Patents by Inventor Steven Cai

Steven Cai 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: 20230352694
    Abstract: Disclosed are a high-orientation collector for a lithium-ion battery, a manufacturing method therefor and an application thereof. The collector is made of a resin material added with conductive particles. The conductive particles of the collector in an X-Y direction do not form a sufficient conductive network, but form a good conductive network in a Z direction. While a short circuit occurs, the collector is not easy to activate most of active materials in the X-Y direction so that thermal runaway is not easy to occur, but the collector may fully conduct electricity in the Z direction so that the battery may be normally charged and discharged, thereby improving battery safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Ya ZHANG, Qian CHENG, Steven CAI, Chen LI
  • Publication number: 20230031962
    Abstract: Disclosed are an integrated high-temperature decomposable connector and a lithium ion battery containing the same. The integrated high-temperature decomposable connector includes a connecting plate and supporting columns fixedly arranged on one side of the connecting plate at intervals, clamping columns are fixedly connected to the top ends of the supporting columns, and an insertion recess is formed between adjacent clamping columns; the top end surface of the clamping column and the inner sidewall of the insertion recess are each provided with a conductive layer, the clamping column is made of a high-temperature decomposable material, and the high-temperature decomposable material is formed by mixing a thermosensitive resin and a functional, additive. The conductive layer may be electrically connected to cell tabs, and the thermosensitive resin may be automatically decomposed while the temperature of cells is too high, so that the safety performance of the battery is greatly improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Qian CHENG, Ya ZHANG, Steven CAI, Chen LI
  • Publication number: 20230016083
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an external short-circuit protection apparatus for a lithium ion battery. The external short-circuit protection apparatus for the lithium ion battery includes at least one battery cell and a bus bar, wherein each battery cell is provided with a conductive tab, the conductive tab is adjacent to the bus bar, and under an action of external force, the bus bar and the conductive tab are in contact with or separated from each other to be electrically connected to or disconnected from each other. The bus bar is provided with an elastic bent portion, and under the action of a cover plate, an elastic bent portion of the bus bar and the conductive tab are in contact with or separated from each other to be electrically connected to or disconnected from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Bingjie SHEN, Steven CAI, Qian CHENG, Xiaohui LI, Ya ZHANG, Zhihong LIN
  • Publication number: 20220416253
    Abstract: Disclosed are an anisotropic collector for a lithium-ion battery, and a manufacturing method therefor and an application thereof. The collector is made of a resin material added with spherical metal particles. Conductive particles of the collector in an X-Y direction do not form a sufficient conductive network, but form a good conductive network in a Z direction. While a short circuit occurs, the collector is not easy to activate most of active materials in the X-Y direction so that thermal runaway is not easy to occur, but the collector may fully conduct electricity in the Z direction so that the battery may be normally charged and discharged, thereby improving battery safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Ya ZHANG, Qian CHENG, Steven CAI, Chen LI
  • Publication number: 20220416305
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a battery pack and a battery cell. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells, wherein two adjacent battery cells in the plurality of battery cells are connected to each other by a conductive adhesive layer, and each battery cell includes a cathode collector, a cathode layer, a separator, an anode layer and an anode collector which are stacked in a thickness direction; and the plurality of battery cells are sequentially stacked in the thickness direction to form the battery pack, and the battery pack is able to form a current channel in the thickness direction when charged or discharged; wherein the conductive adhesive layer is provided with two opposite main surfaces, one main surface being connected to the cathode collector of one battery cell, and the other main surface being connected to the anode collector of the other battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Qian CHENG, Ya ZHANG, Steven CAI, Chen LI
  • Publication number: 20220393314
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present disclosure are a welding-free connector electrically connected to a battery cell, and a lithium ion battery comprising the connector. The connector comprises current collector bars, the current collector bars being clamped with a connecting plate; the connecting plate comprises a back plate and clamping posts fixedly provided at one side of the back plate at intervals, and grooves for clamping with the current collector bars are formed between adjacent clamping posts; a thermal decomposition material layer is coated on the periphery of the clamping posts or the inner side walls of the grooves, and the thermal decomposition material layer is formed by compounding a thermosensitive resin and a modified material; and the back plate and the clamping posts are both made of a high-thermal-conductivity insulating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Ya ZHANG, Qian CHENG, Steven CAI, Chen LI
  • Patent number: 11502329
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to semi-solid electrodes which are pre-formed prior to inclusion in lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries which incorporate the semi-solid electrodes and methods of making the semi-solid electrodes. An electrochemical cell includes a semi-solid anode formed of anode active material injected with an electrolyte and a first electrolyte additive, the semi-solid anode having a first SEI layer; and a semi-solid cathode formed of a cathode active material injected with an additional electrolyte and a second electrolyte additive, the semi-solid cathode having a second SEI layer, wherein the first electrolyte additive and the second solid electrolyte additive are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Gotion, Inc.
    Inventors: Qian Cheng, Steven Cai
  • Publication number: 20220166106
    Abstract: A composite thermal barrier material (100) has a sandwich structure, and comprises an inner layer (110) consisting of an aerogel material which has ultra-low thermal conductivity; and two flame retardant layers (120) which comprising a flame retardant resin matrix (130), wherein the inner layer (110) is sandwiched by the two flame retardant layers (120), and the flame retardant layer (120) also contains an expandable graphite (140), a high temperature decomposable material (150) and a phase change material (160) as functional fillers dispersed in the flame retardant resin matrix (130). The composite thermal barrier material (100) has excellent thermal insulation property, and may stop the thermal propagation when one cell has thermal runaway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Ya ZHANG, Qian CHENG, Steven CAI
  • Publication number: 20220131208
    Abstract: The present invention relates to multilayer composite materials with anisotropic thermal conductivity for high safety pack design. According to the present invention, the multilayer composite material has a sandwich structure, and comprises: an inner layer consisting of an aerogel material which has ultra-low thermal conductivity; and two thermal conduction layers which contain graphene based nano carbon and possess high thermal conductivity, wherein the inner layer is sandwiched by the two thermal conduction layers. When used as a spacer between two neighbor cell, the multi-layer composite material can help to achieve uniform thermal distribution, stop the thermal propagation and act as a spacer to accommodate the volumetric change during charge and discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Ya ZHANG, Qian CHENG, Steven CAI
  • Publication number: 20200365936
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to semi-solid electrodes which are pre-formed prior to inclusion in lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries which incorporate the semi-solid electrodes and methods of making the semi-solid electrodes. An electrochemical cell includes a semi-solid anode formed of anode active material injected with an electrolyte and a first electrolyte additive, the semi-solid anode having a first SEI layer; and a semi-solid cathode formed of a cathode active material injected with an additional electrolyte and a second electrolyte additive, the semi-solid cathode having a second SEI layer, wherein the first electrolyte additive and the second solid electrolyte additive are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Gotion Inc.
    Inventors: Qian Cheng, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: 10826111
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to semi-solid electrodes which are pre-formed prior to inclusion in lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries which incorporate the semi-solid electrodes and methods of making the semi-solid electrodes. An electrochemical cell includes a semi-solid anode formed of anode active material injected with an electrolyte and a first electrolyte additive, the semi-solid anode having a first SEI layer; and a semi-solid cathode formed of a cathode active material injected with an additional electrolyte and a second electrolyte additive, the semi-solid cathode having a second SEI layer, wherein the first electrolyte additive and the second solid electrolyte additive are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Gotion, Inc.
    Inventors: Qian Cheng, Steven Cai
  • Publication number: 20190326625
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to semi-solid electrodes which are pre-formed prior to inclusion in lithium ion batteries, lithium ion batteries which incorporate the semi-solid electrodes and methods of making the semi-solid electrodes. An electrochemical cell includes a semi-solid anode formed of anode active material injected with an electrolyte and a first electrolyte additive, the semi-solid anode having a first SEI layer; and a semi-solid cathode formed of a cathode active material injected with an additional electrolyte and a second electrolyte additive, the semi-solid cathode having a second SEI layer, wherein the first electrolyte additive and the second solid electrolyte additive are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Qian Cheng, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: 9887498
    Abstract: An electrical outlet has a conductive socket well for slidably receiving an electrical plug, the well having a transverse distal end having a center hole; an insulating connector housing adjacent the transverse distal end of the socket well having at least two electrical terminals for connection to an electrical supply; a first of the electrical terminals being coupled to a central fastener and a second of the electrical terminals terminating in a conductive element adjacent the transverse end of the socket well; a fuse member provided between the transverse end of the socket well and the conductive element, the fuse member in series electrical connection between the conductive element and the socket well; the fuse member providing compact integral over-current protection; an insulator disposed at the distal end of the socket well in the socket well, the central fastener holding the socket well, the insulator, the fuse member, insulating connector housing and first and second electrical terminals together as
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CASCO PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yanmin Shan, Steven Cai, Roger Higgott
  • Publication number: 20170201049
    Abstract: An electrical outlet has a conductive socket well for slidably receiving an electrical plug, the well having a transverse distal end having a center hole; an insulating connector housing adjacent the transverse distal end of the socket well having at least two electrical terminals for connection to an electrical supply; a first of the electrical terminals being coupled to a central fastener and a second of the electrical terminals terminating in a conductive element adjacent the transverse end of the socket well; a fuse member provided between the transverse end of the socket well and the conductive element, the fuse member in series electrical connection between the conductive element and the socket well; the fuse member providing compact integral over-current protection; an insulator disposed at the distal end of the socket well in the socket well, the central fastener holding the socket well, the insulator, the fuse member, insulating connector housing and first and second electrical terminals together as
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Yanmin Shan, Steven Cai, Roger Higgott
  • Patent number: 8936864
    Abstract: A battery pack with phase change materials (PCM). The PCM would improve the heating and cooling capabilities under various vehicle operating conditions. Methods of controlling the temperature in battery packs are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: 8658299
    Abstract: A battery pack thermal management system includes a plurality of battery cells connected to at least one DC power bus. At least one thermoelectric device is operatively disposed in thermal contact with the plurality of battery cells. At least one temperature measuring device is operatively connected to the thermal management system, and configured to measure a temperature of a predetermined portion of the plurality of battery cells. A cell balancing circuit is operatively connected to the plurality of battery cells, and configured to selectively divert a portion of electric current from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to the at least one thermoelectric device. An electronic controller is operatively connected to the cell balancing circuit, and configured to control a flow of electric current to the at least one thermoelectric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: 8546730
    Abstract: An electrical socket for powering an electrical/electronic accessory device having an electrical plug that is received in the socket, comprising: an electrically conductive socket well for slidably receiving the electrical plug of the electrical/electronic device; an electrical connector portion disposed distally on the socket well and comprising an insulator fastened to the socket well at a distal end thereof and having at least two electrical terminals for connecting to a vehicle electrical power source; a plurality of first electrical contacts disposed at a distal end of said socket well and extending radially and proximally from the center of said well and being electrically connected to a first of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion; a second of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion being electrically connected to said socket well; and said plurality of first electrical contacts being adapted to electrically slidably engage with an inner periphery of a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Casco Products Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Schwarzbach, Steven Cai
  • Publication number: 20130045641
    Abstract: An electrical socket for powering an electrical/electronic accessory device having an electrical plug that is received in the socket, comprising: an electrically conductive socket well for slidably receiving the electrical plug of the electrical/electronic device; an electrical connector portion disposed distally on the socket well and comprising an insulator fastened to the socket well at a distal end thereof and having at least two electrical terminals for connecting to a vehicle electrical power source; a plurality of first electrical contacts disposed at a distal end of said socket well and extending radially and proximally from the center of said well and being electrically connected to a first of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion; a second of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion being electrically connected to said socket well; and said plurality of first electrical contacts being adapted to electrically slidably engage with an inner periphery of a
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Ronald Schwarzbach, Steven Cai
  • Publication number: 20120282497
    Abstract: A battery pack thermal management system includes a plurality of battery cells connected to at least one DC power bus. At least one thermoelectric device is operatively disposed in thermal contact with the plurality of battery cells. At least one temperature measuring device is operatively connected to the thermal management system, and configured to measure a temperature of a predetermined portion of the plurality of battery cells. A cell balancing circuit is operatively connected to the plurality of battery cells, and configured to selectively divert a portion of electric current from at least one of the plurality of battery cells to the at least one thermoelectric device. An electronic controller is operatively connected to the cell balancing circuit, and configured to control a flow of electric current to the at least one thermoelectric device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Steven Cai
  • Patent number: RE49853
    Abstract: A computer-assisted method to timely provide notifications of treatments, the method including receiving de-identified longitudinal medical records, receiving notification data, identifying anonymized patients that received the treatment, identifying notifications for the treatment that were received by the recipients, determining, for each of the identified notifications, whether the recipient is an anonymized patient identified as having received the treatment, determining, for each of the identified notifications for the treatment determined to be received by a recipient that is an anonymized patient identified as having received the treatment, a time relationship between the time when the treatment was received by the anonymized patient and the time that the notification was received by the recipient that is the anonymized patient, and determining, for each of the anonymized patients that received the treatment, associations between one or more time relationships for notifications received by the anonymiz
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: IQVIA Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Cai, Bob Doyle, George Mu, Dong Dai, Emily Zhao, Steven Rosztoczy