Patents by Inventor Toyohiko Eto

Toyohiko Eto 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: 8940422
    Abstract: A battery cell includes a battery housing case formed with a through hole communicating with an interior space, a hollow rivet, and a seal rubber. The hollow rivet has a seal surface annularly extending outside the battery housing case, and a hollow portion formed with an exhaust port continuous to the inner edge of the seal surface and positioned at the through hole to allow gas in the interior space to flow out through the exhaust port. The seal rubber has a contact unit extending annularly facing the seal surface to press the seal surface and is provided so as to close the exhaust port. The contact unit is formed to project toward the seal surface so as to contact the seal surface at a position away from the inner edge of the seal surface. Such an arrangement prevents an electrolyte leakage over a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Ito, Tomohiro Matsuura, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8859139
    Abstract: An alkaline storage battery has an electrode terminal that is inserted in a penetration hole, and disposed astride an inside of a battery case and an outside of the battery case, and fastened to a hole periphery portion via a packing. The negative terminal has a seal portion that, together with the hole periphery portion, clamps and compresses the packing to liquid-tightly seal the penetration hole. The seal portion includes an annular seal surface located facing the hole periphery portion, and a seal periphery surface located around the seal surface. The seal surface is protruded from the seal periphery surface toward the hole periphery portion. The surface roughness Ry of the seal surface of the negative terminal is 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Masanori Ito
  • Patent number: 8785014
    Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride secondary battery includes: a plurality of power generating elements each having a negative plate containing hydrogen absorbing alloy; a battery case provided with partition walls and a plurality of compartments arranged adjacently on both sides of each partition wall, each of the compartments accommodating each power generating element, and the compartments allowing gas intercommunication between compartments through communication holes formed in the partition walls; and at least one of safety valves placed on the battery case, the safety valves being less in number than the number of the compartments; wherein each of the communication holes has a hole sectional area per battery module capacity in a range 0.03 to 0.30 mm2/Ah.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Hideki Kasahara, Shinichiro Ito, Hideki Ando, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8701810
    Abstract: A battery pack to be mounted on a vehicle. The battery pack has a battery stack. A cooling fan, a fan relay, and a main relay (?) are disposed on one side of the battery stack. A control module, a register, a main relay (+), and a pre-charge relay are disposed on the other side of the same. As a result of devices being disposed on both sides of the battery stack, the weight of the battery pack is adjusted to the neighborhood of the center of the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Toyohiko Eto, Masahiro Misu
  • Patent number: 8557429
    Abstract: An object is to provide a battery pack which can restrict movements of battery a module and a spacer even after use for a long period. A battery pack 100 comprises a plurality of battery modules 110, a plurality of holding spacers 130 each being placed in a space between the battery modules, and a first and second spacer support members 160, 170 which hold the holding spacers 130 in a vertical direction Z. Each holding spacer 130 includes a plurality of first elastic members 143 and a plurality of second elastic members 145 which protrude in the vertical direction Z. The holding spacer 130 is elastically held between the first and second spacer support members 160, 170 while the first and second elastic members 143, 145 are elastically deformed into elastic pressure contact with the first and second spacer support members 160, 170.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Yoshitaka Sugimoto, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8338016
    Abstract: A battery pack to be mounted in a vehicle incorporates a battery stack and a cooling fan. An air intake is formed in a side face located in the vicinity of the cooling fan. In consideration of passengers entering and exiting the vehicle, the air intake is formed as well in a plane generated as a result of removal of a corner. A louver for preventing intrusion of extraneous matter is disposed at the front of the air intake. A decrease in the amount of cooling air induced by the louver is lessened by means of forming the air intake in the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Toyohiko Eto, Masahiro Misu
  • Patent number: 8329335
    Abstract: A sealed-type secondary battery is disclosed. A battery module of a sealed-type secondary battery is formed by heating and fusing a top lid member and an integrated battery container. The integrated battery container is formed with a polymer alloy including a polyphenylene ether resin and a polyolefin resin, and the top lid member or a lateral lid member is formed with a polypropylene-based resin. A nucleating agent is added to the polypropylene-based resin of the top lid member or the lateral lid member, to improve mechanical strength, and the molecular weight is increased to reduce a melt flow rate MFR to approximately the same degree as the polymer alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Kyouei Miura, Kenji Fukumoto, Daisuke Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8298700
    Abstract: A prismatic sealed rechargeable battery includes a substantially prismatic battery case that accommodates an electrode plate assembly and an electrolyte solution. The battery case is formed of metal. On a side face of the battery case, a thin plate is provided which has a plurality of protruding portions formed in parallel at appropriate intervals. The protruding portion and the side face form spaces opened at both ends therebetween. The thin plate is bonded to the side face of the battery case by making flat portions between the protruding portions into surface-contact with the side face, thereby improving cooling capability of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8182934
    Abstract: A secondary battery comprises a power generating element, a battery case including a gas release hole, and a valve safety device configured to close the gas release hole and release gas out of the battery case when inner pressure in the battery case exceeds a predetermined value. The safety valve device comprises a valve member and a holding member. The valve member includes a sealing portion hermetically making contact with a sealed surface around the gas release hole, and the holding member is fixed to the battery case to elastically press the sealing portion by its elastic deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
  • Publication number: 20120121948
    Abstract: A prismatic sealed rechargeable battery includes a substantially prismatic battery case that accommodates an electrode plate assembly and an electrolyte solution. The battery case is formed of metal. On a side face of the battery case, a thin plate is provided which has a plurality of protruding portions formed in parallel at appropriate intervals. The protruding portion and the side face form spaces opened at both ends therebetween. The thin plate is bonded to the side face of the battery case by making flat portions between the protruding portions into surface-contact with the side face, thereby improving cooling capability of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8178229
    Abstract: Noise generated from some air leaking from a water drain hole formed in an exhaust duct is reduced. A first water drain hole for exhausting liquid that has collected within the exhaust duct to outside the exhaust duct is formed in a bottom face of the exhaust duct for exhausting air after cooling a battery stack and a second water drain hole for exhausting liquid, which was exhausted from the first water drain hole, to outside a lower case is formed in the lower case housing the battery stack and the exhaust duct, with the second water drain hole formed at a position not on a line extending from the direction of outflow of air leaking out from the first water drain hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Masahiro Misu, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8173286
    Abstract: In a battery pack where a fan is housed within a case housing a battery stack, the noise generated from turbulence of a medium that is supplied and exhausted between a fan opening of the fan and the battery stack is reduced. The battery pack has a battery stack, a cooling fan installed adjacent to the battery stack and having a fan opening formed in a top surface for taking in cooling air after cooling the battery stack, an upper case for covering the upper part of the battery stack and the cooling fan, and a junction duct for guiding the cooling air after cooling the battery stack to the fan opening. The junction duct is formed from the duct lower unit having an opening formed at a location facing the fan opening and one wall of the upper case in contact with a lower end and periphery of the duct lower unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Naoki Fukusako, Masahiro Misu, Syogo Yoneda, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 8124270
    Abstract: A prismatic sealed rechargeable battery includes a substantially prismatic battery case that accommodates an electrode plate assembly and an electrolyte solution. The battery case is formed of metal. On a side face of the battery case, a thin plate is provided which has a plurality of protruding portions formed in parallel at appropriate intervals. The protruding portion and the side face form spaces opened at both ends therebetween. The thin plate is bonded to the side face of the battery case by making flat portions between the protruding portions into surface-contact with the side face, thereby improving cooling capability of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7989102
    Abstract: A battery pack structure with heater including a plurality of secondary batteries, a housing case housing them, and a heater is arranged to prevent uneven heating among the secondary batteries, reducing temperature variations among the secondary batteries. Specifically, the battery pack structure with heater of the present invention includes: a battery pack including a plurality of secondary batteries and a housing case housing them; a first heater; and a second heater. The housing case includes a metal spaced part separated with a space S from each of the secondary batteries. The first heater and the second heater are placed on at least part of an outer surface of the spaced part of the housing case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Fukusako, Shuhei Marukawa, Masahiro Misu, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7914923
    Abstract: A cell includes an electrode plate group which is formed by laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed between them, and includes leads protruding toward directions opposite to each other from one side of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate. Collectors are joined to the leads on both sides of the electrode plate group, and include connection protrusions formed so as to protrude outside. A bag-shape battery case containing the electrode plate group is joined to the collectors such that only the connection protrusions of the collectors are protruded outside the bag-shaped battery case. A battery module is constituted by placing a plurality of the cells, connected together, into a prismatic battery case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinsuke Fukuda, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Masato Onishi
  • Patent number: 7875375
    Abstract: An inexpensive battery pack including a battery module wherein a safety valve is provided for each cell in which battery pack gas leakage can be prevented. A battery pack 100 has a plurality of battery modules 110 each including a plurality of cells 120 respectively provided with a safety valve 123. The plurality of cells 120 included in each battery module 110 are arranged such that safety-valve mounting walls 121a are oriented in the same direction. Each battery module 110 comprises a gas duct member 130 covering all the safety valves 123 of the cells 120 included therein and forming a gas discharge path 131 between the gas duct member 130 and the safety-valve mounting walls 121a, and a sealing member 160 for hermetically sealing the gaps between each cell case 121 and the gas duct member 130.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Yoshitaka Sunagawa
  • Patent number: 7857867
    Abstract: An object is to provide a sealed battery with reduced electric resistance from a power generation element to an external terminal of the battery and a method of manufacturing the same. A sealed battery 100 comprises a power generation element 120 including positive electrode plates 121 each having a positive electrode active material layer and negative electrode plates 123 each having a negative electrode active material layer, which are alternately arranged. The power generation element 120 is configured such that negative electrode lead portions 123r of the negative electrode plates 123 are provided extending in a predetermined direction. Further, the sealed battery 100 includes a battery case 110 housing the power generation element 120. This battery case 100 includes a negative-electrode case member 115 made of an electrically conductive material and serving as a negative collector plate to which the negative electrode lead portions 123r are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Takashi Asahina, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7807282
    Abstract: A nickel-metal hydride storage battery is provided capable of suppressing an increase of discharge reserve of a negative electrode and preventing lowering of battery characteristics. A nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 of the present invention comprises a battery main part (an electrode plate group 150, an electrolyte, and others), a case 102 housing this battery main part, and a safety valve device 101 having an excessive pressure preventing function for preventing excessive rise of the internal pressure in the case 102 by discharging gas from the case 102 when the internal pressure in the case 102 exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Hamada, Tomohiro Matsuura, Toyohiko Eto, Hiroyuki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 7807284
    Abstract: A fan structure is provided, which includes: a fan case having an inlet and an outlet; a bladed wheel provided inside the fan case; a motor for rotating the bladed wheel; a circuit substrate for controlling the motor; and a scroll housing formed between the fan case and the bladed wheel. Rotation of the bladed wheel causes a fluid to enter the scroll housing from the inlet and to exit from the outlet. The circuit substrate and the motor are arranged inside the fan case. The fan structure further includes a waterproof member for dividing the motor and the circuit substrate from the scroll housing, and a cylindrical seal for sealing a hole formed in the waterproof member through which an output shaft of the motor extends. The fan structure is compact and prevents adhesion of salt, water, or dust to the built-in circuit substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Marukawa, Masahiro Misu, Toyohiko Eto
  • Patent number: 7785377
    Abstract: A sealed battery includes a metal case which functions as a connection terminal of one polarity and an electrode post which is mounted to the case in an insulated manner and functions as a connection terminal of the other polarity. A sealing section with electrical insulation properties is disposed between the electrode post formed from a hollow cylinder with one closed end and an electrode post through-hole provided in the case. A compression deformation section is produced by deforming the closed end of the electrode post radially outward, for compressing and sealing the sealing section, and for securing the electrode post to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Asahina, Shinji Hamada, Toyohiko Eto, Shinichi Yuasa