Patents by Inventor Richard M. Mank

Richard M. Mank 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).

  • Publication number: 20160336562
    Abstract: A battery cell compartment is formed with the device enclosure of an electronic device. Bare cell stacks are placed within the cell compartment. The resulting battery powers the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Bookeun Oh, Richard M. Mank
  • Patent number: 9450443
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery corresponding to a high-voltage lithium-polymer battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system monitors a cycle number of the battery during use of the battery with the portable electronic device, wherein the cycle number corresponds to a number of charge-discharge cycles of the battery. If the cycle number exceeds one or more cycle number thresholds, the system modifies a charging technique for the battery to manage swelling in the battery and use of the battery with the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hongli Dai, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20160240831
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a porous layer positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. The porous layer resists dendrite growth from the first electrode through the porous layer to the second electrode. The porous layer includes a plurality of pores sized to permit ionic transport through the porous layer and to resist dendrite growth through the porous layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Qingcheng Zeng, Richard M. Mank, Jie Guan, Shouwei Hao, Bookeun Oh
  • Publication number: 20160181575
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a set of layers including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, which contains a first layer of polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Mank, Taisup Hwang
  • Patent number: 9331358
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell which includes a set of jelly rolls enclosed in a pouch. Each jelly roll includes layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a first set of conductive tabs and a second set of conductive tabs. Each of the first set of conductive tabs is coupled to the cathode of one of the jelly rolls, and each of the second set of conductive tabs is coupled to the anode of one of the jelly rolls. At least one of the first set and one of the second set of conductive tabs extend through seals in the pouch to provide terminals for the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Taisup Hwang, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20160093837
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a battery pouch that includes a cavity. The battery pouch also includes a first transition between a first side of the battery pouch and a second side of the battery pouch. The first side of the battery pouch includes a first sealed portion having a minimum threshold distance between the cavity and the edge of the battery pouch. More specifically, the first sealed portion is located between a first outer edge of the cavity and a first outer edge of the battery pouch. The battery pouch also includes a second side having a second sealed portion with minimum threshold distance. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Charles W. Werley, John Chan, Loren L. Roy, Richard M. Mank, Xiaoyun Hu
  • Publication number: 20160064719
    Abstract: A battery assembly includes a battery cell with leads extending from the battery and a circuit including a substrate and contacts that extend from the substrate. The leads are coupled to the contacts by mechanical or adhesive bonds located on sections of the contacts extending from the substrate. In various implementations, the circuit may include a variety of different components coupled to the substrate. Such components may be operable to perform a variety of functions such as regulating, monitoring, controlling, and/or otherwise managing the battery cell. Such components may include one or more battery management units, safety circuits, capacity gauges, and/or other components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Tyler S. Bushnell, Charles W. Werley, Richard M. Mank, Xiaoyun Hu, Thai T. Ton, George V. Anastas, Vijayasekaran Boovaragavan
  • Publication number: 20160064961
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device. During, operation, the system monitors indicators of user behavior associated with charging and discharging of the battery in the portable electronic device by a user, wherein the indicators of user behavior can include a state-of-charge of the battery, a charging pattern associated with charging of the battery, usage of applications on the portable electronic device, a user setting on the portable electronic device, a scheduled event or alarm on the portable electronic device, a power consumption pattern on the portable electronic device, a time of day, or the location of the portable electronic device. Next, the system modifies a charging technique for the battery based on the monitored indicators of user behavior to manage at least one of a cycle life of the battery, swelling in the battery, and a runtime of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Derek J. DiCarlo, Hongli Dai, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20160064780
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting and compensating for expansion of rechargeable batteries over time. An expansion detector may be coupled to or positioned proximate a rechargeable battery to monitor for expansion thereof. After expansion exceeding a selected threshold is detected, the expansion detector may report the expansion to an associated processing unit. The processing unit may undertake to arrest further rechargeable battery expansion by modifying or changing one or more characteristics of charging and/or discharging circuitry coupled to the rechargeable battery. For example, the processing unit may charge the rechargeable battery at a lower rate or with reduced voltage after detecting expansion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel W. Jarvis, David M. DeMuro, Hongli Dai, Julian Malinski, Julien Marcil, Meng Chi Lee, Richard Hung Minh Dinh, Rishabh Bhargava, Steven D. Sterz, Richard M. Mank, Soundararajan Manthiri, Vijayasekaran Boovaragavan
  • Publication number: 20160064960
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery in a portable electronic device. During, operation, the system monitors indicators of user behavior associated with charging and discharging of the battery in the portable electronic device by a user, wherein the indicators of user behavior can include a state-of-charge of the battery, a charging pattern associated with charging of the battery, usage of applications on the portable electronic device, a user setting on the portable electronic device, a scheduled event or alarm on the portable electronic device, a power consumption pattern on the portable electronic device, a time of day, or the location of the portable electronic device. Next, the system modifies a charging technique for the battery based on the monitored indicators of user behavior to manage at least one of a cycle life of the battery, swelling in the battery, and a runtime of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Derek J. DiCarlo, Hongli Dai, Steve Sterz, Richard M. Mank, Soundar Manthiri
  • Publication number: 20160013455
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design of a stacked-cell battery comprising a stack of layers, including alternating anode and cathode layers coated with active material with intervening separator layers. The stack includes a plurality of notches formed along one or more sides of the stack, including a first notch and a second notch, wherein each cathode layer includes an uncoated cathode tab extending into the first notch, and wherein each anode layer includes an uncoated anode tab extending into the second notch. Moreover, a common cathode tab is bonded to the cathode tabs within the first notch, and a common anode tab is bonded to the anode tabs within the second notch. The stacked-cell battery also includes a pouch enclosing the stack, wherein the common anode and cathode tabs extend through the pouch to provide cathode and anode terminals for the battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Brian K. Shiu, Charles W. Werley, George V. Anastas, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20150303416
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Taisup Hwang, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20150263378
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design and manufacture of a battery cell. The battery cell includes a jelly roll containing layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a mechanical structure disposed around a perimeter of the jelly roll to maintain a structural integrity of the jelly roll. Finally, the battery cell includes a pouch enclosing the mechanical structure and the jelly roll, wherein the pouch is flexible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Pasma, George V. Anastas, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20150236371
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a cathode current collector containing graphene, a cathode active material, an electrolyte, an anode active material, and an anode current collector. The graphene may reduce the manufacturing cost and/or increase the energy density of the battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20150194654
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to the design and manufacture of a battery cell. The battery cell contains a set of layers, including a cathode with an active coating, an anode with an active coating, and a composite separator containing an adhesion polymer layer that does not reflow after a thermal treatment of the battery cell is performed to laminate the layers together. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, wherein the pouch is flexible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bookeun Oh, Sang Young Yoon, Richard M. Mank
  • Patent number: 9040187
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: APPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Taisup Hwang, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20150102767
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages use of a battery corresponding to a high-voltage lithium-polymer battery in a portable electronic device. During operation, the system monitors a cycle number of the battery during use of the battery with the portable electronic device, wherein the cycle number corresponds to a number of charge-discharge cycles of the battery. If the cycle number exceeds one or more cycle number thresholds, the system modifies a charging technique for the battery to manage swelling in the battery and use of the battery with the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Hongli Dai, Richard M. Mank
  • Patent number: 8951675
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a cathode current collector containing graphene, a cathode active material, an electrolyte, an anode active material, and an anode current collector. The graphene may reduce the manufacturing cost and/or increase the energy density of the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj, Richard M. Mank
  • Publication number: 20140322575
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a set of layers which are wound together to form a jelly roll, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, wherein the pouch is flexible. To increase a current flow in the battery cell, a first set of conductive tabs is coupled to a cathode substrate of the cathode, and a second set of conductive tabs is coupled to an anode substrate of the anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Taisup Hwang, Richard M. Mank, Bookeun Oh
  • Publication number: 20140322590
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a battery cell. The battery cell includes a set of layers including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating. The battery cell also includes a pouch enclosing the layers, which contains a first layer of polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Mank, Taisup Hwang