Grid Or Holder For Active Material Patents (Class 429/233)
  • Patent number: 7745049
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a case, a nonaqueous electrolyte provided in the case, a positive electrode provided in the case, and a negative electrode provided in the case, the negative electrode comprising a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode layer that is carried on the negative electrode current collector and contains negative electrode active material particles, and the negative electrode current collector comprising an aluminum foil having an average crystal grain size of 50 ?m or less or an aluminum alloy foil having an average crystal grain size of 50 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norio Takami, Hiroki Inagaki, Yoshinao Tatebayashi
  • Patent number: 7745041
    Abstract: Positive and negative electrodes include exposed current collector portions at both lengthwise ends, and these exposed current collector portions are bent such as to protrude from the widthwise edge of the electrodes to form welding pieces. The positive and negative electrodes and a separator interposed therebetween are wound around into a flat shape having an ellipsoidal cross section. The welding pieces of the positive and negative electrodes protruding from opposite sides of the wound electrodes are welded together with respective leads. According to this configuration, a simple but high-quality current collector design capable of stable electrical connection in a high power output prismatic electrochemical element is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyomi Kozuki, Takuya Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7745048
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery comprising a negative electrode including a negative active material layer deposited on a substrate, a positive electrode including a positive active material; and a polymer electrolyte including a lithium salt, an organic solvent, and a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Duck-Chul Hwang, Yun-Suk Choi, Chung-Kun Cho, Sang-Mock Lee
  • Patent number: 7740980
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided that includes a current collector plate and a pellet. The current collector plate includes a circumferential outer peripheral wall and an inner wall coupled thereto, where the circumferential outer peripheral wall defines a cavity and has a height, and the inner wall extends across and physically separates the cavity into at least two regions and has a height that is less than the height of the circumferential outer peripheral wall. The pellet comprises active powder material and is disposed in the cavity and circumferentially surrounded by and in contact with the circumferential outer peripheral wall of the current collector plate. The pellet includes a first portion and second portion, where the first portion is disposed in a first region of the at least two regions and the second portion is disposed in a second region of the at least two regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Gray, Christopher J. Gaertner
  • Patent number: 7740985
    Abstract: A lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode that has a current collector and a first active material and a negative electrode that has a current collector, a second active material, and a third active material. The second active material includes a lithium titanate material and the third active material is a material that can be one or more of the following: LiMn2O4, LixVO2 where x is between 0.05 and 0.4, LiMxMn(2?x)O4 where M is a metal and x is less than or equal to 1, V6O13, V2O5, V3O8, MoO3, TiS2, WO2, MoO2, RuO2, and combinations thereof. The third active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Howard, Craig L. Schmidt, Erik R. Scott
  • Patent number: 7727674
    Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery 10 of the invention has an active material compound layer 14 deposed over at least one face of a collector 12 made of metal foil and is equipped with a positive electrode 11 having a portion 13 in a part of which metal is exposed. The positive electrode 11 together with the exposed-metal portion 13 faces a negative electrode 17 through an interposed separator 23, and on that part of the exposed-metal portion 13 that faces the negative electrode 17 through the interposed separator 23 there is formed a protective layer 16 made of a material whose electronic conductivity is lower than that of the metal and which moreover is non-insulative. With such nonaqueous secondary battery 10, should part of an electrode pierce the separator and contact with the other electrode, the battery will be gently discharged, thereby averting abnormal heat generation by the battery and additionally enabling the battery's abnormality to be sensed by the equipment via the fall in battery voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yanagida, Yoshinobu Okumura, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, Naoya Nakanishi, Toshiyuki Nohma
  • Patent number: 7722992
    Abstract: A current collector for an electrode of an electrochemical cell is described. The current collector has a peripheral edge between first and second major faces, the edge comprising at least a first edge contiguous with a second edge angled with respect to each other. A protrusion extends outwardly from the junction of the first and second edges. This protrusion helps to precisely position the current collector in a pressing fixture. That way, active material is contacted to each of the major faces of the current collector and is of a uniform thickness about its edges. Later, when the resulting electrode plate is assembled into an electrochemical cell, such as of a multi-plate construction, the protrusion also serves to maintain strict alignment of the plate inside the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Greatbatch Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Zayatz
  • Patent number: 7717968
    Abstract: A method of the present invention is used for the high-rate deposition of materials, such as carbon, silicon, metals, metal oxides, and the like, onto a metal substrate defined by a metal tape. The particles of the material are mixed with fluid and are injected against the metal tape at high pressure and high velocity. The particles of the material form a current collection surface of the metal tape. The metal tape is used as cathode or anode combined with a separator to form a fuel cell of a secondary battery, metal-ceramic membranes, film composite metal-ceramic materials for electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Inventors: Yevgen Kalynushkin, Peter Novak
  • Patent number: 7704633
    Abstract: In a polymer electrolyte battery including a battery element having a cathode and an anode coiled through a polymer electrolyte, a section of the battery element perpendicular to the coiling axis has a curved form. As compared with a polymer electrolyte battery having a flat plate type battery element curved, the former battery has an extremely low possibility of short-circuit at the end of an electrode and excellent battery characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Endo, Koichiro Kezuka, Kazuhito Hatta, Takayuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 7700221
    Abstract: An electrode assembly and a lithium ion secondary battery using the electrode assembly having reduced winding thickness. Active materials are coated on a first region of a negative electrode collector to which a negative electrode conductive tab is welded, and on an adjacent region overlapping the first region. Active materials are also coated on a first region of a positive electrode collector, to which a positive electrode conductive tab is welded, and an adjacent region overlapping the first region. Parts of the electrode assembly corresponding to the conductive tabs do not protrude from the electrode assembly, allowing for easy insertion of the electrode assembly into a can or pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Soo Yeo
  • Patent number: 7700239
    Abstract: A graphite particle obtained by assembling or binding together a plurality of flat-shaped particles so that the planes of orientation are not parallel to one another, or a graphite particle in which aspect ratio is 5 or less or specific surface area is 8 m2/g or less or the size of crystallite in the direction of c-axis of the crystal is 500 ? or more and the size of crystallite in the direction of plane is 1,000 ? or less as measured by X ray broad angle diffraction, or a graphite particle in which pore volume of the pores having a size falling in a range of 102 to 106 ? is 0.4 to 2.0 cc/g per weight of graphite particle or pore volume of the pores having a size falling in a range of 1×102 to 2×104 ? is 0.08 to 0.4 cc/g per weight of graphite particle is suitable for production of negative electrode of lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery obtained therefrom is excellent in rapid charge-discharge characteristics, cycle characteristics, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Ishii, Tatsuya Nishida, Atsushi Fujita, Kazuo Yamada
  • Patent number: 7700233
    Abstract: A battery having an electrode unit in which edges of electrode plates are mechanically and electrically connected to a fixing and conducting plate is obtained. A projection is formed at an edge of each electrode plate, and projections are inserted into a grove formed on the fixing and conducting plate. Energy beam is radiated to the fixing and conducting plate along a wall defining the groove, and metal forming the groove is melted and fills a gap between the projection and the groove. The filling metal is solidified at a condition that the melted metal surrounds the projection. The electrode plate is firmly connected to the fixing and conducting plate by a combination of the projection and the surrounding metal. The electrode plates are stably maintained at a positional relationship that the electrode plates extend parallel with each other leaving a gap between adjacent electrode plates, and the electrode plates are connected to the fixing and conducting plate with a reliable electric conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yugo Nakagawa, Kenichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7695854
    Abstract: A lithium secondary battery including: a positive electrode including a strip-shaped positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer carried on each surface of the positive electrode current collector; a negative electrode including a strip-shaped negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer carried on each surface of the negative electrode current collector; a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein an exposed portion carrying no active material layer is formed on a substantially center portion in a longitudinal direction of a least one of the positive electrode current collector and the negative electrode current collector, a current collecting lead is connected to the exposed portion, and a first heat resistant layer is formed such that the first heat resistant faces at least part of the current collecting lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Fujikawa, Kaoru Inoue, Mikinari Shimada
  • Patent number: 7687191
    Abstract: The present invention provides a set of electrode plates for rolled electrochemical component and a cell comprising it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Arai, Yasushi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 7687128
    Abstract: A stamped film to be connected to an additional film has a stamped pattern defining at least one dividing line that is interrupted in a regular pattern by webs, wherein the webs each have a width that is, on average, less than an average spacing between two adjacently positioned ones of the webs, respectively. The stamped pattern has, at least in one direction, several dividing lines extending parallel to one another or has several dividing lines extending perpendicularly to one another. When mirroring the stamped film at a mirror plane that intersects the stamped film centrally and perpendicularly to the dividing lines, the webs of the dividing lines will not be superimposed on webs of a stamped film that has not been mirrored when superimposing the mirrored stamped film on the stamped film that has not been mirrored. The stacked films form electrochemical or electrochromic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Francesco Bonfanti, Heinz Futscher, Gerold Neumann
  • Patent number: 7682745
    Abstract: A medical device includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for providing power to the medical device. The lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode comprising a current collector and an active material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiNixCoyNi(1?x?y)O2, LiAlxCoyNi(1?x?y)O2, LiTixCoyNi(1?x?y)O2, and combinations thereof. The lithium-ion battery also includes a negative electrode having a current collector and an active material including a lithium titanate material. The current collector of the negative electrode includes a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and silver. The battery is configured for cycling to near-zero-voltage conditions without a substantial loss of battery capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Howard, Craig L. Schmidt, Erik R. Scott
  • Patent number: 7682746
    Abstract: Negative electrodes and non-aqueous secondary batteries that comprise the negative electrodes are disclosed. The electrode comprises a current collector; and a mixture on the current collector, the mixture comprising a negative electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder. The active material has the overall composition: AM1qM21-qOy; in which (1) A is LiX or LiX-rGr, in which G is selected from Na, K, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and mixtures thereof, in which G and M1 are different; (2) 0?x?3; 0<y?3; 0?q?1; and 0?r?3; and (3) either M1 is selected from Sn, Mg, and mixtures thereof, and M2 is selected from V, Ti, Nb, Mn, Cr, Sb, Mo, Zr, W, and mixtures thereof; or M1 is selected from Y, Co, and mixtures of two or more of Y, Co, Sn, and Mg, and M2 is selected from Ti, Nb, Mn, Cr, Sb, Mo, Zr, W, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Hizuru Koshina
  • Patent number: 7682750
    Abstract: A lithium ion battery includes a cathode (10) having a plurality of lithium-cobalt-nickel oxide nanoparticles, an anode (20) having at least one carbon nanotube array (22), an electrolyte, and a membrane (30) separating the anode from the cathode. The carbon nanotube array includes a plurality of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (23). Preferably, an average diameter of an outermost wall of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes is in the range from 10 to 100 nanometers, and a pitch between adjacent multi-walled carbon nanotubes is in the range from 20 to 500 nanometers. In the carbon nanotube array, the lithium ions are able to intercalate not only inside the multi-walled carbon nanotubes, but also in the interstices between adjacent multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Thus a density of intercalation of the carbon nanotube array is significantly higher than that of graphite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ga-Lane Chen
  • Patent number: 7674554
    Abstract: An anode active material including a titanium-based (Ti-based) oxide core and a coating of a titanium oxynitride formed on the Ti-based oxide core, and an anode and lithium battery including the anode active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae Joon Kang
  • Patent number: 7670717
    Abstract: To provide a non-aqueous secondary battery having a capacity as high as that of a conventional battery using a conventional resin separator and achieving excellent overcharge characteristics and excellent resistance to external short-circuit, a combined electrode plate for a spirally-wound electrode group for a non-aqueous secondary battery including a current collector, an active material layer carried on the current collector and a multi-layer porous membrane carried on the active material layer is used. The multi-layer porous membrane includes a first porous membrane and a second porous membrane. The first porous membrane contains metal oxide particles and a first binder. The second porous membrane contains resin particles and a second binder. The thickness of the multi-layer porous membrane is preferably 15 to 25 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tsumoru Ohata, Junji Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20100028780
    Abstract: A battery electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer formed on a surface of the current collector. The active material layer includes an active material and a conductive material including a metal material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimitsu HIRAI, Yasushi TAKANO
  • Patent number: 7655359
    Abstract: A secondary battery having a feature in which a positive electrode, a negative electrode and electrolyte are provided; the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer which is alloying at least at a portion of a boundary face with a negative electrode current collector; an approximately tabular electrode body structure is formed by a constitution in which a laminated body of the lamellar positive electrode and the lamellar negative electrode is wound or folded; and in the approximately tabular electrode body structure, relation of B?1.5A is satisfied when length in a perpendicular direction with respect to a bended portion of the laminated body is made to be A and length in a parallel direction with respect to the bended portion of the laminated body is made to be B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takakazu Hirose, Kenichi Kawase, Isamu Konishiike, Masayuki Iwama, Koichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7651820
    Abstract: A gel electrolyte and a gel electrolyte battery are provided. The gel electrolyte includes a matrix polymer; a nonaqueous solvent; and an electrolytic solution having an electrolyte salt containing lithium dissolved in the nonaqueous solvent, in which the matrix polymer is swollen with the electrolytic solution. The matrix polymer comprises polyvinylidene fluoride copolymerized with at least hexafluoropropylene in an amount of 3 wt % or more and 7.5 wt % or less. The nonaqueous solvent comprises ethylene carbonate; and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethylpropyl carbonate, ethyl butyl carbonate, and dipropyl carbonate. The content of the ethylene carbonate in the nonaqueous solvent is 15 wt % or more and 55 wt % or less, and the total content of the at least one solvent in the nonaqueous solvent is 30 wt % or more and 85 wt % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Mashio Shibuya
  • Patent number: 7638239
    Abstract: In a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an active material portion capable of electrochemically absorbing and desorbing Li, a current collector carrying the active material portion, and a buffer interposed between the active material portion and the current collector, the active material portion includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a Si simple substance, a Si alloy, and a Si compound, the current collector includes Cu, and the buffer has a first layer contacting the current collector and including a group A element which is at least one selected from the group A consisting of Sn, Al, and In, and a second layer contacting the active material portion and including a group B element which is at least one selected from the group B consisting of transition metal elements other than Cu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshitada Sato, Yasutaka Kogetsu, Hiroshi Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 7629077
    Abstract: An electrode assembly is formed by respectively overlaying a sheet cathode 1, a sheet separator 3 and a double-sided sheet anode 8 to form a stacked structure 10, and subjecting the stacked structure to multiple folds, wherein the initial fold comprises folding the cathode in half around the double-sided anode so as to surround the respective upper and lower active anode surfaces thereof. The multiple folds may comprise one or more subsequent parallel folds made with the fold line D-D extending perpendicular to the original length of the stacked structure such that its overall length is halved at each fold. A pouch battery comprising said electrode assembly has improved safety and performance characteristics. The pouch battery construction has especial application to lithium primary batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventors: Peter G Bowles, Emmanuel I Eweka, Cyril O Giwa, Andrew G Ritichie
  • Patent number: 7629083
    Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a lithium metal anodeincluding forming a current collector on a substrate that includes a release component; depositing a lithium metal on the current collector; and releasing the current collector with the deposited lithium metal from the substrate. The method may produce a lithium metal anode with a clean lithium surface and a current collector with a small thickness. The lithium metal anode may be used to increase the energy density of a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Kun Cho, Duck-Chul Hwang, Sang-Mock Lee, Seung-Sik Hwang
  • Patent number: 7622218
    Abstract: An electrode in sheet form includes a current collector and an electrode mixture layer carried on each side thereof. The electrode is bent in the longitudinal direction thereof, to cause a large number of cracks in at least the electrode mixture layer to be positioned on the inner side of the current collector when wound, such that the cracks extend from the surface of the electrode mixture layer to the current collector in the direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the electrode. This bending process includes the steps of: bending the electrode at a curvature that is smaller than that of the winding core at least once; and thereafter bending the electrode at a curvature that is equal to or larger than that of the winding core. For example, this process is performed by arranging rollers such that their diameters decrease gradually and pressing the electrode against these rollers. This invention provides an electrode that does not break when wound to form an electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kozo Watanabe, Masao Fukunaga, Ichiro Yasuoka, Toshiro Kume
  • Patent number: 7622225
    Abstract: Affords for lithium secondary batteries a negative electrode component material that enhances battery cyclability by inhibiting dendritic growth that occurs during charging/discharging due to the reaction of the metallic lithium and organic electrolyte. A substrate for a lithium-secondary-battery negative-electrode component material (5), in which a metallic lithium film (3) is formed atop the substrate and onto the metallic lithium film an inorganic solid electrolytic film (4) is formed, is created from an electrical insulator that can be a polyethylene film (1). A configuration providing an electrically insulating layer at the interface between a metal base material and the metallic lithium film may also be utilized as the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ota, Nobuyuki Okuda, Hiroyuki Ueki, Tomohiko Ihara
  • Patent number: 7585582
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a cathode board, an integral flow board integrated with a plurality of wave-shaped anode plates and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) interposed between the cathode board and the integral flow board. The integral flow board has a body substrate that is formed of ejection moldable polymers by using ejection-molding techniques. The wave-shaped anode plate defines a plurality of independent flow channels and is fittingly affixed in corresponding reaction zone of the body substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Nan Ya Printed Circuit Board Corporation
    Inventors: Jiun-Ming Chen, Yu-Chih Lin, Su-Yun Yu, Chiang-Wen Lai, Ching-Sen Yang
  • Patent number: 7582382
    Abstract: A non-sintered electrode containing a two-dimensional conductive support covered in a layer containing an electrochemically active material and a binder which is a mixture of a styrene-acrylate copolymer and a cellulose compound chosen from methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose. The proportion of the styrene-acrylate copolymer is less than 4% by weight of the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: SAFT, SA
    Inventors: Patrick Bernard, Lionel Goubault
  • Patent number: 7582387
    Abstract: A lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode that includes a positive current collector, a first active material, and a second active material. The lithium-ion battery also includes a negative electrode comprising a negative current collector, a third active material, and a quantity of lithium in electrical contact with the negative current collector. The first active material, second active material, and third active materials are configured to allow doping and undoping of lithium ions, and the second active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Howard, Craig L. Schmidt, Erik R. Scott
  • Patent number: 7575830
    Abstract: There is provided a lithium secondary battery with a negative electrode which comprises a negative electrode active material layer comprising alloy particles comprising silicon and tin and having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 2 ?m as an active material, and a negative electrode current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material layer has a storage capacity of 1,000 to 2,200 mAh/g and a density of 0.9 to 1.5 g/cm3 and which thereby has a high capacity and a good cycle-characteristic. Thus, a lithium secondary battery having a high capacity and a long life and so designed as to exhibit these characteristics at the same time is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Kawamura, Soichiro Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20090202908
    Abstract: An electrode capable of effectively dispersing or relieving the stress generated in association with expansion and contraction of an active material is provided. The electrode is produced by forming an active material layer on a predetermined current collector. This current collector includes a base and a plurality of projections formed so as to extend outwardly from a surface of the base. The cross section of the projections in a thickness direction of the current collector has a tapered shape in which a width in a direction parallel to the surface of the base narrows from the surface of the base along an extending direction of the projections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Masanori Sumihara, Shuji Ito, Yasutaka Kogetsu, Katsumi Kashiwagi, Nobuyuki Kirihara
  • Patent number: 7563539
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode having a positive electrode collector, on which a positive electrode active material layer containing a positive electrode active material as a complex oxide of Li and transition metals are formed, and a negative electrode having a negative collector, on which a negative electrode active material layer is formed. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is a gel or solid non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a battery device in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are laminated with an electrolyte layer therebetween in a film-state packaging member constructed by metal foil laminated films, and containing a lithium salt, a non-aqueous solvent, and a polymer material. The concentration in mass ratio of a free acid in the electrolyte layer is 60 ppm and less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Fumito Kameyama, Fumiko Hara, Tsuyoshi Sugiyama, Michiko Komiyama
  • Patent number: 7563541
    Abstract: A battery includes a positive electrode including a current collector and a first active material and a negative electrode including a current collector, a second active material, and a third active material. The first active material, second active material, and third active material are configured to allow doping and undoping of lithium ions. The third active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Howard, Craig L. Schmidt, Erik R. Scott
  • Patent number: 7556886
    Abstract: According to the present invention an improved insulator cup, or case liner, enhances electrode coil insertion by reducing the possibility of damage to the coil during insertion, protects electrode and separator from laser radiation during welding, and eases manual inspection of partially assembled components, among other advantages. The improved insulator cup includes a mechanical joint, or hinge-like feature, which pivotably couples opposing parts of the cup and greatly enhances coiled electrode insertion and subsequent component inspection prior to sealing a cover member over an electrode assembly disposed within a housing. The mechanical joint can comprise additional parts that adhere to a divided insulator cup or can be formed as an integral part of an insulator cup (e.g., a linear area of reduced thickness, of apertures, and/or perforations, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Aamodt, Karl E. Hokanson, Stephanie L. Breimon
  • Patent number: 7556881
    Abstract: Charge-discharge cycle performance is improved in a lithium secondary battery that adopts a thin film made of silicon or a silicon alloy as its negative electrode active material and has a wound electrode structure. The lithium secondary battery includes: a negative electrode having a current collector and a thin film made of silicon or a silicon alloy as a negative electrode active material, the thin film provided on the current collector; a positive electrode; a separator; the positive and negative electrodes being overlapped with the separator interposed therebetween, and the positive and negative electrodes and the separator being wound around to form an electrode assembly; a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a battery case accommodating the electrode assembly. The ratio of theoretical capacity per unit area of the negative electrode to charge capacity per unit area of the positive electrode is within the range of from 1.9 to 4.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yanagida, Hiroshi Minami, Taizou Sunano, Maruo Kamino
  • Publication number: 20090170004
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery electrode of the present invention is produced by filling voids in a three-dimensional metal porous body (1) with an active material (2). A metal-rich layer (3) having a metal density greater than other portions is provided in a region except for thicknesswise surface layer portions of the three-dimensional metal porous body. The metal-rich layer is allowed to be responsible for current collecting characteristics, and the configuration thereof is optimized. In this manner, a rechargeable battery electrode excellent in both short circuit resistance and current collecting characteristics is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Okawa, Takashi Ebihara, Yoshinori Ito
  • Patent number: 7553513
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical electrode wherein transition metal (nickel) nanoparticles are used to form an active layer having a large surface area without using a conductive support while maintaining dispersibility and stability, and a method for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Hidehiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7554172
    Abstract: An electrode plate for an electricity storage and discharge device, which includes a plurality of I/O convergence terminals evenly distributed along a periphery of the electrode plate, and a plurality of conductive structures, each conductive structure for one of the I/O convergence terminals, wherein each conductive structure is of a radial pattern that centers on the one of the I/O convergence terminals, and radiates towards the interior of the electrode plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 7531274
    Abstract: A new cathode design has a first cathode active material of a relatively low energy density but of a relatively high rate capability contacted to the outer sides of first and second cathode current collectors and a second cathode active material having a relatively high energy density but of a relatively low rate capability in contact with the inner sides of the current collectors. The first and second current collectors have a thickness in the range of from about 0.001 inches to about 0.002 inches. A conventional Li/SVO cell powering an implantable medical device has the cathode with a current collector of about 0.003 inches. Even though the present current collectors are about one-half as thick as that of a conventional cell, their combined thickness means that the cell has no reduction in current carrying capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Greatbatch Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark J. Roy, Hong Gan, Paul T. Hallifax
  • Patent number: 7514179
    Abstract: A valve-regulated lead-acid battery of this invention includes: an electrode plate group; and an electrolyte impregnated into and retained by the electrode plate group. The electrode plate group includes: positive electrode plates that each include a positive electrode current collector comprising a Sn-containing lead alloy, and a positive electrode active material retained by the positive electrode current collector; negative electrode plates that each include a negative electrode current collector comprising a lead alloy, and a negative electrode active material retained by the negative electrode current collector; and separators. The Sn content in the positive electrode current collector is 1.1 to 3.0% by mass, and the pore volume per unit mass of the negative electrode active material is 0.115 to 0.150 cm3/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yoshimine, Takehiro Sasaki, Tomotaka Fujimori
  • Patent number: 7514180
    Abstract: A battery comprises a negative electrode including a negative electroactive material, a positive electrode, an electrolyte located between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, and a protection layer, the protection layer separating the electrolyte and the negative electroactive material. Example batteries include lithium batteries and lithium-sulfur batteries having a molten salt electrolyte. The negative electroactive material may be a lithium-containing material such as lithium metal, lithium alloy, or other lithium compound. In other battery technologies, the negative electroactive material may comprise another alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, or other material. The protection layer may comprise a solid polymer electrolyte or other ion-transmissive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Wen Li
  • Patent number: 7510583
    Abstract: A cell electrode plate in which at least one of opposite widthwise ends of longitudinally discontinuous exposed portions with no coatings made of electrode active material on a core member made of metal foil includes pass-by transition portions for press rolls, the transition portions having a thickness substantially the same as that of the coatings. As a result, without complicating a production line, a core member is prevented from being broken and the production line is operated smoothly so as to attain improved productive efficiency and reduced equipment expenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Tazoe
  • Patent number: 7507502
    Abstract: A negative electrode of the present invention has an active material layer composed of an intermetallic compound on a collector. The intermetallic compound is capable of occluding/desorbing lithium and contains at least one kind of element A selected from Sn, In, Ge, Ga, Pb, Al, Sb, and Si, and an element X that does not substantially react with Li. In the negative electrode, a ratio Ib/Ia of highest peak intensities Ia and Ib of X-ray diffraction peaks derived from the intermetallic compound and the element A is 0.1 or less. By configuring a non-aqueous secondary battery using the above-mentioned negative electrode, the charging/discharging efficiency and cycle characteristics of a thin film electrode used for the negative electrode of the non-aqueous secondary battery are enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eri Kojima, Hiromu Sugiyama, Atsushi Ueda, Shigeo Aoyama
  • Patent number: 7501203
    Abstract: A battery includes a battery enclosure (3), a power-generating unit (50) accommodated in the battery enclosure (3), positive and negative terminal electrodes (1, 2). The battery enclosure (3) is composed of a laminate film compounded of metal and a polymer material, and has a rectangular shape. The power-generating unit (50) includes positive electrode collectors (5), negative electrode collectors (7) and separators (8). The positive and negative terminal electrodes (1, 2) have dimensions substantially equal to those of the positive and negative electrode collectors (5, 7), respectively. Further, the positive and negative terminal electrodes (1, 2) protrude from mutually different sides of the battery enclosure (3). The positive terminal electrode (1) is formed by protruding the positive electrode collectors (5) from the battery enclosure (3) in a state where end portions of the positive electrode collectors (5) are mutually stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Shimamura, Kyoichi Watanabe, Hideaki Horie, Yuuji Tanjou, Takaaki Abe
  • Publication number: 20090042099
    Abstract: An electrode stack includes a cathode active material layer and an anode active material layer stacked together, and an electrolyte layer arranged between the cathode active material layer and the anode active material layer. A through hole extending in the stacking direction of the cathode active material layer and anode active material layer is formed in the cathode active material layer, anode active material layer and the electrolyte layer. The electrode stack further includes a bolt inserted to the hole for integrally holding the cathode active material layer, anode active material layer and the electrolyte layer. By such a structure, an electrode stack and a bipolar secondary battery that can effectively prevent displacement of interface between each of the cathode, anode and the electrolyte can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Tatematsu, Ryoji Mizutani, Eiji Yamada, Yasuhiro Endo
  • Patent number: 7488557
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lead-acid battery Comprising a positive and a negative electrode, each having a current collector comprising an expanded grid, characterized in that at least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode contains an organic binder in an active material layer at an edge portion thereof. This makes it possible to suppress an internal short circuit resulting from the separation or abnormal growth of an active material due to repeated charge/discharge, thereby remarkably prolonging the cycle life of a lead-acid battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Maeda, Naoto Hoshihara, Junji Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7468222
    Abstract: An electrochemical device comprises a matrix 60 including an anode 10 and a cathode 20, an electrolyte, and a shell 50 for accommodating the matrix 60 and electrolyte in a closed state. The shell 50 includes an upper lid 52, a lower lid 54, and a gasket 56. At least one of the upper lid 52 and lower lid 54 is formed with a projection protruding toward the matrix 60 so that the upper lid 52 and the anode 10 electrically come into contact with each other and that the lower lid 54 and the cathode 20 electrically come into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Takahashi, Masayuki Ohtsuka, Kunio Miyabara, Saburou Tsuchida, Mitsuyoshi Harano
  • Patent number: 7462425
    Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a case, a nonaqueous electrolyte provided in the case, a positive electrode provided in the case, and a negative electrode provided in the case, the negative electrode comprising a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode layer that is carried on the negative electrode current collector and contains negative electrode active material particles, and the negative electrode current collector comprising an aluminum foil having an average crystal grain size of 50 ?m or less or an aluminum alloy foil having an average crystal grain size of 50 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norio Takami, Hiroki Inagaki, Yoshinao Tatebayashi