Patents by Inventor Yoshiki Ohsawa

Yoshiki Ohsawa 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: 20140021925
    Abstract: A battery power supply apparatus has: a battery including a parallel circuit that has series circuits connected in parallel, each of the series circuits having a secondary battery and a cutoff element connected in series, each of the cutoff elements becoming a disconnected state, when an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery; a first detector detecting an overall current value flowing through the battery block; a second detector connected in parallel to the series circuits to detect a block voltage value of the battery block; a setting portion setting a current limit value; and an estimation portion estimating, as the number of valid batteries, the number of cutoff elements which have not become disconnected states, based on the overall current value and the block voltage value. The setting portion sets the current limit value so that the current limit value decreases as the number of valid batteries decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Asakura, Mutsuhiko Takeda, Yoshiki Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 8530082
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a battery electrode having a configuration in which an electrode active material layer including an electrode active material is held on an electrode collector. The method includes a step of mixing the electrode active material with a solvent and preparing an electrode active material paste (step S10), a step of admixing and dispersing microbubbles in the prepared electrode active material paste to obtain a low-density electrode active material paste that has a density lower than that before the admixing (step S20), and a step of coating the electrode collector with the low-density electrode active material paste (step S30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yozo Uchida, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Tatsuya Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20120135296
    Abstract: A battery module 100 includes a plurality of cells 10 arranged in a grid array. The cells 10 arranged in a row direction are connected together in parallel by a first connecting member 20. The cells 10 arranged in a column direction are connected together such that the cells 10 adjacent to each other in the column direction are connected together in series by a second connecting member 30. When an internal short-circuit occurs in any one of the cells 10, the first connecting member 20 connected to the cell 10 in which the internal short-circuit has occurred is melted by Joule heat generated due to a short-circuit current flowing into the cell 10 in which the internal short-circuit has occurred from the other cells 10 in which no internal short-circuit occurs via the first connecting member 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Toshiki Itoi, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Masatoshi Nagayama, Takuya Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8057933
    Abstract: A safety mechanism for a laminate battery. An exterior case (5) consists of two molded sheets (5a) made of laminate sheets, superposed upon one another, and bonded together around the outer edges. The exterior case has a protrusion (10) that communicates with the interior of the exterior case and protrudes outwardly from one side. A safety vent (13) is made up of an exhaust hole (11) formed in at lease one of the two molded sheets (5a) in the protrusion (10), and a valve element (12) making elastic pressure contact with the edge of the exhaust hole (11) to seal it. The safety mechanism does not operate within the range of internal pressure variation during normal use, but operates reliably at a time point when a predetermined valve operating pressure is reached to release a necessary amount of gas to the outside, this valve operating pressure being within the safe range relative to the pressure resistance of the exterior case (5) made of laminate sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Tsuyoshi Hatanaka, Yasuhiko Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20110183211
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a battery electrode having a configuration in which an electrode active material layer including an electrode active material is held on an electrode collector. The method includes a step of mixing the electrode active material with a solvent and preparing an electrode active material paste (step S10), a step of admixing and dispersing microbubbles in the prepared electrode active material paste to obtain a low-density electrode active material paste that has a density lower than that before the admixing (step S20), and a step of coating the electrode collector with the low-density electrode active material paste (step S30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Yozo Uchida, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Tatsuya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7842418
    Abstract: An electrode plate includes a both-surface coated part 14 in which an electrode active material layer 13 is provided on both surfaces of a current collector core material 12, a core material exposed part 18 in which the negative electrode active material layer 13 is not provided, and a one-surface coated part 17 in which the negative electrode active material layer 13 is provided on only one surface of the current collector core material 12. A plurality of grooves 10 are formed in both surfaces of the both-surface coated part 14 and the grooves 10 are not formed in the one-surface coated part 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Tsutomu Nishioka, Shusaku Goto, Takeshi Kasamatsu
  • Patent number: 7806943
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode plate group (1) in which a positive electrode plate (2) and a negative electrode plate (3) are wound or stacked with a separator (4) interposed therebetween and a battery case (7) in which the electrode plate group (1) and an electrolyte are contained. At least one of the positive electrode plate (2) and the negative electrode plate (3) includes a porous protective film (28) formed on a surface of an active material layer. In a surface of the at least one of the electrode plates on which the porous protective film (28) is provided, a plurality of grooves (10) are formed, and the grooves (10) are also formed in the surface of the active material so that each of the grooves (10) extends from the surface of the porous protective film (28) to the surface of the active material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Seiichi Kato
  • Publication number: 20100136394
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes an electrode plate group (1) in which a positive electrode plate (2) and a negative electrode plate (3) are wound or stacked with a separator (4) interposed therebetween and a battery case (7) in which the electrode plate group (1) and an electrolyte are contained. At least one of the positive electrode plate (2) and the negative electrode plate (3) includes a porous protective film (28) formed on a surface of an active material layer. In a surface of the at least one of the electrode plates on which the porous protective film (28) is provided, a plurality of grooves (10) are formed, and the grooves (10) are also formed in the surface of the active material so that each of the grooves (10) extends from the surface of the porous protective film (28) to the surface of the active material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Seiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 7695864
    Abstract: In an electrode plate 3 including a both-surface coated part 14 in which an active material layer 13 and a porous protective film 28 are formed, a core material exposed part 18 which is an end part of the current collector core material 12 and in which the active material layer 13 and the porous protective film 28 are not formed, and a one-surface coated part 17 which is provided between the both-surface coated part 14 and the core material exposed part 18 and in which the active material layer 13 and the porous protective film 28 are formed, a plurality of grooves 10 are formed in both surfaces of the both-surface coated part 14 and are not formed in the one-surface coated part 17. The grooves 10 are formed so that each of the grooves extends from the porous protective film 28 to the active material layer 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Tsutomu Nishioka, Shusaku Goto, Takeshi Kasamatsu, Seiichi Kato
  • Publication number: 20100035140
    Abstract: In an electrode plate 3 including a both-surface coated part 14 in which an active material layer 13 and a porous protective film 28 are formed, a core material exposed part 18 which is an end part of the current collector core material 12 and in which the active material layer 13 and the porous protective film 28 are not formed, and a one-surface coated part 17 which is provided between the both-surface coated part 14 and the core material exposed part 18 and in which the active material layer 13 and the porous protective film 28 are formed, a plurality of grooves 10 are formed in both surfaces of the both-surface coated part 14 and are not formed in the one-surface coated part 17. The grooves 10 are formed so that each of the grooves extends from the porous protective film 28 to the active material layer 13.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Tsutomu Nishioka, Shusaku Goto, Takeshi Kasamatsu, Seiichi Kato
  • Publication number: 20090325045
    Abstract: An electrode plate includes a both-surface coated part 14 in which an electrode active material layer 13 is provided on both surfaces of a current collector core material 12, a core material exposed part 18 in which the negative electrode active material layer 13 is not provided, and a one-surface coated part 17 in which the negative electrode active material layer 13 is provided on only one surface of the current collector core material 12. A plurality of grooves 10 are formed in both surfaces of the both-surface coated part 14 and the grooves 10 are not formed in the one-surface coated part 17.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Hideyuki Kumakiri, Tsutomu Nishioka, Shusaku Goto, Takeshi Kasamatsu
  • Publication number: 20090017365
    Abstract: A safety mechanism for a laminate battery. An exterior case (5) consists of two molded sheets (5a) made of laminate sheets, superposed upon one another, and bonded together around the outer edges. The exterior case has a protrusion (10) that communicates with the interior of the exterior case and protrudes outwardly from one side. A safety vent (13) is made up of an exhaust hole (11) formed in at lease one of the two molded sheets (5a) in the protrusion (10), and a valve element (12) making elastic pressure contact with the edge of the exhaust hole (11) to seal it. The safety mechanism does not operate within the range of internal pressure variation during normal use, but operates reliably at a time point when a predetermined valve operating pressure is reached to release a necessary amount of gas to the outside, this valve operating pressure being within the safe range relative to the pressure resistance of the exterior case (5) made of laminate sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaharu Miyahisa, Yoshiki Ohsawa, Tsuyoshi Hatanaka, Yasuhiko Yamasaki