Patents by Inventor Junichi Niwa
Junichi Niwa 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: 9082525Abstract: A lithium silicate-based compound according to the present invention is expressed by a general formula, Li(2?a+b)AaMn(1?x?y)CoxMySiO(4+?)Cl? (In the formula: “A” is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb and Cs; “M” is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, Ni, Fe, Nb, Ti, Cr, Cu, Zn, Zr, V, Mo and W; and the respective subscripts appear to be as follows: 0?“a”<0.2; 0?“b”<1; 0<“x”<1; 0?“y”?0.5; ?0.25?“?”?1.25; and 0?“?”?0.05). The lithium silicate-based compound is used as a positive-electrode active material for secondary battery whose discharge average voltage is higher, and which is able to sorb and desorb lithium ions.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Akira Kojima, Toshikatsu Kojima, Mitsuharu Tabuchi, Tetsuo Sakai, Takuhiro Miyuki, Junichi Niwa, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Masakazu Murase
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Publication number: 20150111110Abstract: A solid electrolyte has a sheet shape, and is composed of an oxide sintered body. The solid electrolyte includes a layer-shaped dense portion whose sintered density is 90% or more, and a porous portion formed on a superficial side of the solid electrolyte so as to be continuous from at least one of opposite surfaces of the dense portion, and having a porosity of 50% or more. A secondary battery includes a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, the positive electrode and negative electrode arranged at opposite facing positions interposing the solid electrolyte.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2013Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Nagisa Watanabe, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Junichi Niwa, Masataka Nakanishi
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Patent number: 8940436Abstract: Provided is a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile manufacturing method that is characterized in that a starting base powder that comprises sulfur powder and polyacrylonitrile powder is mixed and the mixture is heated in a non-oxidizing environment while outflow of sulfur vapor is prevented. Also provided are a cathode for lithium batteries that uses, as the active substance, the sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile manufactured with the method, and a lithium secondary battery that includes the cathode as a component element. This enables the practical use of an inexpensive sulfur-based material as the cathode material for lithium secondary batteries, and in particular, a sulfur-based cathode material that enables higher output and has excellent cycle life characteristics, as well as other characteristics, and secondary lithium batteries using the same can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota JidoshokkiInventors: Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai, Junichi Niwa, Hitotoshi Murase
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Patent number: 8927157Abstract: Provided is a condensed polycyclic aromatic compound, having lithium ion responsivity and is suitable for lithium ion secondary battery applications, a production process thereof, a positive electrode active material containing that condensed polycyclic aromatic compound, and a positive electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery provided therewith, and further provided is a lithium ion secondary battery, having high capacity and cycling adaptability, that has the positive electrode as a constituent thereof. The condensed polycyclic aromatic compound has at least four imino groups in a molecule thereof.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki, Keio UniversityInventors: Osamu Ohmori, Akiko Shima, Hitotoshi Murase, Masataka Nakanishi, Junichi Niwa, Kimihisa Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20140356731Abstract: In a secondary battery, a negative electrode, an electrolytic solution for negative electrode, a diaphragm, an electrolytic solution for positive electrode, and a positive electrode are disposed in order. The negative electrode includes a negative-electrode active material that has an element whose oxidation-reduction potential is more “base” by 1.5 V or more than an oxidation-reduction potential of hydrogen, and whose volume density is larger than that of lithium metal. The diaphragm includes a solid electrolyte transmitting ions of said element alone. A secondary battery with high volumetric density is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2012Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Junichi Niwa, Masataka Nakanishi, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Masakazu Murase
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Publication number: 20140332718Abstract: A lithium silicate-based compound according to the present invention is expressed by a general formula, Li(2?a+b)AaMn(1?x?y)CoxMySiO(4+?)Cl? (In the formula: “A” is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb and Cs; “M” is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Al, Ni, Fe, Nb, Ti, Cr, Cu, Zn, Zr, V, Mo and W; and the respective subscripts appear to be as follows: 0?“a”<0.2; 0?“b”<1; 0<“x”<1; 0?“y”?0.5; ?0.25?“?”?1.25; and 0?“?”?0.05). The lithium silicate-based compound is used as a positive-electrode active material for secondary battery whose discharge average voltage is higher, and which is able to sorb and desorb lithium ions.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2012Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Akira Kojima, Toshikatsu Kojima, Mitsuharu Tabuchi, Tetsuo Sakai, Takuhiro Miyuki, Junichi Niwa, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Masakazu Murase
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Publication number: 20140308579Abstract: Provided are a positive electrode active material for a sodium ion secondary battery, and a positive electrode and a sodium ion secondary battery using the material. The positive electrode active material for a sodium ion secondary battery comprises a lithium sodium-based compound containing lithium (Li), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), and oxygen (O).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Akira KOJIMA, Kazuhito KAWASUMI, Junichi NIWA, Yuta IKEUCHI, Toshikatsu KOJIMA, Tetsuo SAKAI
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Publication number: 20140231721Abstract: Provided is a novel lithium silicate-based material useful as a positive electrode material for lithium ion secondary battery. The lithium silicate-based compound is represented by Li1.5FeSiO4.25 The lithium silicate-based compound is a compound including: lithium (Li); iron (Fe); silicon (Si); and oxygen (O), and expressed by a composition formula, Li1+2?FeSiO4+??c(?0.25???0.25, 0?c?0.5). The lithium silicate-based compound, of which iron (Fe) is trivalent, exerts a remarkable chemical stability as compared to Li2FeSiO4.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2012Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Akira Kojima, Toshikatsu Kojima, Mitsuharu Tabuchi, Tetsuo Sakai, Masanori Morishita, Takuhiro Miyuki, Junichi Niwa, Masataka Nakanishi, Yuya Sato, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Masakazu Murase
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Publication number: 20140186704Abstract: To provide a lithium ion secondary battery electrode in which a coated layer is held on a surface of an active material layer over a long period of time to suppress decomposition of the electrolysis solution and to enhance the cyclability, a manufacturing process for the same, and a lithium ion secondary battery using the electrode. A lithium ion secondary battery electrode includes a current collector, an active material layer containing a binder formed on a surface of the current collector, and a coated layer formed on the surface of at least a part of the active material layer, wherein the coated layer consists of an acrylic type copolymer cured substance comprising an acrylic type main chain and a side chain having polyester or polyether graft-polymerized to said acrylic type main chain and the coated layer is chemically bonded with the binder.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2012Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Junichi Niwa, Yuichi Hirakawa, Manabu Miyoshi, Keiichi Hayashi, Hitotoshi Murase
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Patent number: 8728663Abstract: To provide a sulfur-system positive electrode for lithium-ion battery, sulfur-system positive electrode which is good in the cyclability and the other characteristics, and a lithium-ion secondary battery including that positive electrode. In a positive electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery, the positive electrode having: a current collector; and an electrode layer that is formed on a surface of the current collector, and which includes a binder resin, an active material and a conductive additive, the positive electrode is characterized in that the active material includes a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile that is produced by heating a raw-material powder including a sulfur powder and a polyacrylonitrile powder in an enclosed nonoxidizing atmosphere; and the binder resin includes a polyimide resin and/or a polyamide-imide resin.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2011Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Junichi Niwa, Kazuaki Hokano, Masataka Nakanishi, Akira Kojima, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai
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Publication number: 20140134485Abstract: A negative-electrode active material for secondary battery includes a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile. The sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile includes a polyacrylonitrile, and sulfur being introduced into the polyacrylonitrile.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicants: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota JidoshokkiInventors: Takuhiro MIYUKI, Toshikatsu KOJIMA, Yuta IKEUCHI, Masanori MORISHITA, Tetsuo SAKAI, Kazuhito KAWASUMI, Masataka NAKANISHI, Junichi NIWA
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Publication number: 20140127585Abstract: It is intended to provide a positive electrode active material, which contains a lithium silicate based compound and has superior conductivity, for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a process for producing the same, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery using the positive electrode active material. The lithium silicate based compound and a carbon material are mixed at 450 to 16000 rpm for 1 minute to 10 hours and then heated and pressurized at 500° C. to 700° C. at 1 to 500 MPa for 1 minute to 15 hours, thereby adhering the lithium silicate based compound and the carbon material to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Akira Kojima, Toshikatsu Kojima, Tomonari Takeuchi, Tetsuo Sakai, Takuhiro Miyuki, Junichi Niwa, Kazuhito Kawasumi
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Publication number: 20140099542Abstract: To provide a lithium ion secondary battery electrode in which a coated layer is held on a surface of an active material layer over a long period of time to suppress decomposition of the electrolysis solution and to enhance the cyclability, a manufacturing process for the same, and a lithium ion secondary battery using the electrode. A lithium ion secondary battery electrode includes a current collector, an active material layer containing a binder formed on a surface of the current collector, and a coated layer formed on the surface of at least a part of the active material layer, wherein the coated layer contains a silicone-acrylic graft copolymer cured substance including an acrylic type main chain having a functional group and a side chain having a silicone graft-polymerized to the acrylic type main chain, and the coated layer is chemically bonded with the binder.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Junichi Niwa, Yuichi Hirakawa, Manabu Miyoshi, Keiichi Hayashi, Hitotoshi Murase
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Publication number: 20140050974Abstract: Because of being equipped with a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a sodium-ion nonaqueous electrolyte, and because the positive electrode includes a sulfur-based positive-electrode active material containing carbon (C) and sulfur (S), it is possible to inhibit sulfur from eluting out into electrolytic solution, thereby resulting in a sodium secondary battery that makes it feasible to undergo charging and discharging for 100 cycles or more reversibly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2012Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Takuhiro Miyuki, Toshikatsu Kojima, Yasue Okuyama, Tetsuo Sakai, Masataka Nakanishi, Junichi Niwa, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Satoshi Nakagawa, Akira Kojima
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Publication number: 20130183584Abstract: A production process for lithium-silicate-based compound is characterized in that: a lithium-silicate compound is reacted with a transition-metal-element-containing substance including iron and/or manganese at from 300° C. or more to 600° C. or less within a molten salt including at least one member being selected from the group consisting of alkali-metal salts under a mixed-gas atmosphere including carbon dioxide and a reducing gas; wherein said transition-metal-element-containing substance includes a deposit that is formed by alkalifying a transition-metal-containing aqueous solution including a compound that includes iron and/or manganese. In accordance with the present production process, lithium-silicate-based compounds including silicon excessively are obtainable.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Toshikatsu Kojima, Mitsuharu Tabuchi, Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai, Akira Kojima, Junichi Niwa, Kazuhito Kawasumi
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Publication number: 20130078519Abstract: A production process for lithium-silicate-based compound according to the present invention is characterized in that: a lithium-silicate compound being expressed by Li2SiO3 is reacted with a transition-metal-element-containing substance including at least one member being selected from the group consisting of iron and manganese at 550° C. or less within a molten salt including at least one member being selected from the group consisting of alkali-metal nitrates as well as alkali-metal hydroxides in an atmosphere in the presence of a mixed gas including carbon dioxide and a reducing gas. In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to produce lithium-silicate-based materials, which are useful as a positive-electrode active material for lithium-ion secondary battery, and the like, at low temperatures by means of relatively easy means.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Toshikatsu Kojima, Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai, Akira Kojima, Junichi Niwa, Hitotoshi Murase, Kazuhito Kawasumi
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Publication number: 20130078514Abstract: Provided is a condensed polycyclic aromatic compound, having superior lithium ion responsivity and is suitable for lithium ion secondary battery applications, a production process thereof, a positive electrode active material containing that condensed polycyclic aromatic compound, and a positive electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery provided therewith, and further provided is a lithium ion secondary battery, having high capacity and superior cycling adaptability, that has the positive electrode as a constituent thereof. The condensed polycyclic aromatic compound according to the present invention has at least four imino groups in a molecule thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicants: KEIO UNIVERSITY, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Osamu Ohmori, Akiko Shima, Hitotoshi Murase, Masataka Nakanishi, Junichi Niwa, Kimihisa Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20130029222Abstract: To provide a sulfur-system positive electrode for lithium-ion battery, sulfur-system positive electrode which is good in the cyclability and the other characteristics, and a lithium-ion secondary battery including that positive electrode. In a positive electrode for lithium-ion secondary battery, the positive electrode having: a current collector; and an electrode layer that is formed on a surface of the current collector, and which includes a binder resin, an active material and a conductive additive, the positive electrode is characterized in that: the active material includes a sulfur-modified polyacrylonitrile that is produced by heating a raw-material powder including a sulfur powder and a polyacrylonitrile powder in an enclosed nonoxidizing atmosphere; and the binder resin includes a polyimide resin and/or a polyamide-imide resin.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2011Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicants: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Junichi Niwa, Kazuaki Hokano, Masataka Nakanishi, Akira Kojima, Kazuhito Kawasumi, Takuhiro Miyuki, Tetsuo Sakai
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Publication number: 20120321955Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery is characterized in that it is equipped with: a positive electrode comprising a positive-electrode active material that includes a lithium-transition metal composite oxide including at least lithium and manganese and possessing a layered rock-salt structure; a negative electrode comprising a negative-electrode active material that includes at least one kind of carbon-based materials, silicon-based materials, and tin-based materials; and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution, wherein: said lithium-transition metal composite oxide exhibits an irreversible capacity; and an actual capacity of said negative electrode at the time of first-round charging up to 0 V with respect to metallic lithium is smaller than an actual capacity of said positive electrode at the time of first-round charging up to 4.7 V with respect to metallic lithium.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2011Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventors: Naoto Yasuda, Toru Abe, Junichi Niwa
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Publication number: 20110315919Abstract: A process is provided, process which makes it possible to produce lithium-borate-system materials by means of relatively simple means, lithium-borate-system materials which are useful as positive-electrode active materials for lithium-ion secondary battery, and the like, whose cyclic characteristics, capacities, and so forth, are improved, and which have better performance. The present production is characterized in that a divalent metallic compound including at least one member of compounds that is selected from the group consisting of divalent-iron compounds and divalent-manganese compounds, and boric acid as well as lithium hydroxide are reacted at 400-650° C. in a molten salt of a carbonate mixture comprising lithium carbonate and at least one member of alkali-metal carbonates that is selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, rubidium carbonate and cesium carbonate in a reducing atmosphere.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Toshikatsu Kojima, Tetsuo Sakai, Takuhiro Miyuki, Akira Kojima, Junichi Niwa, Hitotoshi Murase