Abstract: A method for recovering the capacity of a lithium ion battery determines whether or not the cause of degradation is a decrease in lithium ions; calculates the amount of the decrease in lithium ions; and connects a lithium ion replenishing electrode to a positive electrode or a negative electrode to release lithium ions corresponding to the amount of the decrease from the lithium ion replenishing electrode, thereby replenishing the lithium ion battery with lithium ions for recovery of the battery capacity.

Abstract: An end mill comprising: an odd number of five or more outer peripheral cutting edges formed around a front end portion of the end mill body, the outer peripheral cutting edges being twisted about the axis to a rearward side of a rotational direction of the end mill from a front end of the end mill body toward a rear end side thereof and being arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction; and bottom cutting edges which are formed at the front end of the end mill body so as to respectively extend from tips of the outer peripheral cutting edges toward the axis, and wherein the outer peripheral cutting edges have different helix angles with respect to the axis between the outer peripheral cutting edges adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A method for recovering the capacity of a lithium ion battery determines whether or not the cause of degradation is a decrease in lithium ions; calculates the amount of the decrease in lithium ions; and connects a lithium ion replenishing electrode to a positive electrode or a negative electrode to release lithium ions corresponding to the amount of the decrease from the lithium ion replenishing electrode, thereby replenishing the lithium ion battery with lithium ions for recovery of the battery capacity.

Abstract: An IC chip in an IC tag is provided with a voltage application terminal in connection with its internal circuit, and a high voltage or a reverse voltage is applied to the voltage application upon unlawful handling of the IC tag, so that the IC chip is electrically broken down. In this way, an IC tag installed in an item is prevented from being misused when the IC tag is no longer necessary or being removed for misuse.

Abstract: IC tags are installed in rechargeable batteries and then information required for manufacturing control of the rechargeable batteries or information required to produce battery packs which use rechargeable batteries is recorded onto the IC tags. Allowing the information recorded onto the IC tags to be rewritten makes it possible to search for the causes of occurring problems as well as make the best use of improvements to the rechargeable batteries when information during use of the rechargeable batteries is recorded after the rechargeable batteries are manufactured and shipped.

Abstract: A battery pack includes an IC tag carrying predetermined information. The IC tag stops functioning when the battery pack is disassembled or modified so that recorded information cannot be read out, whereby an act of disassembling or modification is detected, connection of an unqualified battery pack to a loading device or charging device is prevented, and connection of a counterfeit is prevented.

Abstract: An IC chip in an IC tag is provided with a voltage application terminal in connection with its internal circuit, and a high voltage or a reverse voltage is applied to the voltage application upon unlawful handling of the IC tag, so that the IC chip is electrically broken down. In this way, an IC tag installed in an item is prevented from being misused when the IC tag is no longer necessary or being removed for misuse.

Abstract: An IC tag is installed in a blister pack in which a commodity is stored in a cavity formed in a transparent resin sheet and the periphery of the transparent resin sheet is joined to a backing sheet. The antenna of the IC tag or the connection line in connection with its IC chip is provided at the joint location between the transparent resin sheet and the backing sheet. Once the connection between the transparent resin sheet and the backing sheet is broken and the commodity is taken out, the antenna or the connection line is broken, which disables the IC tag. Therefore, an unlawful item that cannot be identified from its appearance is detected by accessing the IC tag using a reader/writer.

Abstract: IC tags are installed in rechargeable batteries and then information required for manufacturing control of the rechargeable batteries or information required to produce battery packs which use rechargeable batteries is recorded onto the IC tags. Allowing the information recorded onto the IC tags to be rewritten makes it possible to search for the causes of occurring problems as well as make the best use of improvements to the rechargeable batteries when information during use of the rechargeable batteries is recorded after the rechargeable batteries are manufactured and shipped.

Abstract: A battery pack includes an IC tag carrying predetermined information. The IC tag stops functioning when the battery pack is disassembled or modified so that recorded information cannot be read out, whereby an act of disassembling or modification is detected, connection of an unqualified battery pack to a loading device or charging device is prevented, and connection of a counterfeit is prevented.

Abstract: An insulating plastic seat is provided on a sealing plate of a battery, and an IC tag is attached on the seat, the IC tag carrying information required in production, marketing, and use of battery, and information required for management of battery after it has been used.

Abstract: Identifying batteries with restrictions on their transport and handling is properly achieved by mounting an IC tag on the batteries, recording information such as battery types and materials used to the IC tag, and then reading the recorded necessary information from the IC tag. When batteries are spent, recorded information is read from the IC tags of the spent batteries, and then the batteries are classified by type and material used. Then, required discard processing or recycle processing for each classified battery is performed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rectangular cell is provided in which a rectangular case containing a power generating element is hermetically sealed by laser welding a sealing plate to an open end of the rectangular case. A sealing plate 2 formed into the same shape as the upper open end of a rectangular case 1 is laid on the upper open end, laser beams 3a to 3d are applied in a downward direction from the horizontal to a line of contact 4 comprising sides “a” to “d” including respective corners “e”, and the line of contact 4 is scanned with laser beams 3a to 3d thereby sealing the open end of the case with the sealing plate.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a prismatic battery wherein a sealing plate (2) is abutted to an upper open end of a prismatic case (1) in which power generating elements are housed, and laser beams (3a-3d) are moved along an abutment line (4) parallel to the straight line of each side (a, b, c, d), by which each side (a-d) of the abutment line (4) including each of the corners (e) is laser welded, thereby hermetically sealing the prismatic case (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a construction of an explosion-proof safety vent for small-size non-aqueous electrolyte batteries such as prismatic lithium-ion secondary batteries or with an oval cross section hence with a small area of seal plate, and to a method of producing a seal plate. It aims at securing safety of a battery by allowing an explosion-proof vent to operate without fail with a simple construction at no sacrifice of the capacity. In order to fulfill this aim, it provides an explosion-proof safety vent wherein upper peripheral edge of an opening of a bottomed cell container made of metal and the periphery of a seal plate made of metal are hermetically sealed by laser welding, a rivet serving as a terminal is inserted in a through hole provided on the central portion of the seal plate and hermetically fixed by crimping via a gasket, an exhaust hole is provided between the terminal and the periphery of the seal plate, and the exhaust hole is closed by a metal foil.

Abstract: A square cell is configured by housing a generating element in a square case 1 that is formed in a square cylindrical shape having a bottom, of an aluminum material, the open end of which is hermetically sealed by a sealing plate 2. When a rivet 5 provided in the sealing plate 2 is electrically connected as a negative-polarity terminal, and the square case 1 is electrically connected as a positive-polarity terminal, a cladding material 4 wherein an aluminum plate and a stainless steel plate are clad-bonded is ultrasonically welded to the bottom surface of the square case 1, in order to facilitate making lead connections to the square case 1 formed of aluminum material.

Abstract: An organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery wherein lithium is an active material. The battery comprises a negative electrode made of metallic lithium or a lithium alloy and a separator made of a microporous polyolefin separator matrix whose pores are filled with an ionic conductive gel electrolyte. The separator is in the form of a sheet with at least one face contacting the negative electrode having a gel electrolyte layer. The gel electrolyte is formed by ultraviolet irradiation of a solution having a major component being a mixture of an oligomer and a monomer added to an organic electrolyte. Using the separator in an organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery internal short circuiting of the battery due to dendridic lithium growing on a negative electrode during the charging cycle can be prevented and a longer cycle life achieved.

Abstract: An organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery wherein lithium is an active material. The battery comprises a negative electrode made of metallic lithium or a lithium alloy and a separator made of a microporous polyolefin separator matrix whose pores are filled with an ionic conductive gel electrolyte. The separator is in the form of a sheet with at least one face contacting the negative electrode having a gel electrolyte layer. The gel electrolyte is formed by ultraviolet irradiation of a solution having a major component being a mixture of an oligomer and a monomer added to an organic electrolyte. Using the separator in an organic electrolyte lithium secondary battery internal short circuiting of the battery due to dendridic lithium growing on a negative electrode during the charging cycle can be prevented and a longer cycle life achieved.

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary cell is provided, which includes a positive electrode including an active material having the formula: Li.sub.y Ni.sub.1-x Me.sub.x O.sub.2 where Me is one of Ti, V, Mn and Fe; the number of moles of x and y: 0.2<y.ltoreq.1.3; when Me is Ti, V or Fe, 0<x<0.5; and when Me is Mn, 0.ltoreq.x<0.6; having a hexagonal crystal structure and lattice constants a.sub.0 and c.sub.0 in the ranges of 2.83 to 2.89 .ANG. and 14.15 to 14.31 .ANG., respectively, as identified by X-ray diffraction pattern; a negative electrode of Li, an alloy of li or a carbon material intercalated with Li; and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The active material having the formula: Li.sub.y Ni.sub.1-x Mn.sub.x O.sub.2 where the number of moles of x and y are 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.3 and 1.0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1.