Patents by Inventor John A. Smaga

John A. Smaga 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: 7294431
    Abstract: A battery having at least one group of electric power-generating elements each comprising at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator; and a battery case containing the group of electric power-generating elements. The battery case is formed from a mixture which includes a matrix material selected from the group consisting of plastics, polymers, resins or combinations thereof. The mixture further includes a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material distributed throughout the matrix material. The thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude higher than the thermal conductivity of the matrix material. The present invention also includes battery cases (lids and containers) used in making the batteries and formed of the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev Puttaiah, John Smaga, Ronald Himmler, Lin R. Higley, Marshall D. Muller
  • Publication number: 20070212604
    Abstract: A bipolar battery comprising bipolar electrodes. The bipolar electrodes including corrugated bipolar substrates. The corrugated bipolar substrates may be formed as corrugated foils. The battery may be a nickel metal hydride battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Stanford Ovshinsky, John Smaga, Lin Higley, Ronald Himmler, Jason Luesing, Theodore Olszanski
  • Publication number: 20050233206
    Abstract: A battery having at least one group of electric power-generating elements each comprising at least a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator; and a battery case containing the group of electric power-generating elements. The battery case is formed from a mixture which includes a matrix material selected from the group consisting of plastics, polymers, resins or combinations thereof. The mixture further includes a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material distributed throughout the matrix material. The thermally conductive material has a thermal conductivity at least one order of magnitude higher than the thermal conductivity of the matrix material. The present invention also includes battery cases (lids and containers) used in making the batteries and formed of the mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Rajeev Puttaiah, John Smaga, Ronald Himmler, Lin Higley, Marshall Muller
  • Patent number: 6740446
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell having electrodes that are arranged in a zigzag configuration with folds and creases. Additional electrodes may be inserted within the folds of the zigzag configuration. Preferably, the electrochemical cell is a prismatic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Ovonic Battery Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis A. Corrigan, Lin Higley, Arthur Holland, Marshall Muller, John A. Smaga
  • Publication number: 20020160263
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell having an electrode stack arranged in a zigzag configuration. Additional electrodes may be inserted within the folds of the zigzag configuration. Preferably, the electrochemical cell is a prismatic cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Dennis A. Corrigan, Lin Higley, Arthur Holland, Marshall Muller, John A. Smaga
  • Patent number: 4687717
    Abstract: A lithium alloy/metal sulfide battery as a dipolar battery is disclosed with an array of stacked cells with the anode and cathode electrode materials in each cell sealed in a confining structure and separated from one another except across separator material interposed therebetween. The separator material is contained in a module having separate perforated metallic sheets that sandwich opposite sides of the separator material for the cell and an annular insulating spacer that surrounds the separator material beyond the perforations and is also sandwiched between and sealed to the sheets. The peripheral edges of the sheets project outwardly beyond the spacer, traverse the side edges of the adjacent electrode material to form cup-like electrode holders, and are fused to the adjacent current collector or end face members of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represent by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas D. Kaun, John A. Smaga
  • Patent number: 4401714
    Abstract: The corrosion rate of low carbon steel within a positive electrode of a high-temperature, secondary electrochemical cell that includes FeS as active material is substantially reduced by incorporating therein finely divided iron powder in stoichiometric excess to the amount required to form FeS in the fully charged electrode. The cell typically includes an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal as negative electrode active material and a molten metal halide salt as electrolyte. The excess iron permits use of inexpensive carbon steel alloys that are substantially free of the costly corrosion resistant elements chromium, nickel and molybdenum while avoiding shorten cell life resulting from high corrosion rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Neil C. Otto, Barry T. Warner, John A. Smaga, James E. Battles
  • Patent number: 4367159
    Abstract: A positive electrode for a secondary electrochemical cell wherein an electrically conductive current collector is in electrical contact with a particulate mixture of gray cast iron and an alkali metal sulfide and an electrolyte including alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides. Also present may be a transition metal sulfide and graphite flakes from the conversion of gray cast iron to iron sulfide. Also disclosed is a method of distributing carbon flakes in a cell wherein there is formed an electrochemical cell of a positive electrode structure of the type described and a suitable electrolyte and a second electrode containing a material capable of alloying with alkali metal ions. The cell is connected to a source of electrical potential to electrochemically convert gray cast iron to an iron sulfide and uniformly to distribute carbon flakes formerly in the gray cast iron throughout the positive electrode while forming an alkali metal alloy in the negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Franklin C. Mrazek, John A. Smaga, James E. Battles