Patents by Inventor Kwok Tom

Kwok Tom 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: 8163412
    Abstract: A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a method for coupling a battery cell assembly thereto are provided. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly includes a frame member holding a plurality of electrical interconnect members and a circuit board with an electrical connector. The assembly routes an electrical current from battery cell assemblies through the electrical interconnect members and can allow a voltage at each of the electrical interconnect members to be sensed at the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, David C. Robertson, Heekook Yang, Martin J. Klein
  • Publication number: 20120082880
    Abstract: A battery cell assembly, a heat exchanger, and a method for manufacturing the heat exchanger are provided. The heat exchanger includes a rectangular-shaped sheet having first and second rectangular-shaped sheet portions coupled together at a bent edge such that the sheet portions are disposed proximate to one another. Outer edges of the first and second rectangular-shaped sheet portions are coupled together such that an interior region is formed between the first and second rectangular-shaped sheet portions. The bent edge has first and second apertures extending therethrough. The heat exchanger further includes a first inlet port disposed on the bent edge over the first aperture, and a second outlet port disposed on the bent edge over the second aperture, such that fluid can flow through the first inlet port and into the interior region and then through the outlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: LG CHEM LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Sean O'Kane, Kwok Tom, Josh Payne
  • Publication number: 20120079711
    Abstract: A press assembly and a method for bending electrical terminals of battery cells are provided. The assembly includes a supporting member that holds a body portion of a cell thereon. The cell has first and second electrical terminals. The assembly further includes a lower plate having first and second dies that hold the first and second electrical terminals, thereon. The assembly further includes an upper plate having third and fourth dies, and guide rods disposed between the lower plate and the upper plate. The upper plate moves vertically on the guide rods relative to the lower plate. The assembly further includes an actuation assembly moving the upper plate toward the lower plate such that the first electrical terminal is bent into a first predetermined shape between the first and third dies, and the second electrical terminal is bent into a second predetermined shape between the second and fourth dies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Janina Stancu, Kenneth J. Oswandel, Kwok Tom, William Koetting
  • Patent number: 8067111
    Abstract: A battery module having a battery cell assembly with a heat exchanger is provided. The assembly includes a first battery cell having a first side and a second side, and a second battery cell having a first side and a second side. The first side of the second battery cell contacts the second side of the first battery cell. The assembly further includes a heat exchanger. A first side of the heat exchanger contacts the second side of the second battery cell. The battery cell assembly further includes a third battery cell having a first side and a second side. The first side of the third battery cell contacts a second side of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger removes heat energy from the first, second, and third battery cells to maintain the first, second, and third battery cells at substantially a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Prabhaker Patil, Mohamed Alamgir, Martin Klein, Kwok Tom
  • Publication number: 20110256446
    Abstract: A battery cell assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The assembly includes a first frame member having a first plurality of tabs extending away from a first peripheral edge of the first frame member. Each tab of the first plurality of tabs has a first coupling feature at a distal end of the respective tab. The assembly further includes a second frame member having a plurality of slots extending into a second peripheral edge of the second frame member. The assembly further includes a battery cell disposed between the first and second frame members, and each first coupling feature of each tab of the first plurality of tabs is configured to engage a respective slot of the plurality of slots of the second frame member to fixedly hold the first and second frame members together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Steven A. Bronczyk, Kwok Tom, William Koetting
  • Patent number: 8035986
    Abstract: A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a method for coupling a battery cell assembly thereto are provided. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly includes a circuit board, electrical interconnect members, and an electrical connector. The circuit board further has slots therethrough for receiving the electrical interconnect members thereon. Electrical terminals from battery cell assemblies are coupled to the electrical interconnect members. The circuit board also has electrical traces for routing voltages at the electrical interconnect members to the electrical connector for sensing voltages of the battery cell assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, David C. Robertson, Martin J. Klein
  • Publication number: 20100275619
    Abstract: A cooling system for a battery system and a method for cooling the battery system are provided. The cooling system includes a housing having first and second enclosed portions, and a first evaporator and a first evaporator fan disposed in the first enclosed portion that recirculates air in a first closed flow path loop within the first enclosed portion. The first evaporator extracts heat energy from the air in the first closed flow path loop to reduce a temperature level of a first battery module in the first enclosed portion. The cooling system further includes a condenser disposed in the second enclosed portion and fluidly coupled to the first evaporator, which receives heat energy in a refrigerant from the first evaporator and dissipates the heat energy. The cooling system further includes a compressor disposed in the second enclosed portion that recirculates the refrigerant through the first evaporator and the condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Josh Payne, Kwok Tom
  • Publication number: 20100266883
    Abstract: A frame member for housing a battery cell, frame assembly and frame/battery cell assembly made therefrom, as well as respective methods of making the same, are disclosed. A frame member for housing a battery cell includes an integral frame having a peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having an attachment face and an opposed cooling face, and an attachment feature located on the attachment face and a complementary attachment feature located on the attachment face that is symmetrically opposed to the attachment feature about a plane of symmetry of the frame, the peripheral wall defining an opening that is configured to matingly receive a battery cell therein. A pair of frame members having a cooling member placed therebetween and attached to the respective attachment faces comprises a frame assembly. A frame/battery cell assembly includes a pair of frame assemblies having at least one battery cell placed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Josh Payne
  • Patent number: 7762848
    Abstract: An interconnect device for battery cell assemblies is provided. The interconnect device couples a first set of electrodes at a first polarity in series with a second set of electrodes at a second polarity in a battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Kenneth J. Oswandel, Igor Isayev
  • Publication number: 20100105258
    Abstract: An interconnect device for battery cell assemblies is provided. The interconnect device couples a first set of electrodes at a first polarity in series with a second set of electrodes at a second polarity in a battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Kenneth J. Oswandel, Igor Isayev
  • Publication number: 20090325042
    Abstract: A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a method for coupling a battery cell assembly thereto are provided. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly includes a frame member holding a plurality of electrical interconnect members and a circuit board with an electrical connector. The assembly routes an electrical current from battery cell assemblies through the electrical interconnect members and can allow a voltage at each of the electrical interconnect members to be sensed at the electrical connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, David C. Robertson, Heekook Yang, Martin J. Klein
  • Publication number: 20090323293
    Abstract: A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a method for coupling a battery cell assembly thereto are provided. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly includes a circuit board, electrical interconnect members, and an electrical connector. The circuit board further has slots therethrough for receiving the electrical interconnect members thereon. Electrical terminals from battery cell assemblies are coupled to the electrical interconnect members. The circuit board also has electrical traces for routing voltages at the electrical interconnect members to the electrical connector for sensing voltages of the battery cell assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, David C. Robertson, Martin J. Klein
  • Publication number: 20090325055
    Abstract: A battery module having a cooling manifold is provided. The battery module includes a plurality of battery cell assemblies having a plurality of heat exchangers. The battery module further includes a first cooling manifold having a first inlet aperture extending therethrough and a first plurality of outlet apertures extending therethrough. The battery module further includes a first plurality of ported screws disposed through the first plurality of outlet apertures and configured to fluidly and physically couple the plurality of heat exchangers to the first cooling manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Josh Payne, Kwok Tom
  • Publication number: 20090325053
    Abstract: A battery module having a battery cell assembly with a heat exchanger is provided. The battery cell assembly includes a first battery cell having a first side and a second side. The battery cell assembly further includes a second battery cell having a first side and a second side. The first side of the second battery cell contacts the second side of the first battery cell. The battery cell assembly further includes a heat exchanger having a first side and a second side. The first side of the heat exchanger contacts the second side of the second battery cell. The battery cell assembly further includes a third battery cell having a first side and a second side. The first side of the third battery cell contacts the second side of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is configured to remove heat energy from the first, second, and third battery cells to maintain the first, second, and third battery cells at substantially a desired temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Prabhaker Patil, Mohamed Alamgir, Martin Klein, Kwok Tom
  • Patent number: 7578702
    Abstract: A flexible and adaptable battery cell interconnection system is provided for interconnecting a plurality of battery cells. The battery cell interconnect system, includes a conductive interconnect having a first termination end and second termination end, the first termination end offset from the second termination end and separated therefrom by an intermediate portion, a pair of spaced threaded rods disposed on each of the first termination end and the second termination end, and an insulating sleeve disposed on an outer surface of the conductive interconnect over the intermediate portion. The system also includes a pair of V-shaped conductive terminal clamps, operative for disposition on respective ones of the spaced rods through respective ones of the spaced bores and a plurality of threaded nuts operative for disposition on each of the threaded rods, wherein the terminal clamps are operative for clamping a plurality of battery cell electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwok Tom, William Koetting, Kelly Kebl
  • Publication number: 20090186265
    Abstract: A battery cell assembly and a method for assembling the battery cell assembly are provided. The battery cell assembly includes first and second battery cells with a heat exchanger disposed between the first and second battery cells. The heat exchanger has a plastic frame and first and second thermally conductive layers. The plastic frame has an interior space extending therethrough. The first and second thermally conductive layers are disposed on opposite sides of the plastic frame to enclose the interior space, such that when a liquid is disposed in the interior space, heat energy is transferred from the first battery cell through the first thermally conductive layer to the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Martin J. Klein, Prabhakar Patil, Kelly Kebl
  • Patent number: 7563137
    Abstract: A mechanical fastener for coupling to electrical terminals of battery modules and a method for coupling to the electrical terminals are provided. The mechanical fastener includes a trapezoidal-shaped plate and a cover portion. The cover portion is disposed over the trapezoidal-shaped plate and is urged toward the trapezoidal-shaped plate to couple to electrical terminals from battery modules disposed between the trapezoidal-shaped plate and the cover portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Peter T. Morris
  • Publication number: 20090029239
    Abstract: A battery cell carrier assembly having a battery cell carrier for holding a battery cell is provided. The battery cell carrier includes a trapping member for holding the battery cell. The battery cell carrier has at least one aperture extending therethrough for allowing air to flow therethrough to contact the first side of the battery cell for cooling the battery cell. The battery cell carrier further includes a panel member configured to be coupled to the trapping member for holding the battery cell therebetween. The panel member has at least one aperture extending therethrough for allowing air to flow therethrough to contact the battery cell for cooling the battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: LG CHEM, LTD
    Inventors: William Koetting, Kwok Tom, Martin J. Klein, Prabhakar Patil, Kelly Kebl