Patents by Inventor Ikuo Yonezu
Ikuo Yonezu 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).
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Patent number: 6492054Abstract: A water-retaining layer is formed to coat the top of ribs of a ribbed plate which is to be disposed, as a component of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, on at least one surface of a cell which includes an electrolyte membrane and two electrodes disposed on two surfaces of the electrolyte membrane. The water-retaining layer is formed by: generating a mixture by dissolving a resin-carbon mixture into a solvent; applying the mixture using a spray to a surface of the ribbed plate having the ribs; and drying the applied mixture at a certain temperature. The ability to retain water in the water-retaining layer per unit active area of the electrodes is desirably in the range of 0.002 to 0.035 g/cm2, and more desirably, in the range of 0.01 to 0.03 g/cm2.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1999Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Karakane, Takashi Yasuo, Shigeru Sakamoto, Yasunori Yoshimoto, Yasuo Miyake, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Patent number: 6492063Abstract: In a lithium secondary battery of this invention, the negative electrode uses, as an active material, an alloy including an A phase of a first intermetallic compound (A), and a B phase of a second intermetallic compound (B) having the same constituent elements as and a different composition from the first intermetallic compound (A) and/or a C phase consisting of one of the constituent elements of the first intermetallic compound (A), and at least one of the A phase, the B phase and the C phase is capable of electrochemically absorbing and discharging lithium ions. Thus, the lithium secondary battery can exhibit good charge-discharge cycle performance.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2000Date of Patent: December 10, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Ikeda, Masahisa Fujimoto, Shin Fujitani, Takuya Hashimoto, Yasuhiko Itoh, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020177046Abstract: In an alkaline secondary battery provided with a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator to be interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an alkaline electrolyte solution, the above-mentioned separator has double bond of carbon. Further, an average amount of double bond of carbon in the gram of separator is in the range of 10 &mgr;mol/g to 200 &mgr;mol/g, and an average amount of increased nitrogen in the gram of separator after the separator is immersed in an alkaline aqueous solution having ammonium salt dissolved therein is not less than 140 &mgr;g/g.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuyuki Harada, Tadayoshi Tanaka, Katsuhiko Shinyama, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Patent number: 6475671Abstract: In a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode containing hydrogen absorbing alloy powder and a binding agent, employed as the binding agent is a copolymer of aromatic vinyl and at least one of acrylic ester and methacrylic acid ester, in which the total content of acrylic ester units and methacrylic acid ester units is in the range of 43 to 90% by weight of the whole copolymer, and the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode is used as a negative electrode of a nickel-metal hydride battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshinori Matsuura, Reizo Maeda, Katsuhiko Shinyama, Tadayoshi Tanaka, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Patent number: 6472101Abstract: In a nickel-metal hydride storage cell, deterioration of a cell capacity at high temperature and degradation of a cycle characteristic are suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Reizo Maeda, Katsuhiko Shinyama, Yoshinori Matsuura, Mitsuzo Nogami, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Publication number: 20020150811Abstract: A fuel cell unit having an electrolytic layer with a catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer arranged in the stated order on each principal surface is provided. The electrolytic layer is composed of a porous sheet and an electrolytic gel impregnated therein. The electrolytic gel is gel particles made of a proton conductive material. At least one of the catalyst layer and the gas diffusion layer has pores that are smaller than the electrolytic gel particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: Yoshito Chikano, Ikuo Yonezu, Yukinori Akiyama, Takaaki Matsubayashi, Shunsuke Taniguchi
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Publication number: 20020146616Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane having a cathode and a gas diffusion layer arranged in this order on one surface, and an anode and another gas diffusion layer arranged in this order on its other surface. Recently, various methods of retaining moisture produced near the cathode have been adopted to ensure proper humidification and ion conductivity within the membrane. However, under certain operating conditions, conventional fuel cells allow excessive amounts of moisture to evaporate and escape into the oxidizing gas, causing the membrane to dry up. This fuel cell was designed to solve such problems by including a first and second layer within the cathode-side gas diffusion layer. The first layer is in contact with the cathode, and the second layer, which is thicker than the first layer, is the layer along which oxidizing gas is distributed and through which oxidizing gas is passed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2002Publication date: October 10, 2002Inventors: Takashi Yasuo, Shuuichi Suzuki, Yoshito Chikano, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020142211Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprises a rolled-up electrode unit composed of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator interposed therebetween, and a negative electrode current collector plate and a positive electrode current collector plate joined to the respective ends of the electrode unit. The negative electrode collector plate is joined to an edge of the negative electrode projecting at one of the opposite ends of the electrode unit. The collector plate has a two-layer structure comprising a copper layer made of copper or an alloy consisting predominantly of copper, and a metal layer made of a metal not forming an intermetallic compound with lithium and having a lower laser beam reflectivity than copper or an alloy consisting predominantly of the metal. The collector plate has its copper layer contacted with the edge of the negative electrode and welded thereto with a laser beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2002Publication date: October 3, 2002Inventors: Naoya Nakanishi, Kouichi Satoh, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Patent number: 6458485Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell having a rolled-up electrode unit housed in a cell can and comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode each formed by coating a surface of a striplike current collector with an electrode material. According to a first embodiment, the current collector of at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode comprises a plurality of current collector pieces 42 arranged along one direction and a PTC element 5 interconnecting each pair of adjacent current collector pieces 42. Alternatively with a second embodiment, at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode comprises a PTC element held between opposed faces of an uncoated portion of the current collector thereof and a base end portion of a current collector tab. The PTC element serves to prevent continuous occurrence of a current in excess of a predetermined value and realizes a high energy density.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2001Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Yanai, Kazunari Ohkita, Katsunori Yanagida, Takeshi Maeda, Atsuhiro Funahashi, Yoshito Chikano, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Patent number: 6455195Abstract: A hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode is prepared by adding a binder to a hydrogen absorbing alloy powder and forming the mixture to a shape of an electrode, and the binder is partly or entirely made of poly N-vinyl acetamide, whereby higher high-rate discharge characteristics are obtained than conventionally.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2000Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshinori Matsuura, Reizo Maeda, Katsuhiko Shinyama, Tadayoshi Tanaka, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Patent number: 6444362Abstract: The invention provides a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode obtained by the step P1 of preparing a hydrogen absorbing alloy powder containing cobalt and nickel, the step P2 of subjecting the surfaces of the alloy particles to a reduction treatment with high-temperature hydrogen by holding the powder in a high-temperature hydrogen atmosphere under the conditions of temperature, pressure and time sufficient to reduce oxides formed in a surface layer portion of each of the alloy particles, not melting the alloy particles and not permitting the alloy particles to absorb hydrogen, the step P3 of treating the resulting powder with an acid or alkali by immersing the powder in an acid or alkaline aqueous solution, followed by suction filtration, washing with water and drying, and the step P4 of applying the resulting power to an electrically conductive substrate and shaping the substrate in the form of the electrode. The electrode thus provided has higher activity than conventionally.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2001Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Teruhiko Imoto, Yoshinori Matsuura, Nobuyuki Higashiyama, Mamoru Kimoto, Mitsuzo Nogami, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Patent number: 6428930Abstract: A lithium secondary battery according to the present invention comprises: a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material composed of a reversible lithium intercalation material; a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material composed of a reversible lithium intercalation material; and a separator interposed between said positive electrode and said negative electrode, and in the positive electrode active material, at least one material which shows a positive sign of a total sum of entropy heat from a discharged state to a charged state is mixed with at least one material which shows a negative sign of a total sum of an entropy heat from a discharged state to a charged state. In a battery having such a construction, the amount of entropy heat during charge is reduced compared with a battery employing only a material which shows a positive sign of the total sum of entropy heat.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 1998Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Maeda, Hideyuki Inomata, Naoya Nakanishi, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Publication number: 20020061443Abstract: Used as the positive electrode active substance of a lithium ion secondary cell is a mixture of a lithium-nickel-cobalt-manganese composite oxide represented by the formula LiNi(1-x-y)COxMnyO2 wherein 0.5<x+y<1.0 and 0.1<y<0.6 and a lithium-manganese composite oxide represented by the formula Li(1+Z)Mn2O4 wherein O≦z≦0.2. The substance used gives outstanding power characteristics to the cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2001Publication date: May 23, 2002Inventors: Naoya Nakanishi, Kouichi Satoh, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Patent number: 6383676Abstract: The invention provides a polymer electrolyte fuel cell device 1 comprising at least one fuel cell 10 having an anode, a cathode and a polymer electrolyte membrane provided between the anode and cathode, a combustion unit 3, a fuel gas pipe 4 for introducing therethrough the unreacted portion of a fuel gas discharged from the fuel cell 10 into the combustion unit 3, and an oxidizer gas supply manifold 2 for supplying oxidizer gas discharged from the combustion unit 3 to the cathode. By partly consuming the oxygen contained in an oxidizer gas supplied from outside, the combustion unit 3 burns the unreacted fuel gas and burns the impurities contained in the oxidizer gas. This feature prevents the polymer electrolyte membrane from drying, affords a high cell voltage without impairment and enables the device to achieve a higher overall efficiency than in the prior art.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2000Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukinori Akiyama, Shigeru Sakamoto, Takahiro Isono, Takaaki Matsubayashi, Yasuo Miyake, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Patent number: 6376121Abstract: A lithium secondary cell is disclosed in which a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are spirally wound with a sheet of separator interposed therebetween. A plurality of positive electrode current collector tabs are attached to the positive electrode plate so that an interval is formed between the positive electrode current collector tabs in a longitudinal direction of the positive electrode plate, and a plurality of negative electrode current collector tabs are attached to the negative electrode plate so that an interval is formed between the plurality of the negative electrode current collector tabs in a longitudinal direction of the negative electrode plate. In a state of the positive electrode plate and negative electrode plate being wound together, the positive electrode current collector tabs and the negative electrode current collector tabs are so disposed as to face each other with the separator interposed therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideyuki Inomata, Naoya Nakanishi, Mitsuzo Nogami, Ikuo Yonezu, Koji Nishio
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Patent number: 6368749Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell which is prepared using an active substance containing a composition of LiNiaCobMcO2 (a+b+c=1;0≦c≦0.5) wherein M is at least one metal selected from among Mn, Fe, Zn, Ti, Cr, Mg, Al, Cu, or Ga and a composition of AlX(SO4)2 wherein X is at least one material selected from among Na, Rb, Cs, or NH4. This enables the secondary cell to diminish the reduction of a cell capacity when allowed to store and thus the storage characteristics of the secondary cell is improved.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Yanai, Katsunori Yanagida, Takeshi Maeda, Atsuhiro Funahashi, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020039679Abstract: In a secondary cell comprising an electrode unit enclosed in a cell can and adapted to deliver electric power generated by the electrode unit via electrode terminal assemblies, each electrode terminal assembly comprises an electrode terminal member extending through a center hole in a lid of the can, an insulating seal member provided in the center hole of the lid around a screw shank of the electrode terminal member, and a nut screwed on the screw shank of the electrode terminal member projecting outward from can. The insulating seal member is in engagement with the can and the flange of the electrode terminal member and nonrotatable relative to the cell can and the flange, whereby the electrode terminal member is prevented from rotating with the nut when the electrode terminal assembly is fixed to the lid.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2001Publication date: April 4, 2002Inventors: Hiroyuki Akita, Naoya Nakanishi, Toshiyuki Nohma, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020034687Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery using an Li alloying metal as the active material of at least one of its positive and negative electrodes. The metal active material is covered with a thin film which is nonreactive with Li ions, permits passage of Li ions but does not have an Li ion conductivity.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Inventors: Noriyuki Tamura, Masahisa Fujimoto, Maruo Kamino, Shin Fujitani, Hiromasa Yagi, Yoichi Domoto, Hisaki Tarui, Ryuji Ohshita, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020028382Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery including a positive electrode comprising a molybdenum metal oxide deposited, in the form of a thin film, on an aluminum-containing substrate and represented by the formula Mo1−xMxO2−y (where M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Al, Mg, W, Sc, Ti, Zn, Ga, Ge, Nb, Rh, Pd and Sn, x satisfies the relationship 0.005≦x≦0.5, and y satisfies the relationship 0.6≦y≦1.2).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Inventors: Takuya Sunagawa, Yoichi Domoto, Ryuji Ohshita, Hisaki Tarui, Shin Fujitani, Ikuo Yonezu
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Publication number: 20020028378Abstract: A hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode employed as a negative electrode of an alkaline storage battery according to the present invention is obtained by adhering an electrode material consisting of hydrogen absorbing alloy powder and a binding agent composed of a polymeric material to a current collector, an aqueous polymeric material except for fluorocarbon resin is applied to a surface of the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode, to form a coating layer, and a polymeric material in the coating layer is different from the polymeric material in the binding agent.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Reizo Maeda, Yasuyuki Harada, Tadayoshi Tanaka, Katsuhiko Shinyama, Yoshinori Matsuura, Toshiyuki Mohma, Ikuo Yonezu