Patents by Inventor Yukinobu Yura

Yukinobu Yura 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: 10454109
    Abstract: The plate-shaped lithium composite oxide is configured by a plurality of mutually bonded primary particles respectively composed of a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. When fully charged, an expansion-contraction ratio E in a plate face direction parallel to a plate face is less than or equal to 0.5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Ohira, Yukinobu Yura, Shigeki Okada
  • Publication number: 20190252682
    Abstract: The present invention provides a secondary battery, including a positive electrode plate composed of an inorganic material including a positive electrode active material in an oxide form and having a thickness of 25 ?m or more; a negative electrode plate composed of an inorganic material including a negative electrode active material in an oxide form and having a thickness of 25 ?m or more; and an inorganic solid electrolyte layer, wherein the secondary battery is chargeable and dischargeable at a temperature of 100° C. or more. The present invention can provide rapid charge/discharge at a high cycle capacity retention and increase the capacity of the secondary battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukihisa TAKEUCHI, Iwao Ohwada, Yukinobu Yura
  • Publication number: 20180315996
    Abstract: A plate-shaped lithium composite oxide is used as a positive electrode of a lithium ion battery. The plate-shaped lithium composite oxide is composed of a plurality of bound primary particles. The plurality of bound primary particles are respectively constituted by a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. An average number of the primary particles disposed in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plate face is less than or equal to 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Shigeki OKADA
  • Patent number: 10103377
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate, comprising (a) providing a green sheet comprising Co3O4 particles, (b) firing the green sheet to form a Co3O4 oriented sintered plate, and (c) firing the sintered plate in the presence of a lithium source to introduce lithium and thereby form the lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate composed of LiCoO2, the method further comprising (d1) attaching a Mg-containing compound to the Co3O4 oriented sintered plate before the step (c) or (d2) attaching the Mg-containing compound to the lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate after the step (c) to fire the sintered plate. According to the present invention, a lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate can be manufactured in which grain boundaries in the plate thickness direction are significantly reduced and with which enhanced battery performance can be achieved when used as a positive electrode active material in lithium secondary batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20180233746
    Abstract: A positive electrode is configured by plurality of mutually bonded primary particles respectively composed of a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. An average orientation angle of the plurality of primary particles relative to a plate face direction parallel to a plate face is more than 0° and less than or equal to 30°. An aggregate surface area of primary particles that have an aspect ratio of greater than or equal to 4 is greater than or equal to 70% relative to a total area of the plurality of primary particles, in cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Naoto OHIRA
  • Publication number: 20180233744
    Abstract: The plate-shaped lithium composite oxide is configured by a plurality of mutually bonded primary particles respectively composed of a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. When fully charged, an expansion-contraction ratio E in a plate face direction parallel to a plate face is less than or equal to 0.5%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto OHIRA, Yukinobu Yura, Shigeki Okada
  • Publication number: 20180233745
    Abstract: A positive electrode is configured by a plurality of mutually bonded primary particles respectively composed of a lithium composite oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. An average orientation angle of the plurality of primary particles relative to a plate face direction parallel to a plate face is more than 0° and less than or equal to 30°. An aggregate area of primary particles that have an orientation angle relative to the plate face direction of more than 0° and less than or equal to 30° is greater than or equal to 70% relative to a total area of the plurality of primary particles, in a cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Naoto OHIRA, Shigeki OKADA
  • Publication number: 20180233731
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a positive electrode includes a step of forming plate-shaped LiCoO2 template particles configured to conduct lithium ions parallel to a plate face, a step of molding a green body by forming a slurry containing the LiCoO2 template particles by use of a molding method configured to enable application of a shear force to the LiCoO2 template particles, and a step of firing the green body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Naoto Ohira, Shigeki Okada
  • Patent number: 10020507
    Abstract: There is provided a positive electrode active material capable of achieving a high volume energy density and yet superior rate characteristics when configured as a positive electrode for lithium secondary batteries. This positive electrode active material comprises a plurality of secondary particles each comprising primary particles composed of a lithium-nickel based complex oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. The plurality of secondary particles have a volume-based average particle diameter D50 of 5 to 100 ?m, and at least part of the plurality of secondary particles are coarse secondary particles having a particle diameter of 9 ?m or greater. The coarse secondary particles have a voidage of 5 to 25%, and the ratio of through holes among all voids in the coarse secondary particles is 70% or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Yukinobu Yura, Shohei Yokoyama, Kei Sato
  • Publication number: 20170317334
    Abstract: A cathode plate of an all-solid battery configures a cathode of an all-solid battery including a solid electrolyte layer composed of an oxide-based ceramic material. A surface roughness on a solid electrolyte layer-side surface of the cathode plate on which the solid electrolyte layer is formed falls within a range of 0.1 micrometer to 0.7 micrometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Naoto OHIRA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160211506
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate, comprising (a) providing a green sheet comprising Co3O4 particles, (b) firing the green sheet to form a Co3O4 oriented sintered plate, and (c) firing the sintered plate in the presence of a lithium source to introduce lithium and thereby form the lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate composed of LiCoO2, the method further comprising (d1) attaching a Mg-containing compound to the Co3O4 oriented sintered plate before the step (c) or (d2) attaching the Mg-containing compound to the lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate after the step (c) to fire the sintered plate. According to the present invention, a lithium cobaltate oriented sintered plate can be manufactured in which grain boundaries in the plate thickness direction are significantly reduced and with which enhanced battery performance can be achieved when used as a positive electrode active material in lithium secondary batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9246168
    Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material for lithium secondary batteries, comprising domain-oriented agglomerated particles, wherein each of the domain-oriented agglomerated particles comprises a plurality of individually oriented secondary particles such that adjacent secondary particles thereof have mutually different orientation directions, and wherein each of the individually oriented secondary particles is composed of a plurality of primary particles which are composed of a lithium complex oxide with a layered rock-salt structure and are oriented such that the (003) planes of the primary particles do not intersect each other at least in one axial direction. According to the present invention, a positive electrode active material can be provided that is capable of achieving not only high initial output performance but also a high output performance retention rate when charging and discharging are performed repeatedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Kei Sato, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20150093580
    Abstract: There is provided a positive electrode active material capable of achieving a high volume energy density and yet superior rate characteristics when configured as a positive electrode for lithium secondary batteries. This positive electrode active material comprises a plurality of secondary particles each comprising primary particles composed of a lithium-nickel based complex oxide having a layered rock-salt structure. The plurality of secondary particles have a volume-based average particle diameter D50 of 5 to 100 ?m, and at least part of the plurality of secondary particles are coarse secondary particles having a particle diameter of 9 ?m or greater. The coarse secondary particles have a voidage of 5 to 25%, and the ratio of through holes among all voids in the coarse secondary particles is 70% or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI, Yukinobu YURA, Shohei YOKOYAMA, Kei SATO
  • Publication number: 20150086787
    Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material for lithium secondary batteries, comprising domain-oriented agglomerated particles, wherein each of the domain-oriented agglomerated particles comprises a plurality of individually oriented secondary particles such that adjacent secondary particles thereof have mutually different orientation directions, and wherein each of the individually oriented secondary particles is composed of a plurality of primary particles which are composed of a lithium complex oxide with a layered rock-salt structure and are oriented such that the (003) planes of the primary particles do not intersect each other at least in one axial direction. According to the present invention, a positive electrode active material can be provided that is capable of achieving not only high initial output performance but also a high output performance retention rate when charging and discharging are performed repeatedly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Kei SATO, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8790830
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material containing a large number of crystal grains which contain, by 70 areal % or more, primary particles of non-octahedral shape, having particle diameters of 5 to 20 ?m, and composed of lithium manganate of spinel structure containing lithium and manganese as the constituent elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Tsutomu Nanataki, Kazuyuki Kaigawa
  • Publication number: 20140087265
    Abstract: A cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery, includes secondary particles, each being formed of a large number of primary particles whose mean particle size is equal to or larger than 0.01 ?m and equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, and includes the following features. An oriented ratio of a (003) plane is equal to or larger than 60%. A mean particle size is equal to or larger than 1 ?m and equal to or smaller than 100 ?m. An aspect ratio is equal to or larger than 1.0 and is smaller than 2. A voidage is equal to or larger than 3% and equal to or smaller than 30%. A ratio of opened pore is equal to or larger than 70%. A mean pore size of the opened pore is equal to or larger than 0.1 ?m and equal to or smaller than 5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukinobu YURA, Chiori SUZUKI, Ryuta SUGIURA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8367205
    Abstract: A plate-like polycrystalline particle is produced by forming inorganic particles into a freestanding shaped body, firing the shaped body, and crushing and classifying the fired shaped body. The inorganic particles contain as the main component an oxide that has a general formula of ABO3 and that satisfies a×Pb(M?1/3,Nb2/3)O3+b×PbTiO3+c×PbZrO3+z×M?O (wherein a+b+c=1, and M? denotes at least one element selected from Mg, Ni and Zn, and M? denotes at least one element selected from Mg, Ni and Zn), wherein z is in the range of 0.002?z?0.42. The oxide contains a predetermined excessive amount of M?O such that the plate-like polycrystalline particle contains an excessive amount of M?O. The plate-like polycrystalline particle contains a plurality of crystal grains that have a wavy structure composed of wavy grain boundaries. The plate-like polycrystalline particle is easily crushed at the grain boundaries and has a high degree of orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Tsutomu Nanataki
  • Patent number: 8303927
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of the present invention includes (a) a material preparation step of preparing a material containing lithium, manganese, and bismuth, and (b) a firing step of firing the material prepared by the material preparation step at a temperature of 830° C. to 1,000° C. In the material preparation step, the material is prepared such that the residual amount of bismuth in spinel-type lithium manganate yielded by the firing step is 0.01 mol % or less with respect to manganese.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Yura, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120258369
    Abstract: The lithium secondary battery cathode active material having a layered rock salt structure is characterized in that the material is formed of a plurality of primary particles having a mean particle size of 0.01 to 5 ?m, and contains secondary particles having a mean particle size of 1 to 100 ?m and an aspect ratio, which is a ratio of long axis diameter to short axis diameter, of 1.0 or more and less than 2; and that the primary particles forming the secondary particles have a (003) plane orientation degree of 50% or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei YOKOYAMA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI, Tsutomu NANATAKI, Koichi KONDO, Yukinobu YURA, Kei SATO
  • Publication number: 20120256337
    Abstract: The cathode active material precursor particle, which forms, through incorporation of lithium thereinto, a cathode active material particle for use in a lithium secondary battery, the cathode active material particle containing a lithium complex oxide having a layered rock salt structure, is characterized in that the precursor particle has an aspect ratio, which is a ratio of long axis diameter to short axis diameter, of 1.0 or more and less than 2 and is formed so that the (003) planes of the lithium-incorporated cathode active material particle are substantially uniaxially oriented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei YOKOYAMA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI, Tsutomu NANATAKI, Koichi KONDO, Kei SATO, Yukinobu YURA