Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Kawaoka

Hirokazu Kawaoka 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: 11404685
    Abstract: Copper reacts with a sulfide solid electrolyte to generate copper sulfide when an anode current collector layer made from copper, and an anode mixture layer containing the sulfide solid electrolyte are used to compose an anode, and the resistance of the interface between the anode current collector layer and the anode mixture layer increases. To alloy an anode current collector layer to lower the reactivity to a sulfide solid electrolyte, specifically, an anode includes: an anode mixture layer; and an anode current collector layer that is in contact with the anode mixture layer, wherein the anode mixture layer contains an anode active material and a sulfide solid electrolyte, and at least a surface of the anode current collector layer is made from material that contains an alloy of copper and metal of a higher ionization tendency than copper, the surface being in contact with the anode mixture layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuru Tateishi, Yusuke Okuhata, Hajime Hasegawa, Hirokazu Kawaoka, Hideaki Miyake
  • Patent number: 11322808
    Abstract: A secondary battery module showing excellent packing efficiency which makes it possible to connect a secondary battery and a charge/discharge device with a stably low resistance without any unnecessary deformation of the secondary battery or an electrode terminal is disclosed. The secondary battery module includes a plurality of stack units, each of the stack units including: at least one non-conductive plate member; at least one conductive member fixed to the plate member; a secondary battery stacked on the plate member; and at least one electrode terminal sticking out of a side face of the secondary battery, and held by the conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Yamashita, Hirokazu Kawaoka, Sumiko Kito, Nagato Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20220115754
    Abstract: A secondary battery module showing excellent packing efficiency which makes it possible to connect a secondary battery and a charge/discharge device with a stably low resistance without any unnecessary deformation of the secondary battery or an electrode terminal is disclosed. The secondary battery module includes a plurality of stack units, each of the stack units including: at least one non-conductive plate member; at least one conductive member fixed to the plate member; a secondary battery stacked on the plate member; and at least one electrode terminal sticking out of a side face of the secondary battery, and held by the conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Yuji YAMASHITA, Hirokazu KAWAOKA, Sumiko KITO, Nagato NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210313554
    Abstract: An exterior body envelops an electrode lamination portion by a laminate film or a plurality of laminate films. The exterior body has a mating surface obtained by superimposing portions of an inside surface of the laminate film or inside surfaces of the laminate films on each other and heat-sealing a thermoplastic resin layer to the inside surface or each of the inside surfaces, around the electrode lamination portion. A positive electrode collection tab and a negative electrode collection tab stick out from the mating surface beyond the laminate film or the laminate films. The exterior body has a metal exposure portion for inspecting a potential of a metal sheet of the laminate film or each of the laminate films, at least partially outside the mating surface around the electrode lamination portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu KAWAOKA
  • Publication number: 20200384013
    Abstract: The present application provides a composition for improving a symptom of spine/spinal cord injury in a subject, the composition comprising molecular hydrogen as an active ingredient; and a method for improving a symptom of spine/spinal cord injury in a subject, the method comprising administering the composition to the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kawaoka, Yusuke Ichikawa, Fumitake Satoh
  • Publication number: 20200335764
    Abstract: A secondary battery module showing excellent packing efficiency which makes it possible to connect a secondary battery and a charge/discharge device with a stably low resistance without any unnecessary deformation of the secondary battery or an electrode terminal is disclosed. The secondary battery module includes a plurality of stack units, each of the stack units including: at least one non-conductive plate member; at least one conductive member fixed to the plate member; a secondary battery stacked on the plate member; and at least one electrode terminal sticking out of a side face of the secondary battery, and held by the conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Yuji YAMASHITA, Hirokazu KAWAOKA, Sumiko KITO, Nagato NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20190305294
    Abstract: Copper reacts with a sulfide solid electrolyte to generate copper sulfide when an anode current collector layer made from copper, and an anode mixture layer containing the sulfide solid electrolyte are used to compose an anode, and the resistance of the interface between the anode current collector layer and the anode mixture layer increases. To alloy an anode current collector layer to lower the reactivity to a sulfide solid electrolyte, specifically, an anode includes: an anode mixture layer; and an anode current collector layer that is in contact with the anode mixture layer, wherein the anode mixture layer contains an anode active material and a sulfide solid electrolyte, and at least a surface of the anode current collector layer is made from material that contains an alloy of copper and metal of a higher ionization tendency than copper, the surface being in contact with the anode mixture layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuru TATEISHI, Yusuke OKUHATA, Hajime HASEGAWA, Hirokazu KAWAOKA, Hideaki MIYAKE
  • Patent number: 10033035
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing active material composite particles having a dense coating layer. In the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing a method for producing an active material composite particle, the method comprising steps of: a coating step of coating a surface of an active material with a precursor solution of a Li ion conductive oxide to form a precursor layer; a heat treatment step of performing heat treatment on the precursor layer to form a coating layer comprising the Li ion conductive oxide; and a compression shearing treatment step of performing compression shearing treatment on the coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Uchiyama, Masahiro Iwasaki, Hirokazu Kawaoka
  • Patent number: 10020535
    Abstract: A method for producing a sulfide glass ceramic, including reacting a lithium compound, a phosphorus compound and a halogen compound in a solvent that contains a hydrocarbon and an ether compound to produce a sulfide glass that contains a Li element, a P element, a S element and one or more halogen elements, and heating the sulfide glass to produce a sulfide glass ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignees: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Sato, Takayoshi Kambara, Takumi Tanaka, Hirokazu Kawaoka, Takuo Yanagi, Takayoshi Doi, Takayuki Uchiyama, Shigenori Hama
  • Patent number: 9868645
    Abstract: The object of the disclosure is to provide a method for efficiently producing fine particles with low crystal growth of the raw material components, in particular fine particles with a plurality of raw material components in a highly complexed state and having low crystal growth, without blockage of the nozzle. The method of the disclosure for producing particles includes injecting a good solvent solution that includes a good solvent and one or more raw material components dissolved in the good solvent, with a nozzle into a precipitating poor solvent that has been heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of the good solvent, to evaporate the good solvent solution and precipitate a plurality of particles, and running a cleansing poor solvent through the nozzle before starting and after completing injection of the good solvent solution into the precipitating poor solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuo Yanagi, Hirokazu Kawaoka
  • Patent number: 9776880
    Abstract: The object of the disclosure is to provide a method for efficiently producing fine particles with low crystal growth of the raw material components, in particular fine particles with a plurality of raw material components in a highly complexed state and having low crystal growth, without blockage of the nozzle. The method of the disclosure for producing particles includes injecting a good solvent solution that includes a good solvent and one or more raw material components dissolved in the good solvent, with a nozzle into a precipitating poor solvent that has been heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of the good solvent, to evaporate the good solvent solution and precipitate a plurality of particles, and running a cleansing poor solvent through the nozzle before starting and after completing injection of the good solvent solution into the precipitating poor solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuo Yanagi, Hirokazu Kawaoka
  • Publication number: 20170152150
    Abstract: The object of the disclosure is to provide a method for efficiently producing fine particles with low crystal growth of the raw material components, in particular fine particles with a plurality of raw material components in a highly complexed state and having low crystal growth, without blockage of the nozzle. The method of the disclosure for producing particles includes injecting a good solvent solution that includes a good solvent and one or more raw material components dissolved in the good solvent, with a nozzle into a precipitating poor solvent that has been heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of the good solvent, to evaporate the good solvent solution and precipitate a plurality of particles, and running a cleansing poor solvent through the nozzle before starting and after completing injection of the good solvent solution into the precipitating poor solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuo YANAGI, Hirokazu KAWAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170155170
    Abstract: A method for producing a sulfide glass ceramic, including reacting a lithium compound, a phosphorus compound and a halogen compound in a solvent that contains a hydrocarbon and an ether compound to produce a sulfide glass that contains a Li element, a P element, a S element and one or more halogen elements, and heating the sulfide glass to produce a sulfide glass ceramic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicants: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi SATO, Takayoshi KAMBARA, Takumi TANAKA, Hirokazu KAWAOKA, Takuo YANAGI, Takayoshi DOI, Takayuki UCHIYAMA, Shigenori HAMA
  • Publication number: 20160268596
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing active material composite particles having a dense coating layer. In the present invention, the above object is achieved by providing a method for producing an active material composite particle, the method comprising steps of: a coating step of coating a surface of an active material with a precursor solution of a Li ion conductive oxide to form a precursor layer; a heat treatment step of performing heat treatment on the precursor layer to form a coating layer comprising the Li ion conductive oxide; and a compression shearing treatment step of performing compression shearing treatment on the coating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki UCHIYAMA, Masahiro IWASAKI, Hirokazu KAWAOKA
  • Patent number: 8917095
    Abstract: A sulfide-based solid electrolyte cell which can efficiently detect its deterioration, a cell pack equipped with the cell, a vehicle system equipped with the cell pack, and a method for detecting hydrogen sulfide. A sulfide-based solid electrolyte cell including at least one or more power generation units each including a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte present between the positive and negative electrodes, and a cell case which houses the power generation units, wherein at least one of the positive electrode, negative electrode and electrolyte includes a sulfur material, and wherein at least one of a current collector which constitutes a charging and discharging path, a lead which constitutes a charging and discharging path, and a lead which is connected to a circuit that is attached to the charging and discharging path, includes a material which chemically reacts with hydrogen sulfide to change electrical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kawaoka, Hiroshi Nagase
  • Patent number: 8679664
    Abstract: The present invention is a battery comprising: a power section containing a sulfur-based material; a distinguishing section which discolors by chemical reaction with hydrogen sulfide; and an exterior body incorporating the power section and the distinguishing section, the distinguishing section being observable from outside the exterior body. By checking discoloration of the distinguishing section or the distinguishing means, it is possible to easily detect the presence or absence of hydrogen sulfide in the battery and then judge deterioration of the battery with non-destructive inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kawaoka, Hiroshi Nagase, Yasuyuki Tamane
  • Patent number: 8579994
    Abstract: A method for producing a solid-state cell which makes it possible to produce a highly reliable solid-state cell that suppresses a decrease in the thickness of the solid electrolyte layer and a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes, and which is highly flexible in the size and shape of the solid electrolyte layer and electrodes. The method comprising: a structure preparing step for preparing a first structure, a second structure, or a third structure, a solid electrolyte material powder layer, and a positive electrode material powder layer are stacked, in this sequence; an insulating member disposing step for disposing a heat-resistant insulating member which is in contact with an outer periphery of the structure in the stacking direction of the structure and surrounds the outer periphery; and a heat-compressing step for heat-compressing the structure and heat-resistant insulating member, in the stacking direction of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kawaoka, Hiroyasu Kado
  • Patent number: 8512888
    Abstract: The present invention provides a current collector, a battery including the current collector, which are capable of increasing energy density or output density and improving productivity or stability; it also provides a method for producing the current collector and a method for producing the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kawaoka
  • Publication number: 20120328921
    Abstract: The present invention provides a current collector, a battery including the current collector, which are capable of increasing energy density or output density and improving productivity or stability; it also provides a method for producing the current collector and a method for producing the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kawaoka
  • Patent number: 8337948
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a film-formed body wherein a second film is formed by suppressing influence of existence/absence of a first film, at the time of forming the second film by making fine particles collide and deposited on a second film forming surface on a substrate whereupon the first film has been already formed. A film-formed body is provided with a foil-like substrate having a first film-forming surface and a second film-forming surface; a first film formed on a part of the first film-forming surface; and a second film formed at least on a part of the second film-forming surface. The first film includes an overlapping section which overlaps with the second film when viewed in the thickness direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kawaoka