WO1989003596A1 - Batterie a elements alcalins et procede de fabrication d'une telle batterie - Google Patents

Batterie a elements alcalins et procede de fabrication d'une telle batterie Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1989003596A1
WO1989003596A1 PCT/FI1988/000166 FI8800166W WO8903596A1 WO 1989003596 A1 WO1989003596 A1 WO 1989003596A1 FI 8800166 W FI8800166 W FI 8800166W WO 8903596 A1 WO8903596 A1 WO 8903596A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cell
negative electrode
cells
plate
package
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FI1988/000166
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Pentti Juuse Tamminen
Original Assignee
Pentti Juuse Tamminen
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from FI874496A external-priority patent/FI81462C/fi
Priority claimed from US07/165,975 external-priority patent/US4816354A/en
Application filed by Pentti Juuse Tamminen filed Critical Pentti Juuse Tamminen
Publication of WO1989003596A1 publication Critical patent/WO1989003596A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M6/00—Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M6/42—Grouping of primary cells into batteries
    • H01M6/46—Grouping of primary cells into batteries of flat cells
    • H01M6/48—Grouping of primary cells into batteries of flat cells with bipolar electrodes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/10—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings
    • H01M50/172—Arrangements of electric connectors penetrating the casing
    • H01M50/174—Arrangements of electric connectors penetrating the casing adapted for the shape of the cells
    • H01M50/178—Arrangements of electric connectors penetrating the casing adapted for the shape of the cells for pouch or flexible bag cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/50—Current conducting connections for cells or batteries

Definitions

  • This invention relates to alkaline batteries and more particularly to flat cell alkaline batteries of the type where each cell is vacuum-sealed and the cells of the batteries are connected by having a pin or other pointed conductor/ which is connected to the positive electrode of one cell, pierce the vacuum-sealed package of the adjacent cell to make contact with the negative electrode thereof.
  • Alkaline batteries of a.desired voltage may be formed from a plurality of series-connected cells.
  • One technique which has been used for forming such batteries is to vacuum seal a positive electrode, a dielectric, and a negative electrode in a plastic package to form a single battery cell.
  • the negative electrode is ' typically formed of a pasty mixture of amalgamated zinc powder, potassium hydroxide solution, and a jelling agent sealed in a plastic bag.
  • One method for interconnecting such cells to form a battery is to provide a pin or other pointed conductor which is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the cell and which projects through the vacuum-sealed plastic package on the positive electrode side of the cell, when the cells are stacked to form a battery, they are stacked with the negative electrode side of one cell adjacent to the positive electrode side of the next cell. As the cells are pressed together, the pointed conductor of one cell pierces the package and negative electrode bag of the adjacent cell to effect a series electrical connection between the cells.
  • a battery of this type is described in greater detail in UK Patent No. 2,097,574 and various modifications to "Vhis basic construction are discussed in US Patents No. 4,505,996; No. 4,525,439; and No. 4,554,226.
  • the denting of the cover layers before piercing occurs causes the soft, pasty mix of the negative electrode to yield, a pit thus being formed in the negative electrode mass a it is, radially pushed outward from the penetration point.
  • the various layers being pierced sag correspondingly, resulting i n pattern of radial grooves being formed in these layers at the moment of breakthrough.
  • thes grooves may remain as air channels directed from the contact outwards. Such channels may even reach the air outside the battery if the insulation between the cells is uneven or has an discontinuity or if the cells are not absolutely parallel to each other, or the pin bends slightly so that the pin enters th pierced cell at a slight angle rather than perpendicularly.
  • the channels may also permit carbon dioxide, which is always present in the surrounding atmosphere, to enter the cell, thereby reacting with the electrolyte and producing alkali metal carbonate crystals .which expand the leakage paths of the electrolyte from the cell. This causes deterioration in deliverable energy from the battery, and is another potential problem with existing designs.
  • electrolyte may flow along the contact pin into the adjacent cell, partially shorting the two cells and further reducing the output capacity of the battery.
  • this invention provides a cell for an alkaline battery of the type having a positive electrode, a negative electrode in the form of a paste contained within a sealed bag, a dielectric positioned at least between the electrodes, a flexible package in which the electrodes and dielectric are sealed, and a pointed conductor connected to the positive electrode of the cell and adapted to pierce the package and negative electrode bag of an adjacent cell to make electrical contact with the negative electrode paste of such cell when the cells are pressed together.
  • the invention involves a structure for providing a seal for the pierced cell, which structure includes a means operative for inhibiting denting of the negative electrode bag and the package adjacent thereto of the pierced cell by the pointed conductor when the cells are pressed together and means for mounting the inhibiting means to the negative electrode side of the package.
  • the inhibiting means is a supporting plate of a substantially stiff nonconducting material, such as plastic, which may be easily punctured by the pointed conductor.
  • an adhesive layer is provided between the plate and the package for securing the plate to the package the adhesive layer also performing a sealing function.
  • the adhesive layer which is preferably a hot melt glue, may be applied to both sides of the plate which may be positioned between the two cells, the two adhesive layers securing the cells together and sealing against any leakage.
  • the plate may either be mounted outside the package as described above, or ma be mounted inside the package.
  • Two or more cells of the type indicated above may be mounte in a stack with the pointed conductor of one cell of each adjacent pair of cells piercing the negative electrode bag and adjacent package of the other cell of the pair to form an alkaline battery.
  • the battery would include means for making electrical connection to the pointed conductor extending from the cell at one end of the stack and a means for making electrical connection to the negative electrode of the cell at . the other end of the stack.
  • Alkaline batteries of the type indicated above may be fabricated by stacking the negative electrode, dielectric and positive electrode in a plastic cup-shaped container, vacuum- sealing the cell container with a plastic top and mounting the pointed conductor, either before or after the vacuum sealing step, to be in electrical contact with the positive electrode and to project through the plastic top.
  • the three steps indicated above result in the forming of a battery cell.
  • Adhesive is coated as a continuous layer or at selected intervals on both sides of a stiff plastic material fed from a roll, the plastic material is cut to suitable lengths, for example substantially midway between each point where adhesive is coated, to form the support plates, .
  • a support plate is mounted to the si " de of each cell opposite the side from which the pointed conductor projects (i.e.
  • Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of an alkaline battery cell in accordance with a first embodiment of the' invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a top view of a supporting plate suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a side view partially in section of a fourr-cell battery utilizing the cells of Fig. 1.
  • Figs. 5A-5E are various views illustrating certain steps in the fabrication of a battery of the type shown in Fig. 4. Detailed Description
  • the positive electrode of the cell is of standard construction of the type shown in the prior art patents previously discussed, and may, for example, consist of a hard-pressed mass tablet 1, of for example MN0 2 , an electrically conductive, water repellant, carbon mix layer 2, and a steel plate 3 to which is welded a steel conductor pin 4. The distal end of the pin comes to a sharp point.
  • a cover plastic foil 5 is provided over the positive electrode and is vacuum-sealed to cup 9 of a plastic foil to form the cell package.
  • a thin layer of an insulating paste 6/ such as for example a sticky latex bitumen or hot melt glue, is provided between plate 3 and foil layer 5. Layer 6 seals the positive end of the cell, preventing electrolyte from getting access to and leaking through the point where pin 4 penetrates cover foil layer 5.
  • the negative electrode 7 is a paste of amalgamated zinc powder, KOH solution and a jelling agent such as CMC. This paste is formed in accordance with known alkaline battery
  • Bag 7 may for example be a heat-sealable plastic fibre foil bag of the type discussed in connection with Fig. 6 of US Patent No. 4,487,821.
  • cup-formed layers 8 of an electrolyte-absorbing felt material such as rayon, which is reinforced with polypropylene fibers.
  • the layers 8 are saturated with a suitable alkaline electrolyte such as an alkaline, metal hydroxide (KOH) solution.
  • KOH metal hydroxide
  • the electrolyte absorbing felt material 8 should be in the order of 200g/m 2 so as to provide a proper amount of free electrolyte on both sides of the negative electrode paste 7 to insure effective diffusion of OH ions to the negative electrode. This makes the practical efficiency of the negative electrode as high as 80% to 95%, depending on the discharge current.
  • the two electrodes and the dielectric, cups are stacked in plastic foil cup 9, which acts as the cell cover, before the cell is vacuum-sealed with cover foil layer 5.
  • the lower electrolyte felt 8 has a die-cut round hole 10 formed in its middle in order to facilitate the passing through of contact pin 4 of an adjacent cell.
  • the cover foil 5 is sealed in a vacuum along the borders of cup 9, a hermetically-sealed cell is formed. This permits atmospheric pressure to mold bag 7 , producing a lens-like formation at the. hole 10 where contact pin 4 may penetrate into negative electrode 7 when the battery is assembled.
  • a supporting plate 11 is fixed in the middle of cup 9 on the outside thereof. As will be discussed in more detail later, plate 11 may be fixed to cup 9 by hot melt glue 12. Plate 11 is formed of a stiff plastic which may easily be punctured by the pin 4. Examples of plastics suitable for plate 11 might be an 0.15mm to 0.4mm thick piece of plastic of PVC, shockproof polystyrene, HD polyethylene, or polypropylene. The exact material and dimensions will vary with battery type, and may be optimized experimentally. While in Fig. 2, supporting plate 11 is shown as being rectangular, the plate may be round, square, oval, or have some other shape. As may be seen in Fig.
  • the plate bulges outward slightly in the middle in order to prevent- it from becoming dented inwards when a contact pin 4 is pushed through/
  • the stiffness of plate- 11 may also be enhanced by heat forming a crisscross grid pattern in the plate using known techniques.
  • the dimensions of the plate 11 may be such that the plate covers roughly half the area of the cell . with the center of the plate at a point substantially over the center of the cell.
  • the sealing layer 12 does not need to be as large as is shown in Fig. 2, and may in fact be only a circular spot located at the center of the plate and having a diameter roughly equal to the shortest distance from the center of the plate to an edge of the plate.
  • a battery in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is constructed by assembling a vacuum-sealed cell 30 (Fig. 5A) in the manner previously described and by at the same time feeding a tape or roll 32 (Fig. 5B) of a material suitable for use as the plates 11 past a station 34 where hot melt glue 36 is applied at selected intervals (or continuously) to both sides of the tape, utilizing standard equipment such as nozzles 38. Tape 32 is then cut at points substantially midway between each hot melt glue spot 36 (or at other selected intervals) by cutters 40 to form plates 11.
  • Cells 30 are positioned with their negative electrode side adjacent to the plates 11 and a plate 11 with the hot melt glue spots 36 thereon is positioned at the center of the negative electrode side of each cell as shown in Fig. 5C.
  • the hot melt glue spot secures the plate to the cell and functions as the layer 12 previously described.
  • each cell after the plate 11 is mounted thereto, is then stacked in a suitable fixture. Additional cells 30 are then mounted on top of each other with the pin 4 of each cell piercing the plate 11, cover 9 and bag 7 of the adjacent cell to make contact with negative electrode 7 thereof (Fig. 5E).
  • the hot melt glue . spot 36 on the top of each plate 11 is operative to secure the cell to which the plate is mounted to the adjacent cell, and provides a further seal to prevent any possible electrolyte leakage between the cells.
  • Fig. 4 shows a battery formed according to the teachings of this ' invention. Assuming each of the four cells of this battery i s adapted to provide a 1.5 V output, this battery would provide a 6 V output. Additional cells could be provided if a higher voltage output is desired.
  • a negative end plate 15 is provided, which is a steel plate to which a contact pin 4 is fused, soldered, or formed as an integral part.
  • a metal strip 16 is welded to plate 15 and connected to negative contact spring 17. Pin 4 makes contact with the negative electrode in the same manner that pins 4 of the various cells make contact with this electrode. From Fig. 5D it is seen that a plate 15 is provided on the negative side of the topmost electrode of the stack through which the pin 4 of plate 15 passes.
  • contact pin 4' of the bottom-most cell is partly cut and is connected by soldering, welding, fusing or other suitable means to a metal strip 18 leading to the positive contact spring 19.
  • the stack of cells 30 is secured together with a band 20 between two cardboard plates 21 and 22, and a soft O-ring 23 is provided around contact pin 4* to effect a reliable seal without causing excessive pressure to be applied to the cells, which pressure - might cause electrolyte to be squeezed from cups 8 and out of the area where it is required. Reducing squeezing of electrolyte also reduces the likelihood of electrolyte leaking from the cell.
  • the entire assembly is then mounted in a standard sealed casing 24, this step being accomplished in standard manner.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates a battery cell for an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the supporting plate 13 is . placed inside, cell cover 9 rather than outside as shown in Fig. i.
  • Plate 13 may be loose, or it may be fixed to cover 9 by a hot melt glue, by heat sealing, by being ultrasonically fused before the formation of the battery cup or afterwards, or by other suitable means.
  • the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 has the advantage that the supporting plate is operative to clean the contact pin of insulating glue before penetrating into negative electrode 7. This provides added assurance that good contact will be made between the pin and the negative electrode over the entire area of the pin.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Primary Cells (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à une structure d'éléments pour batteries alcalines, à des batteries alcalines utilisant de tels éléments et à des procédés de fabrication d'une telle structure. Chaque élément comprend une électrode positive (1), une électrode négative (7), ayant une pâte contenue dans un sac fermé hermétiquement, et un diélectrique (8) placé entre les électrodes. Les électrodes et le diélectrique (8) sont enfermés hermétiquement à l'intérieur d'un emballage flexible (9) et un conducteur pointu (4) est connecté électriquement à l'électrode positive (1) de l'élément, s'étend à partir d'elle et est destiné à percer l'emballage et le sac à électrode négative (7) d'un élément adjacent, afin d'établir un contact électrique avec la pâte à électrode négative (7) de cet élément, lorsque les éléments sont pressés les uns contre les autres pour former une batterie. La présente invention assure une meilleure étanchéité entre les éléments en empêchant le piquage de l'emballage et du sac à électrode négative (7) avant le percement au moyen d'une plaque de support rigide montée sur le côté à électrode négative de l'élément. Cette plaque (11) peut être montée à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur du revêtement des éléments et est destinée à être percée par la pointe lorsque les éléments sont pressés les uns contre les autres. Un adhésif approprié (12) tel que de la colle chaude en fusion peut être prévu pour fixer la plaque à l'élément et pour obturer les ouvertures produites lorsque la pointe perce les diverses couches.
PCT/FI1988/000166 1987-10-13 1988-10-13 Batterie a elements alcalins et procede de fabrication d'une telle batterie WO1989003596A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI874496 1987-10-13
FI874496A FI81462C (fi) 1987-10-13 1987-10-13 Foerbaettrad konstruktion foer alkaliskt skivbatteri.
US07/165,975 US4816354A (en) 1988-03-09 1988-03-09 Alkaline cell battery and method for manufacture thereof
US165,975 1988-03-09

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1989003596A1 true WO1989003596A1 (fr) 1989-04-20

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/FI1988/000166 WO1989003596A1 (fr) 1987-10-13 1988-10-13 Batterie a elements alcalins et procede de fabrication d'une telle batterie

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO1989003596A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0505080A1 (fr) * 1991-03-11 1992-09-23 Eveready Battery Company, Inc. Piles non-réversibles
WO2009129872A1 (fr) 2008-04-21 2009-10-29 Robert Bosch Gmbh Module accumulateur d'énergie et outil électrique équipé d'au moins un module accumulateur d'énergie

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2745894A (en) * 1952-06-19 1956-05-15 Ray O Vac Co Primary dry cell
US4060670A (en) * 1972-11-10 1977-11-29 Pentti Juuse Tamminen Alkaline flat cell battery
GB2097574A (en) * 1981-04-27 1982-11-03 Sporax Oy Contact arrangement for a galvanic battery
US4505996A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-03-19 Simonton Robert D Primary flat cell
US4525439A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-06-25 Simonton Robert D Connector aperture seal for a galvanic cell
US4554226A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-11-19 Simonton Robert D Flat cell battery connector seal

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2745894A (en) * 1952-06-19 1956-05-15 Ray O Vac Co Primary dry cell
US4060670A (en) * 1972-11-10 1977-11-29 Pentti Juuse Tamminen Alkaline flat cell battery
GB2097574A (en) * 1981-04-27 1982-11-03 Sporax Oy Contact arrangement for a galvanic battery
US4505996A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-03-19 Simonton Robert D Primary flat cell
US4525439A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-06-25 Simonton Robert D Connector aperture seal for a galvanic cell
US4554226A (en) * 1983-10-07 1985-11-19 Simonton Robert D Flat cell battery connector seal

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0505080A1 (fr) * 1991-03-11 1992-09-23 Eveready Battery Company, Inc. Piles non-réversibles
WO2009129872A1 (fr) 2008-04-21 2009-10-29 Robert Bosch Gmbh Module accumulateur d'énergie et outil électrique équipé d'au moins un module accumulateur d'énergie

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