Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Urushibata

Hiroaki Urushibata 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: 6482544
    Abstract: A battery package including laminate sheets adhered each other along their peripheral to form a container portion for receiving an electrode assembly and a seal portion. The seal portion surrounds the container portion and protrudes outwardly from side faces of the container portion. The seal portion has enough width to maintain the container portion free from moisture for long periods of time. The laminate sheets include a heat-adhesive polymer layer and a metal layer which stops moisture and provides a shape-maintaining ability to the laminar sheets. The seal portion is folded or curled to reduce a projection area of the battery package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan Storage Battery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Shiota, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Shoji Yoshioka, Makiko Kise, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Michio Murai, Kenji Kawaguchi, Hironori Ozaki, Hideo Ichimura, Masaharu Moriyasu, Shinji Nakadeguchi, Takashi Nishimura, Hisashi Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 6472105
    Abstract: An adhesive for batteries. The adhesive has improved wetting properties, improved adhesive strength and prevents deterioration of battery performance. Secondary batteries can be obtained having an arbitrary shape such as a thin shape with high reliability and high charge and discharge efficiency. The adhesive includes a thermoplastic resin, a solvent capable of dissolving the resin and a neutral and aprotic surfactant. The surfactant includes a polysiloxene skeleton. The adhesive is used in batteries for adhering an active material layer joined to a current collector to a separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michio Murai, Takayuki Inuzuka, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Kouji Hamano
  • Patent number: 6458483
    Abstract: A lithium ion secondary battery having an electrode body including a positive electrode made of a positive electrode active material layer joined to a current collector, a negative electrode made of a negative electrode active material layer joined to a current collector, a separator which is disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and retains an electrolytic solution containing lithium ions, and a porous adhesive resin layer which retains the electrolytic solution and joins the separator to at least one of the positive electrode active material layer and to the negative electrode active material layer, the electrode body being sealed into a packaging bag, wherein an adhesive resin film capable of absorbing the electrolytic solution and gelling adheres the electrode body to the packaging bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Hamano, Osamu Hiroi, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Shoji Yoshioka, Hisashi Shiota, Makiko Kise, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Sei Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 6440605
    Abstract: Conventional batteries have a problem that, in case the battery temperature should rise to or above a temperature at which the separator melts or flows due to an internal short-circuit, etc., a large short-circuit current develops to generate heat at the part where the separator flows. It follows that the battery temperature further increases, which can result in a further increase of the short-circuit current. The invention has been completed to solve the abovementioned problem. It is an object of the invention to provide an electrode which increases its resistivity with temperature, a method of fabricating the electrode, and a battery using the electrode. Specifically, the electrode of the invention contains a resin which is in contact with an active material or a conducting agent and expands in volume with a rise in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makiko Kise, Syoji Yoshioka, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hisashi Shiota, Takashi Nishimura, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura
  • Patent number: 6440608
    Abstract: Conventional batteries have a problem that, in case the battery temperature should rise due to an internal short-circuit, etc., a large short-circuit current develops to generate heat. It follows that the battery temperature further increases, which can result in a further increase of the short-circuit current. The battery of the invention, which has been completed to solve the problem, is a battery in which a positive electrode (1) has an active material containing nickel, at least one of the positive electrode (1) and a negative electrode (2) has an active material layer (6) comprising an active material (8) and an electron conductive material (9) in contact with the active material (8), and an electrolyte layer (3) is interposed between the positive electrode (1) and the negative electrode (2), wherein the electron conductive material (9) contains a conductive filler and a resin so that the electrode is designed to increase its resistivity with a temperature rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Yoshioka, Makiko Kise, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Takashi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20020109126
    Abstract: Conventional batteries have the following problem. When the battery temperature rises above a temperature at which the separator melts and flows due to an internal short-circuit, etc., a large short-circuit current generates between the positive and negative electrodes at portions where the separator flows to cause heat generation to further raise the battery temperature. As a result, the short-circuit current further increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makiko Kise, Shoji Yoshioka, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hisashi Shiota, Hideo Horibe, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura
  • Publication number: 20020102456
    Abstract: Conventional batteries are disadvantageous in that a firm outer case must be used to maintain an electrical connection between electrodes, which has been an obstacle to size reduction. Those in which each electrode and a separator are joined with an adhesive resin suffer from conflict between adhesive strength and battery characteristics. To solve these problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a battery which requires no outer case so as to realize reduction in thickness and weight and yet exhibits excellence in both battery characteristics and adhesive strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Kouji Hamano, Michio Murai, Takayuki Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 6399252
    Abstract: An electrode for a battery which increases resistivity with increasing temperature. The electrode has an electron conductive material containing a conductive filler and a resin so as to increase its resistivity with increasing temperature. This solves the problem of the prior art where the battery temperature rises above a temperature at which the separator melts and flows due to an internal short circuit, with a large short circuit current being generated between the positive and negative electrodes at portions where the separator flows to cause heat generation to further increase the battery temperature. As a result, the short circuit current increases further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makiko Kise, Shoji Yoshioka, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hisashi Shiota, Hideo Horibe, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura
  • Publication number: 20020058182
    Abstract: An electrode in which an active material 11 or 7, an electron conducting material 12 or a current collector 5 or 6 has PTC characteristics is used as at least one of positive and negative electrodes 1 and 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Shiota, Hiroaki Urushibata, Tetsuo Mitani, Fusaoki Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 6387565
    Abstract: Conventional batteries are disadvantageous in that a firm outer case must be used to maintain an electrical connection between electrodes, which has been an obstacle to size reduction. Those in which each electrode and a separator are joined with an adhesive resin suffer from conflict between adhesive strength and battery characteristics. To solve these problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a battery which requires no outer case so as to realize reduction in thickness and weight and yet exhibits excellence in both battery characteristics and adhesive strength. A positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator are joined via an adhesive resin layer having at least one adhesive resin layer containing a filler. The adhesive resin layer has pores, which are filled with an electrolytic solution to exhibit sufficient ion conductivity thereby to improve battery characteristics and to retain adhesive strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Kouji Hamano, Michio Murai, Takayuki Inuzuka
  • Publication number: 20020055038
    Abstract: Conventional batteries are disadvantageous in that a firm outer case must be used to maintain an electrical connection between electrodes, which has been an obstacle to size reduction. Those in which each electrode and a separator are joined with an adhesive resin suffer from conflict between adhesive strength and battery characteristics, particularly ion conductivity and internal resistivity. To solve these problems, it is an object of the invention to reduce resistance between electrodes, i.e., internal resistance of a battery to improve battery characteristics while securing both insulation function against electron conduction and ion conductivity between electrodes and also to maintain adhesive strength enough to firmly join the electrodes thereby to provide a light, compact and thin battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: SHIGERU AIHARA, DAIGO TAKEMURA, HISASHI SHIOTA, JUN ARAGANE, HIROAKI URUSHIBATA, YASUHIRO YOSHIDA, KOUJI HAMANO, MICHIO MURAI, TAKAYUKI INUZUKA
  • Publication number: 20020048704
    Abstract: An adhesive for batteries a solution of which has improved wetting properties, which affords improved adhesive strength and prevents deterioration of battery performance, and which can provide secondary batteries having an arbitrary shape, such as a thin shape, with high reliability and high charge and discharge efficiency, and a battery using the same are disclosed. An adhesive comprising a thermoplastic resin, a solvent capable of dissolving the thermoplastic resin, and a neutral and aprotic surface active agent is used as an adhesive for batteries for adhering an active material layer joined to a current collector to a separator, whereby a secondary battery which can take an arbitrary shape, such as a thin shape, with high reliability and high charge and discharge efficiency can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 1999
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: MICHIO MURAI, TAKAYUKI INUZUKA, YASUHIRO YOSHIDA, SHIGERU AIHARA, DAIGO TAKEMURA, HISASHI SHIOTA, JUN ARAGANE, HIROAKI URUSHIBATA, KOUJI HAMANO
  • Patent number: 6376125
    Abstract: An object is to provide with good productivity a practical lithium ion secondary battery which secures lightness in weight and safety without using a firm battery case and has reduced internal resistivity. The lithium ion secondary battery comprises a tabular roll type laminated electrode body in which a band-formed positive electrode (3) comprising a positive electrode active material layer (7) and a positive electrode current collector (6) alternates with a band-formed negative electrode (5) comprising a negative electrode active material layer (9) and a negative electrode current collector (10), having therebetween a band-formed rolled separator (4) which holds a lithium ion-containing electrolytic solution, the positive electrode (3) or the negative electrode (5) being adhered with two separators (4) by an adhesive layer (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Shiota, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata, Kouji Hamano, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Takayuki Inuzuka, Michio Murai
  • Patent number: 6352797
    Abstract: The invention is a high-performance lithium ion secondary battery which needs no firm case so that it is possible to reduce the size and weight and to design the shape freely and yet which secures high structural strength and safety. The method of the invention for forming a lithium ion battery comprises the step of joining a positive electrode (3) having a positive electrode active material layer (32) joined to a positive electrode current collector (31) and a negative electrode (5) having a negative electrode active material layer (52) joined to a negative electrode current collector (51) with an adhesive resin (6) comprising at least partially a plastic resin being present in parts therebetween and the step of deforming the adhesive resin (6). The method achieves simplification and improvement of productivity in forming a lithium ion battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yoshida, Michio Murai, Takayuki Inuzuka, Kouji Hamano, Hisashi Shiota, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Jun Aragane, Hiroaki Urushibata
  • Patent number: 6346345
    Abstract: An electrode in which an active material 11 or 7, an electron conducting material 12 or a current collector 5 or 6 has PTC characteristics is used as at least one of positive and negative electrodes 1 and 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Shiota, Hiroaki Urushibata, Tetsuo Mitani, Fusaoki Uchikawa
  • Publication number: 20010049050
    Abstract: A conventional battery has a problem that when a temperature of the battery reaches at least 100° C. due to internal short-circuit or the like, large short-circuit current is generated, and therefore, a temperature of the battery further increases due to exothermic reaction to increase the short-circuit current. Also, if an aluminum laminated pack and the like are used as a casing material for the purpose of lightweight and improved energy density of the battery, and if an adhesive agent is used to joint an electrode with a separator to maintain the contact thereof, there is a problem that the adhesive agent intrudes into the opening part of the separator and the opening part area and the hole diameter decrease to bring about unfavorable results for discharge load characteristics of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Aragane, Makiko Kise, Syoji Yoshioka, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Hisashi Shiota, Takashi Nishimura, Hiroaki Urushibata
  • Publication number: 20010041285
    Abstract: An electrode in which an active material 11 or 7, an electron conducting material 12 or a current collector 5 or 6 has PTC characteristics is used as at least one of positive and negative electrodes 1 and 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: HISASHI SHIOTA, HIROAKI URUSHIBATA, TETSUO MITANI, FUSAOKI UCHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20010037557
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a process for producing a lithium ion battery comprising adhering a positive and a negative electrode to an ion conducting layer (separator) with an adhesive resin thereby to obtain sufficient joint strength between the electrodes and the separator while securing ion conductivity among the positive and negative electrodes and the separator. The steps of heating an adhesive liquid (4) which is a mixture of a solvent and a resin and in which the resin is not completely dissolved at or below room temperature and applying the heated adhesive liquid to the adhesive surface of the separator (3) or of the electrode (1 or 2), superposing the separator and the electrodes with their adhesive surfaces facing each other, and drying the applied adhesive liquid are carried out in order. The solubility of the resin is increased when the adhesive liquid is to be applied to make uniform application feasible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: YASUHIRO YOSHIDA, MICHIO MURAI, TAKAYUKI INUZUKA, SHIGERU AIHARA, DAIGO TAKEMURA, HISASHI SHIOTA, JUN ARAGANE, HIROAKI URUSHIBATA, KOUJI HAMANO
  • Publication number: 20010036575
    Abstract: The battery of the present invention comprises the electrode which contains the pre-determined amount of electronically conductive material at which resistance increases in accordance with temperature rise and conductive agent; the electrode wherein the ratio of the total amount of the electronically conductive material and the conductive agent to the active material is set to a pre-determined value; and the electrode wherein the average particle size of the conductive agent based on the average particle size of the electronically conductive material is in a pre-determined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makiko Kise, Syoji Yoshioka, Hironori Kuriki, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Takashi Nishimura, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura
  • Patent number: 6306540
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrolytic solution excellent in stability, and also relates to a battery excellent in battery performance and having an outer structure having light weight. The electrolytic solution contains a supporting electrolyte and a gas formation inhibitor in the solvent. The gas formation inhibitor contains a decomposition product of the supporting electrolyte with formation of a gas in the solvent. It functions as controlling to solution equilibrium in the electrolytic solution participating in decomposition reaction of the supporting electrolyte. A battery is obtained by filling the electrolytic solution between a positive electrode and a negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Hiroi, Kouji Hamano, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Shoji Yoshioka, Hisashi Shiota, Jun Aragane, Shigeru Aihara, Daigo Takemura, Takashi Nishimura, Makiko Kise, Hiroaki Urushibata, Hiroshi Adachi