Patents by Inventor Yuki Kusachi

Yuki Kusachi 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: 12107211
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrochemical cells including a selectively permeable membrane and systems and methods for manufacturing the same. In some embodiments, the selectively permeable membrane can include a solid-state electrolyte material. In some embodiments, electrochemical cells can include a cathode disposed on a cathode current collector, an anode disposed on an anode current collector, and the selectively permeable membrane disposed therebetween. In some embodiments, the cathode and/or anode can include a slurry of an active material and a conductive material in a liquid electrolyte. In some embodiments, a catholyte can be different from an anolyte. In some embodiments, the catholyte can be optimized to improve the redox electrochemistry of the cathode and the anolyte can be optimized to improve the redox electrochemistry of the anode. In some embodiments, the selectively permeable membrane can be configured to isolate the catholyte from the anolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: 24M Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junzheng Chen, Naoki Ota, Jeffry Disko, Yuki Kusachi
  • Patent number: 12068471
    Abstract: A predoping method for a negative electrode active material to dope the negative electrode active material with lithium ions using an electrolyte solution that includes lithium ions. The electrolyte solution includes at least one type of additive having a reduction potential higher than a reduction potential of a solvent contained in the electrolyte solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shotaro Doi, Yuki Kusachi, Noboru Yamauchi, Tomohiro Kaburagi, Hideaki Horie, Yusuke Nakashima, Kazuya Tsuchida, Naofumi Shoji, Koji Sumiya, Shigehito Asano, Yasuyuki Koga, Nobuo Ando, Terukazu Kokubo
  • Patent number: 12015140
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a pinhole-free thin resin current collector for negative electrodes. The method for producing a sheet-shaped resin current collector for negative electrodes of the present invention includes stacking three or more layers of melts of conductive resin compositions each containing a polyolefin and a conductive filler to obtain a multilayered body, wherein the polyolefin contained in each of the conductive resin compositions that form the respective layers of the multilayered body has a melt mass flow rate of 15 to 70 g/10 min as measured at a temperature of 230° C. and a load of 2.16 kg in accordance with JIS K7210-1:2014.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., GUNZE LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kusano, Yasuhiro Tsudo, Yasuji Maruyama, Kazuaki Onishi, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Yuki Kusachi, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20240039001
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to electrochemical cells and electrodes with reinforced current collectors. In some embodiments, an electrode can include a current collector and an electrode material disposed on a first side of the current collector. A reinforcing layer can be disposed on a second side of the current collector. The reinforcing layer can have a modulus of elasticity sufficient to reduce the amount of stretching incident on the current collector during operation of the electrode. In some embodiments, a polymer film can be disposed on the reinforcing material. In some embodiments, the electrode can further include an adhesive polymer disposed between the reinforcing material and the polymer film. In some embodiments, the reinforcing material can have a thickness of less than about 10 ?m. In some embodiments, the reinforcing layer can include an adhesive polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Yuki KUSACHI, Naoki OTA, Junzheng CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230411695
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to electrode and electrochemical cell material recycling. Recycling electrode materials can save significant costs, both for quenching chemicals and for the costs of the materials themselves. Separation processes described herein include centrifuge separation, settler separation, flocculant separation, froth flotation, hydro cyclone, vibratory screening, air classification, and magnetic separation. In some embodiments, methods described herein can include any combination of froth flotation, air classification, and magnetic separation. In some embodiments, electrolyte can be separated from active and/or conductive materials via drying, subcritical or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, solvent mass extraction (e.g., with non-aqueous or aqueous solvents), and/or freeze-drying. By applying these separation processes, high purity raw products can be isolated. These products can be re-used or sold to a third party.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kai NARITA, Yuki KUSACHI, Naoki OTA, Junzheng CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230238562
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to electrochemical cells and production thereof under high pressure. In some aspects, a method of producing an electrochemical cell can include disposing a cathode material onto a cathode current collector to form a cathode, disposing an anode material onto an anode current collector to form an anode, and disposing the anode onto the cathode in an assembly jig with a separator positioned between the anode and the cathode to form an electrochemical cell, the assembly jig applying a force to the electrochemical cell such that a pressure in the cathode material is at least about 3,500 kPa. In some embodiments, the cathode material can be a first cathode material, and the method can further include disposing a second cathode material onto the first cathode material. In some embodiments, the first cathode material can include silicon. In some embodiments, the second cathode material can include graphite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Yuki KUSACHI, Junzheng CHEN, Naoki OTA, Bradley Richard MILESON, Matthew Bonju LIM, Ryan Michael LAWRENCE
  • Patent number: 11664489
    Abstract: To provide a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that can be produced even without performing a heat treatment at a high temperature such as 2,000° C. or higher and can have the discharge capacity and the cycle characteristics (capacity retention) further increased. The negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the invention has a configuration in which a negative electrode active material layer containing a negative electrode material and a binder is formed on the surface of a current collector. Further, the negative electrode material has a core portion including carbonaceous negative electrode active material particles; and a shell portion including a polyimide and silicon-based negative electrode active material particles and/or tin-based negative electrode active material particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Yuki Kusachi, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie, Hideki Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20230118961
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to electrochemical cells and electrodes with carbon-containing coatings. In some embodiments, an electrochemical cell can include an anode disposed on an anode current collector, a cathode disposed on a cathode current collector, and a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode. The separator has a first side adjacent to the cathode and a second side adjacent to the anode. The electrochemical cell further includes a coating layer disposed on the separator. The coating layer reduces dendrite formation in the electrochemical cell. In some embodiments, the coating layer can include hard carbon. In some embodiments, the coating layer can have a thickness between about 100 nm and about 20 ?m. In some embodiments, the coating layer can be disposed on the first side of the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Junzheng CHEN, Naoki OTA, Xiaoming LIU, Yuki KUSACHI
  • Patent number: 11522242
    Abstract: The battery pack has a laminated body in which unit cells are laminated one on another, a cell case having a first opening and containing the laminated body, and a first lid member to tightly close the first opening. The first opening is positioned to face, in connection with a unit cell laminated direction, a first face of the laminated body. The first lid member is configured to, if an internal pressure of the cell case is lower than atmospheric pressure, deform while keeping the tightly closing state, come into contact with the first face of the laminated body, and apply a pressure based on a differential pressure between atmospheric pressure and the internal pressure of the cell case to the contacting face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Satou, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Yuki Kusachi, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie, Yusuke Mizuno, Yusuke Emori, Takahiro Imaishi
  • Patent number: 11456447
    Abstract: A predoping method for a negative electrode active material to dope the negative electrode active material with lithium ions. The predoping method for a negative electrode active material includes: a predoping process and a post-doping modification process. In the predoping process, the negative electrode active material is doped with lithium ions, to thereby reduce a potential of the negative electrode active material relative to lithium metal. In the post-doping modification process, after the predoping process, reaction is caused between a reactive compound that is reactive with lithium ions and lithium ions doped into the negative electrode active material, to thereby increase the potential of the negative electrode active material relative to lithium metal. The potential of the negative electrode active material relative to lithium metal is 0.8 V or more at completion of the post-doping modification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Doi, Yuki Kusachi, Noboru Yamauchi, Tomohiro Kaburagi, Hideaki Horie, Yusuke Nakashima, Kazuya Tsuchida, Naofumi Shoji, Koji Sumiya, Shigehito Asano, Yasuyuki Koga, Nobuo Ando, Terukazu Kokubo
  • Patent number: 11430973
    Abstract: The present invention provides a viscous adhesive capable of retaining the shape of an electrode and allowing for production of an electrode for a lithium-ion battery having a structure in which the energy density of the electrode does not decrease. The present invention relates to a viscous adhesive for a lithium-ion electrode which allows active materials to adhere to each other in a lithium-ion electrode, the viscous adhesive having a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or lower, a solubility parameter of 8 to 13 (cal/cm3)1/2, and a storage shear modulus and a loss shear modulus of 2.0×103 to 5.0×107 Pa as measured in a frequency range of 10?1 to 101 Hz at 20° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Ohta, Kotaro Nasu, Kenichi Kawakita, Takuya Suenaga, Yusuke Mori, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Yuki Kusachi, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Patent number: 11380901
    Abstract: A resin current collector provides means for improving the cycle characteristics in a lithium ion battery and includes a polyolefin resin, and a conductive carbon filler. The total surface area of the conductive carbon filler contained in 1 g of the resin current collector is 7.0 m2 or more and 10.5 m2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kusano, Yoshihiro Ikeda, Yasuhiro Tsudo, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Yuki Kusachi, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20220200306
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods of overcharge protection in electrochemical cells by utilizing properties inherent to battery materials. An overcharge inhibitor is disposed in at least one of an anode and a cathode and is configured to inhibit ion transfer when a triggering condition is met. In some embodiments, the triggering condition can be a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode. In some embodiments, the triggering condition can be a temperature in the anode and/or the cathode. In some embodiments, the overcharge inhibitor can include a compound disposed in the cathode and/or the anode configured to generate a gas when the triggering condition is met. In some embodiments, the overcharge inhibitor can include a plurality of particles disposed in the cathode and/or the anode configured to absorb a portion of a liquid electrolyte and expand when the triggering condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Yuki KUSACHI, Naoki OTA, Junzheng CHEN
  • Patent number: 11322732
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an electrode for lithium ion batteries which exhibits excellent electrical conductivity even if its thickness is large. The electrode for lithium ion batteries of the present invention includes a first main surface to be located adjacent to a separator of a lithium ion battery and a second main surface to be located adjacent to a current collector of the lithium ion battery. The electrode has a thickness of 150 to 5000 ?m. The electrode contains, between the first main surface and the second main surface, a conductive member (A) made of an electronically conductive material and a large number of active material particles (B). At least part of the conductive member (A) forms a conductive path that electrically connects the first main surface to the second main surface. The conductive path is in contact with the active material particles (B) around the conductive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Yasuhiro Shindo, Yasuhiro Tsudo, Kenichi Kawakita, Yuki Kusachi, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20220123274
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a battery electrode includes a powder supply step, a vibration step, a sorting step, a moving step, and a deposition step, in the powder supply step, a powder 60 composed of granulated particles is supplied, in the vibration step, vibration is applied to the powder, in the sorting step, the powder is caused to pass through at least one opening H1, H2 to adjust a particle diameter of the granulated particles to a particle diameter that allows passing through the opening, in the moving step, the powder that has passed through the opening is moved from an outlet position P1 of the opening to a supply position P2 where the powder is supplied to the surface of a current collector 31, and in the deposition step, the powder is deposited on the surface of the current collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki YODA, Tomohiro KABURAGI, Hiroshi KUBOTA, Shinichi AKAISHI, Hideaki HORIE, Yuki KUSACHI, Yuichiro YOKOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11302915
    Abstract: A negative electrode for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery provides a means for improving output characteristics at a high rate. The negative electrode has a negative electrode active material layer having a thickness of 150 to 1500 ?m formed on a surface of a current collector. In addition, the negative electrode active material layer includes coated negative electrode active material particles in which at least a part of a surface of a negative electrode active material is coated with a coating agent containing a coating resin and a conductive aid. Furthermore, a porosity of the negative electrode active material layer is 39.0% to 60.0% and a density of the negative electrode active material layer is 0.60 to 1.20 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tanaka, Gentaro Kano, Hideaki Horie, Yuki Kusachi, Yusuke Nakashima, Kazuya Minami
  • Patent number: 11283066
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a negative electrode active material capable of reducing the irreversible capacity of a lithium ion battery. The present invention provides a coated negative electrode active material for lithium ion batteries wherein at least a portion of the surface of a particulate negative electrode active material for lithium ion batteries is coated with a coating agent and the coated negative electrode active material is doped with at least one of lithium and lithium ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Takahiro Imaishi, Kenichi Kawakita, Yuki Kusachi, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Patent number: 11233229
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an electrode for lithium ion batteries which exhibits excellent electrical conductivity even if its thickness is large. The electrode for lithium ion batteries of the present invention includes a first main surface to be located adjacent to a separator of a lithium ion battery and a second main surface to be located adjacent to a current collector of the lithium ion battery. The electrode has a thickness of 150 to 5000 ?m. The electrode contains, between the first main surface and the second main surface, a conductive member (A) made of an electronically conductive material and a large number of active material particles (B). At least part of the conductive member (A) forms a conductive path that electrically connects the first main surface to the second main surface. The conductive path is in contact with the active material particles (B) around the conductive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Mizuno, Yasuhiro Shindo, Yasuhiro Tsudo, Kenichi Kawakita, Yuki Kusachi, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20210408525
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a pinhole-free thin resin current collector for negative electrodes. The method for producing a sheet-shaped resin current collector for negative electrodes of the present invention includes stacking three or more layers of melts of conductive resin compositions each containing a polyolefin and a conductive filler to obtain a multilayered body, wherein the polyolefin contained in each of the conductive resin compositions that form the respective layers of the multilayered body has a melt mass flow rate of 15 to 70 g/10 min as measured at a temperature of 230° C. and a load of 2.16 kg in accordance with JIS K7210-1:2014.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicants: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., GUNZE LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryosuke KUSANO, Yasuhiro TSUDO, Yasuji MARUYAMA, Kazuaki ONISHI, Yasuhiko OHSAWA, Yuki KUSACHI, Hajime SATOU, Hiroshi AKAMA, Hideaki HORIE
  • Patent number: 11211596
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing an electrode active material molded body for a lithium-ion battery suitable for the production of a lithium-ion battery, and a method of producing a lithium-ion battery using the electrode active material molded body, wherein the methods can reduce the time, work, equipment, and the like required for the production. The present invention provides a method of producing an electrode composition molded body for a lithium-ion battery, including: a molding step of molding a composition containing an electrode active material for a lithium-ion battery and an electrolyte solution into an electrode active material molded body for a lithium-ion battery as an unbound product of the electrode active material for a lithium-ion battery, wherein the composition has an electrolyte solution content of 0.1 to 40 wt % based on the weight of the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: SANYO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Suenaga, Kenichi Kawakita, Yuki Kusachi, Yasuhiko Ohsawa, Hajime Satou, Hiroshi Akama, Hideaki Horie