion-conducting electrolyte located inside the housing. A stack of working electrodes is also located inside the device housing, in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte. At least one electrode separator assembly is located inside the device housing, interposed between a neighboring pair of (anode and cathode) working electrodes. The electrode separator assembly includes a separator layer fabricated with an electrically insulating material that is sufficiently porous to transmit therethrough the ions of the electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Xingcheng Xiao, Mark W. Verbrugge
  • Publication number: 20230282805
    Abstract: A reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell includes a separator constructed from an electrically-insulating porous material. The reference electrode assembly also includes a current collector having a sputtered electrically-conducting porous layer arranged directly on the separator and a sputtered lithium iron phosphate (LFP) layer arranged directly on the electrically-conducting porous layer. The reference electrode assembly additionally includes an electrical contact connected to the current collector. A method using successive vacuum deposition of individual layers onto the separator is employed in fabricating the reference electrode assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gayatri V. Dadheech, Mark W. Verbrugge, Brian J. Koch, Jing Gao, Alok Warey
  • Publication number: 20230253638
    Abstract: A system for detecting a lithium dendrite in a battery cell is provided. The system includes the battery cell including an anode and a cathode. The battery cell further includes a conductive prewarning layer disposed between the anode and the cathode and constructed with a porous material. The battery cell further includes a separator layer disposed between the conductive prewarning layer and the cathode, wherein the separator layer is configured for allowing ions to pass through the separator layer. The system further includes a sensor electrically connected to the anode and the conductive prewarning layer and monitoring data related to a voltage potential between the anode and the conductive prewarning layer. The data is useful to identify a decrease in the voltage potential between the anode and the conductive prewarning layer and diagnose existence of the lithium dendrite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gayatri Vyas Dadheech, Mark W. Verbrugge, Brian J. Koch, Jing Gao, Alok Warey
  • Publication number: 20230253637
    Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack pressure sensors, methods for making/using such devices, and battery cells with electrode stacks having an electrode separator assembly with a piezoelectric layer for in-stack pressure sensing and dendrite cleaning. An electric machine, such as a lithium-class secondary battery cell for example, includes a device housing with an ion-conducting electrolyte located inside the device housing. A stack of working electrodes is also located inside the device housing, in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte. At least one electrode separator assembly is located inside the device housing, interposed between a neighboring pair of the working electrodes. The electrode separator assembly includes a pair of separator layers that transmit therethrough the ions of the electrolyte, and a piezoelectric layer that is interposed between the two separator layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Zhe Li, Xingcheng Xiao, Brian J. Koch, Michael A Lelli, Dave G. Rich
  • Patent number: 11710864
    Abstract: A method of making a reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell according to various aspects of the present disclosure includes providing a subassembly including a separator layer and a current collector layer coupled to the separator layer. The method further includes providing an electrode ink including an electroactive material, a binder, and a solvent. The method further includes creating a reference electrode precursor by applying an electroactive precursor layer to the current collector layer. The electroactive precursor layer covers greater than or equal to about 90% of a superficial surface area of a surface of the current collector layer. The electroactive precursor layer includes the electrode ink. The method further includes creating the reference electrode assembly by drying the electroactive precursor layer to remove at least a portion of the solvent, thereby forming an electroactive layer. The electroactive layer is solid and porous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Zhe Li, Alfred Zhang, Gayatri V. Dadheech
  • Patent number: 11691531
    Abstract: A battery system includes a rechargeable energy storage system and a battery controller. The rechargeable energy storage system has a rapid charging mode and a discharging mode. The battery controller is electrically coupled to the rechargeable energy storage system and is configured to store multiple charging tables that contain multiple charge current limit entries, where each charging table corresponds to a unique one of multiple initial state-of-charge values, determine a starting state-of-charge value of the rechargeable energy storage system in response to entering the rapid charging mode, select up to two charging tables in response to the starting state-of-charge value of the rechargeable energy storage system being adjacent to up to two of the initial state-of-charge values, and control a charging current provided to the rechargeable energy storage system based on the charge current limit entries in the up to two charging tables as selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Orlando Ward-Santos, Brian J. Koch
  • Patent number: 11658304
    Abstract: Composite reference electrode substrates and relating methods are provided. The composite reference electrode substrate includes a separator portion and a current collector portion adjacent to the separator portion. A method for forming the reference electrode substrate includes anodizing one or more surfaces of a first side of an aluminum foil so as to form a porous separator portion disposed adjacent to a porous current collector portion. The porous separator portion includes aluminum oxide, and the current collector portion includes the aluminum foil. The separator portion and the current collector portion each have a porosity of greater than or equal to about 10 vol. % to less than or equal to about 80 vol. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yucong Wang, Zhe Li, Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch
  • Publication number: 20230091154
    Abstract: Presented are electrochemical devices with in-stack sensor arrays, methods for making/using such electrochemical devices, and lithium-class battery cells with stacked electrode assemblies having in-stack sensor arrays. An electrochemical device includes a device housing that stores an electrolyte composition for conducting ions. An electrode stack, which is located inside the device housing in electrochemical contact with the electrolyte, includes at least two working electrodes. An electrically insulating and ionically transmissive separator is interposed between each neighboring pair of working electrodes. A reference electrode is attached to one side of the separator and connected to multiple electrical sensing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jing Gao, Brian J. Koch, Taylor R. Garrick
  • Publication number: 20230090433
    Abstract: A vehicle, and a balancing device and method of controlling a state of charge of a reference electrode in a battery. The balancing device includes a measurement circuit and a charging circuit. The measurement circuit is configured to obtain a measurement of a reference voltage of the reference electrode. The charging circuit is configured to adjust the reference voltage based on the measurement. The state of charge of the reference electrode is controlled based on the reference voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Brian J. Koch, Jing Gao, Alfred Zhang, Alok Warey, Jason Graetz, Chia-Ming Chang, Daniel M. Zehnder, Patrick J. Webb, Souren Soukiazian