Patents by Inventor Masato Fujikawa
Masato Fujikawa 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: 10541397Abstract: A battery includes a bottomed cylindrical case body that accommodates an electrode body and a bottom-portion insulating plate (19) that is disposed between the electrode body and a bottom portion of the case body. The bottom portion of the case body has a gas discharge port that opens when an internal pressure of the battery reaches a predetermined pressure. The bottom-portion insulating plate (19) has a through hole. An aperture ratio, which is a ratio of an area of the through hole with respect to a total area of the insulating plate, is greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 40%. A Young's modulus of the bottom-portion insulating plate at 25° C. is 10 GPa or greater.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masato Fujikawa, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Keisuke Shimizu, Takeshi Enomoto
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Publication number: 20190264794Abstract: A power transmission unit in which a size, a weight, a manufacturing cost, and a noise are reduced. A transaxle case includes a casing a housing and a center support defining an internal space of the transaxle case. In the casing, one end of a rotor shaft of a motor is supported by an outer wall and a stator of the motor is fixed to the outer wall. The center support is attached to the casing or the housing in the transaxle case while supporting an other end of the rotor shaft and an other end of the rotary shaft; and the casing and the housing are fastened to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Masato FUJIKAWA, Sou OKITA
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Patent number: 10164228Abstract: The battery is sealed by a sealing member including a safety valve for exhausting the gas generated in the battery to the outside of the battery when the pressure in the battery is increased. A part of the sealing member is formed of a member having a melting point lower than that of high-temperature gas generated in the abnormal time and having a ratio of an area of an opening of the battery case to an area of a gas exhaust hole is 3.0×10?5 or more and 9.1×10?3 or less.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Masato Fujikawa, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Kyosuke Miyata, Koki Inoue
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Patent number: 10141599Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes battery element formed by laminating and winding positive electrode and negative electrode via separator. Positive electrode includes a positive electrode current-collector-exposed portion, in which the positive electrode current collector is exposed over a length dimension of not less than one turn of the winding of battery element in the outermost circumference and an intermediate layer portion of the winding. The negative electrode in a part facing the positive electrode current collector exposed in the intermediate layer portion includes the negative electrode active material layer laminated on the negative electrode current collector. Negative electrode can be provided with a slit at an exposed side with respect to both exposed ends of the positive electrode current-collector-exposed portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2014Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Natsuhiko Mukai, Masato Fujikawa
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Publication number: 20180053924Abstract: The battery is sealed by a sealing member including a safety valve for exhausting the gas generated in the battery to the outside of the battery when the pressure in the battery is increased. A part of the sealing member is formed of a member having a melting point lower than that of high-temperature gas generated in the abnormal time and having a ratio of an area of an opening of the battery case to an area of a gas exhaust hole is 3.0×10?5 or more and 9.1×10?3 or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2017Publication date: February 22, 2018Inventors: Keisuke SHIMIZU, Masato FUJIKAWA, Tomohiko YOKOYAMA, Kyosuke MIYATA, Koki INOUE
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Patent number: 9866052Abstract: Even after the battery reaches the last stage of the end of life, the use can be continued. A charging system includes battery pack and charger. During the charge of lithium-ion secondary battery, charge control unit calculates the full charge capacity maintaining rate, sets a first charge current value on the basis of the full charge capacity maintaining rate, and charges the battery. When lithium-ion secondary battery reaches the last stage of the end of life, charge control unit sets a second charge current value lower than the first charge current value set based on the full charge capacity maintaining rate, and charges the battery.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2014Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Honoki, Masato Fujikawa, Shin-Ichi Yuasa
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Patent number: 9831479Abstract: The battery is sealed by a sealing member including a safety valve for exhausting the gas generated in the battery to the outside of the battery when the pressure in the battery is increased. A part of the sealing member is formed of a member having a melting point lower than that of high-temperature gas generated in the abnormal time and having a ratio of an area of an opening of the battery case to an area of a gas exhaust hole is 3.0×10?5 or more and 9.1×10?3 or less.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Masato Fujikawa, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Kyosuke Miyata, Koki Inoue
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Publication number: 20170317326Abstract: A battery includes a bottomed cylindrical case body that accommodates an electrode body and a bottom-portion insulating plate (19) that is disposed between the electrode body and a bottom portion of the case body. The bottom portion of the case body has a gas discharge port that opens when an internal pressure of the battery reaches a predetermined pressure. The bottom-portion insulating plate (19) has a through hole. An aperture ratio, which is a ratio of an area of the through hole with respect to a total area of the insulating plate, is greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 40%. A Young's modulus of the bottom-portion insulating plate at 25° C. is 10 GPa or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2015Publication date: November 2, 2017Applicant: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masato Fujikawa, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Keisuke Shimizu, Takeshi Enomoto
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Patent number: 9735406Abstract: In a battery pack, a plurality of cells are arranged, the cells each have an outlet through which gas generated in the cell is released in one direction, each two of the cells are arranged as one unit, and the each two of the cells are arranged such that directions of gas released through the outlets of the two cells are opposite to each other.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2012Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Hajime Nishino, Masato Fujikawa, Mikinari Shimada, Shunsuke Yasui, Shoichiro Watanabe
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Publication number: 20170005484Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a power storage system having a high energy density, in which degradation of cycle characteristics is suppressed. The power storage system has a battery pack mounted therein and is characterized by having an energy density of 35 Wh/L or more and continuously performing constant current charge at a low-rate current value of 0.2 It or less from start of charge to completion of charge. The degradation of the cycle characteristics is suppressed even in the power storage system having a high energy density, in which the heat generation density per unit volume is high and the temperature of the battery pack or the batteries in the battery pack is prone to increase.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Natsuhiko MUKAI, Masato FUJIKAWA
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Patent number: 9520588Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes: an electrode group including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The positive and negative electrode plates are wound with the separator interposed therebetween. The positive electrode plate includes a first current collector exposed portion where a portion of the positive electrode current collector corresponding to an outermost portion of the electrode group is exposed over a length of greater than or equal to one turn in a winding direction of the electrode group, and a second current collector exposed portion where a portion of the positive electrode current collector corresponding to a middle portion of the electrode group is exposed over a length of greater than or equal to one turn in the winding direction. A positive electrode lead is provided on the second current collector exposed portion so as to be connected to an external electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasunari Sugita, Kazuki Endo, Tatsuya Ishibashi, Masato Fujikawa
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Patent number: 9437854Abstract: A battery pack 200 including a plurality of cells 100, in which the plurality of cells 100 are arranged so as to be oriented in the same direction, the cells 100 each have a first safety valve and a second safety valve whose operating pressure is higher than an operating pressure of the first safety valve, the first safety valve of each cell 100 is connected to a first exhaust passage 50, the second safety valve of each cell 100 is connected to a second exhaust passage 60, and the first exhaust passage 50 is spatially separated from the second exhaust passage 60.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2012Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Masato Fujikawa
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Patent number: 9368995Abstract: In a charging method for a lithium ion battery, constant current charging of the lithium ion battery is performed. The constant current charging includes at least three consecutive charging stages. The at least three consecutive charging stages include consecutive first, second, and third charging stages. The second charging stage has a set current value which is set lower than set current values of the first and third charging stages.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Hajime Nishino, Mitsuhiro Takeno, Mikinari Shimada, Masato Fujikawa
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Patent number: 9362587Abstract: In a rectangular battery, a lead 9L connected to an electrode plate having a first polarity is connected to a battery case 1 which is an external terminal having the first polarity. A lead 11L connected to an electrode plate having a second polarity is connected to an external terminal 25 having the second polarity, through a connection plate 29. A distance between the battery case 1 and the connection plate 29 at at least one end of the battery case 1 in a long-side direction is equal to or less than the half of the width of the battery case 1 in a short-side direction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2010Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko Yokoyama, Kazuki Endo, Masato Fujikawa
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Patent number: 9337454Abstract: A battery pack comprising: a secondary battery including a safety valve; a gas absorption portion including a gas absorbent represented by zeolite and a container hermetically enclosing the gas absorbent; and a case housing the secondary battery and the gas absorption portion. The safety valve is configured to discharge a gas produced in the secondary battery at the time of abnormality. The container includes a principal surface facing the safety valve, for example, and when the gas is discharged, the container is unsealed by rupturing of at least the principal surface of the container by an effect of heat or pressure of the gas.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2011Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomohiko Yokoyama, Masato Fujikawa, Akiko Yuasa
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Patent number: 9337459Abstract: An electrode group formed by winding a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed therebetween is housed in a battery case, and a sealing plate seals an opening of the battery case. The sealing plate includes an upper metal plate, a valve, and a lower metal plate that are stacked, an insulating plate is placed on a portion of the electrode group near the opening of the battery case, one of the positive electrode plate or the negative electrode plate of the electrode group is connected to the lower metal plate through a lead, the lower metal plate and the insulating plate have a first opening and a second opening, respectively, and a ratio of S2 is within the range of 1.8-3.3, where S1 represents an area of the first opening, and S2 represents an area of the second opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Masato Fujikawa
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Patent number: 9293794Abstract: A cooling unit 20 is provided in the vicinity of a cell 10, and includes a sealed portion 22 formed by sealing a sheet 21. An easy-to-open portion 24 is provided in part of the sealed portion 22, and the easy-to-open portion 24 is opened when the cell 10 abnormally generates heat.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2011Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTDInventors: Masato Fujikawa, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Keisuke Shimizu, Shunsuke Yasui, Daisuke Kishii
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Publication number: 20160049684Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes battery element formed by laminating and winding positive electrode and negative electrode via separator. Positive electrode includes a positive electrode current-collector-exposed portion, in which the positive electrode current collector is exposed over a length dimension of not less than one turn of the winding of battery element in the outermost circumference and an intermediate layer portion of the winding. The negative electrode in a part facing the positive electrode current collector exposed in the intermediate layer portion includes the negative electrode active material layer laminated on the negative electrode current collector. Negative electrode can be provided with a slit at an exposed side with respect to both exposed ends of the positive electrode current-collector-exposed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2014Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventors: NATSUHIKO MUKAI, MASATO FUJIKAWA
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Publication number: 20160028254Abstract: Even after the battery reaches the last stage of the end of life, the use can be continued. A charging system includes battery pack and charger. During the charge of lithium-ion secondary battery, charge control unit calculates the full charge capacity maintaining rate, sets a first charge current value on the basis of the full charge capacity maintaining rate, and charges the battery. When lithium-ion secondary battery reaches the last stage of the end of life, charge control unit sets a second charge current value lower than the first charge current value set based on the full charge capacity maintaining rate, and charges the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2014Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: KENICHI HONOKI, MASATO FUJIKAWA, SHIN-ICHI YUASA
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Patent number: 9231237Abstract: Batteries 100 are accommodated in a case 20, wherein the batteries 100 each include an opening portion 8a for releasing gas produced in an associated one of the batteries to outside the battery, the case 20 is partitioned into an accommodation section 50 configured to accommodate the batteries 100 and an exhaust passage 60 configured to expel the gas released from at least one of the opening portions 8a of the batteries 100 to outside the case 20, the opening portions 8a of the batteries 100 are allowed to communicate with the exhaust passage 60 through sealed connection passages 40, and a one-way open valve 70 which is configured to open only along a direction from the opening portion 8a of the battery 100 to the exhaust passage 60 is provided in an intermediate portion or at an end of each of the connection passages 40.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2011Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Tomohiko Yokoyama, Masato Fujikawa, Keisuke Naito