Patents by Inventor Tomofumi HIRUKAWA

Tomofumi HIRUKAWA 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: 11211597
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode belt that includes pressing a belt-shaped current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer so that the electrode mixture layer is formed on a part of the current collector foil, and stretching, by a stretching roll, a non-forming part of the current collector foil in which the electrode mixture layer is not formed and in which the current collector foil is exposed in respective ends in a width direction. The stretching roll includes a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer, and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part. A central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi Hirukawa, Keisuke Takano
  • Patent number: 11094920
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a belt-like electrode including: a pair of press rolls configured to press a belt-like current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer; and a stretching roll configured to stretch a non-forming part which is the current collector foil without the electrode mixture layer in respective ends in a width direction is provided. The stretching roll includes: a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer formed in the current collector foil; and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part, and a central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls in a direction away from the stretched current collector foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi Hirukawa, Keisuke Takano
  • Publication number: 20210249644
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a belt-like electrode including: a pair of press rolls configured to press a belt-like current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer; and a stretching roll configured to stretch a non-forming part which is the current collector foil without the electrode mixture layer in respective ends in a width direction is provided. The stretching roll includes: a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer formed in the current collector foil; and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part, and a central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls in a direction away from the stretched current collector foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Keisuke TAKANO
  • Patent number: 10998541
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet including an electrode layer on both surfaces of a current collecting foil includes: feeding out an original electrode sheet including an unfinished electrode layer on each surface of the foil from a feeding part; causing a press roll pair to contact with the original sheet fed out to form the unfinished layers into electrode layers; receiving the sheet having passed through the roll pair by a sheet receiving part; and rotating rolls of the roll pair in a feeding direction. The feeding part, roll pair, and receiving part are placed such that the original sheet and the electrode sheet are to be wound on one of the rolls. The rolls are rotated such that a moving speed of cylindrical surface of one roll placed in a position where the sheets are wound thereon is higher than that of the other roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 10673061
    Abstract: A method includes performing roll pressing such that a first electrode mixture layer and a second electrode mixture layer are compressed in a thickness direction of the first electrode mixture layer and the second electrode mixture layer by passing an electrode sheet through a gap between a seventh roll and an eighth roll facing each other and rotating. When performing the roll pressing, T7 as a surface temperature of the seventh roll disposed on the first electrode mixture layer side and contacting the first electrode mixture layer and T8 as a surface temperature of the eighth roll disposed on the second electrode mixture layer side and contacting the second electrode mixture layer satisfy a relationship of T7<T8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20190296322
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode sheet including an electrode layer on both surfaces of a current collecting foil includes: feeding out an original electrode sheet including an unfinished electrode layer on each surface of the foil from a feeding part; causing a press roll pair to contact with the original sheet fed out to form the unfinished layers into electrode layers; receiving the sheet having passed through the roll pair by a sheet receiving part; and rotating rolls of the roll pair in a feeding direction. The feeding part, roll pair, and receiving part are placed such that the original sheet and the electrode sheet are to be wound on one of the rolls. The rolls are rotated such that a moving speed of cylindrical surface of one roll placed in a position where the sheets are wound thereon is higher than that of the other roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomofumi Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20190131614
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a belt-like electrode including: a pair of press rolls configured to press a belt-like current collector foil with an electrode mixture layer along a longitudinal direction in a thickness direction of the electrode mixture layer; and a stretching roll configured to stretch a non-forming part which is the current collector foil without the electrode mixture layer in respective ends in a width direction is provided. The stretching roll includes: a first roll opposed to the electrode mixture layer formed in the current collector foil; and a pair of second rolls arranged in respective ends of the first roll in an axial direction and opposed to the non-forming part, and a central axis of the first roll is deviated with respect to a central axis of the pair of second rolls in a direction away from the stretched current collector foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA, Keisuke TAKANO
  • Publication number: 20190036104
    Abstract: A method includes performing roll pressing such that a first electrode mixture layer and a second electrode mixture layer are compressed in a thickness direction of the first electrode mixture layer and the second electrode mixture layer by passing an electrode sheet through a gap between a seventh roll and an eighth roll facing each other and rotating. When performing the roll pressing, T7 as a surface temperature of the seventh roll disposed on the first electrode mixture layer side and contacting the first electrode mixture layer and T8 as a surface temperature of the eighth roll disposed on the second electrode mixture layer side and contacting the second electrode mixture layer satisfy a relationship of T7<T8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomofumi HIRUKAWA