Mobile Factories for Recycling Used Electric Vehicle Batteries
This patent describes a system of movable containers that can be brought to a location to safely discharge, cool, disassemble, and crush used battery packs, making the recycling process more flexible and efficient.
Original patent title: “Movable battery pack processing device and processing method”
This patent describes a system of movable containers that can be brought to a location to safely discharge, cool, disassemble, and crush used battery packs, making the recycling process more flexible and efficient. Owned by Posco Co with 17 claims, and it is expected to expire in 2042.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This invention provides a portable system for processing used battery packs, like those from electric vehicles. It uses several specialized containers that can be moved to where the batteries are located. A first container handles initial steps, either discharging the battery's power or cooling it (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). This container might use a 'reverse voltage discharge device' to safely remove energy (Claim 5). Next, a second container receives the processed battery pack and disassembles it (Claim 1). This disassembly can involve tools like a blade, laser, or waterjet cutting device (Claim 6). Finally, a third container crushes the disassembled battery pack, often using a shredding device (Claim 1, Claim 7). For example, a company could move these containers to a car dealership or repair shop to process old EV batteries on-site, rather than shipping them to a fixed recycling plant.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover a stationary, fixed-location battery recycling plant where containers are not designed to be moved to the battery's location (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 2, Claim 13).
- Does not cover a system where the discharge, disassembly, and crushing steps all occur within a single, non-modular unit (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover a processing device that only performs one or two of the steps (discharge/cool, disassemble, crush) without the full sequence of modules (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover systems that do not use separate, interconnected containers for each primary processing stage (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1, Claim 4).
- Does not cover the specific chemical processes for extracting materials after crushing, only the mechanical processing up to and including crushing and sorting pole pieces (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 9, Claim 10).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in modularizing the complex and potentially dangerous battery recycling process into separate, movable containers. This allows the entire 'factory' to be transported to the source of waste batteries, rather than requiring batteries to be shipped to a central facility, which is a significant logistical and safety improvement.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Mobile EV battery recycling units
On-site processing for large industrial battery packs
Temporary battery processing facilities at disaster sites
Modular battery dismantling stations for vehicle manufacturers
Why it matters
The bigger picture
As electric vehicles become more common, managing and recycling their large battery packs is a growing challenge. This patent offers a solution by making the initial stages of battery recycling more flexible and potentially safer. By bringing the processing units to the batteries, it could reduce transportation costs and risks associated with moving fully charged or damaged battery packs over long distances. This approach could streamline the end-of-life management for EV batteries, impacting logistics and environmental sustainability.
Filed
November 16, 2022
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies involved in electric vehicle battery recycling and end-of-life management, such as Redwood Materials, Li-Cycle, and Umicore, are actively developing solutions for processing used batteries. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Tesla, Volkswagen, and General Motors are also investing in battery recycling infrastructure. Posco, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major steel company expanding into battery materials, suggesting they are building capabilities in the battery value chain.
Market impact
This type of modular, movable processing system addresses a critical need in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market. It could significantly reduce the logistical burden and environmental footprint of battery recycling by enabling localized processing. This approach could lead to new business models for battery collection and initial processing, potentially lowering costs for recyclers and improving the efficiency of resource recovery from spent batteries. It helps to overcome challenges associated with transporting large, heavy, and potentially hazardous battery packs.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This invention provides a portable system for processing used battery packs, like those from electric vehicles. It uses several specialized containers that can be moved to where the batteries are located. A first container handles initial steps, either discharging the battery's power or cooling it (Claim 1). This container might use a 'reverse voltage discharge device' to safely remove energy (Claim 5). Next, a second container receives the processed battery pack and disassembles it (Claim 1). This disassembly can involve tools like a blade, laser, or waterjet cutting device (Claim 6). Finally, a third container crushes the disassembled battery pack, often using a shredding device (Claim 1, Claim 7). For example, a company could move these containers to a car dealership or repair shop to process old EV batteries on-site, rather than shipping them to a fixed recycling plant.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in modularizing the complex and potentially dangerous battery recycling process into separate, movable containers. This allows the entire 'factory' to be transported to the source of waste batteries, rather than requiring batteries to be shipped to a central facility, which is a significant logistical and safety improvement.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover a stationary, fixed-location battery recycling plant where containers are not designed to be moved to the battery's location (Claim 2, Claim 13).
- Does not cover a system where the discharge, disassembly, and crushing steps all occur within a single, non-modular unit (Claim 1).
- Does not cover a processing device that only performs one or two of the steps (discharge/cool, disassemble, crush) without the full sequence of modules (Claim 1).
- Does not cover systems that do not use separate, interconnected containers for each primary processing stage (Claim 1, Claim 4).
- Does not cover the specific chemical processes for extracting materials after crushing, only the mechanical processing up to and including crushing and sorting pole pieces (Claim 9, Claim 10).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
11/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$18K – $56K
Midpoint $35K · 16.1 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
17 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
LEE, L., WI, H., & Park, T. Mobile Factories for Recycling Used Electric Vehicle Batteries (U.S. Patent No. 20,250,246,702). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20250246702/movable-battery-pack-processing-device-and-processing-method
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mobile Factories for Recycling Used Electric Vehicle Batteries cover?
This patent describes a system of movable containers that can be brought to a location to safely discharge, cool, disassemble, and crush used battery packs, making the recycling process more flexible and efficient.
Who owns patent US 20250246702?
This patent is owned by Posco Co.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on November 16, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
As electric vehicles become more common, managing and recycling their large battery packs is a growing challenge. This patent offers a solution by making the initial stages of battery recycling more flexible and potentially safer. By bringing the processing units to the batteries, it could reduce transportation costs and risks associated with moving fully charged or damaged battery packs over long distances. This approach could streamline the end-of-life management for EV batteries, impacting logistics and environmental sustainability.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover a stationary, fixed-location battery recycling plant where containers are not designed to be moved to the battery's location (Claim 2, Claim 13).
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