Duracell Inc.

Sensata Technologies, Inc.

A123 Systems LLC

Landmark Battery Innovations, Inc.

Revolution Power Inc.

Texas Instruments Corporation

Lucien Paul Fontaine

Viet H Vu

William T McHugh

Jane A Blasi

Robert J Pinault

William H Gardner

Reynald Cantave

Keith W Kawate

Keith W Kirkwood

Christian V Pellon

Bhupendra Kanchanial Patel

Michael T Parker

Michael J Lavado

Jeffrey S Hewes

Mark David Rabiner

Christopher A Nicolls

Roger D Mayer

Lynwald Edmunds

Jeffrey B Ting

Alex Kaplan

Jeffrey Poirier

Yelena Kouznetsova

Andrew James Parth

Halle Cheeseman

Paul Cheeseman

Robert Zanelli

Charles E Martin

Ajoy Datta

Michael McDermott

Steven K Sullivan

Keith M Bibby

Stephen J Bryant

Donald G Dafoe

Gary K Maus

Lance E Cambra

Stephen S Johnson

Geoffrey J Paquin

Dale Beaver

James Bradley Downar, Iii

Daniel Wainwright Shaw

Jonathan Mark Sassen

A zinc-air battery cell assembly comprising: a layer of anode material; one or more layers of cathode material; a separator directly between and engaging both the layer of anode material and the layer of cathode material that acts as both an electronic insulator and an ion conductive path between the layer of anode material and the layer of cathode material; and a diffusion member directly engaging the layer of cathode material.

Zinc-air battery compositions and methods

A zinc-air battery cell assembly comprising: a cathode can that includes: a planar base, and an elongated cathode sidewall that extends to a terminal cathode sidewall end, and an anode can that includes: a planar top end, and an elongated anode sidewall that extends to a terminal anode sidewall end, the anode can disposed nested within the cathode can with the elongated anode sidewall disposed parallel and adjacent to the elongated cathode sidewall. The zinc-air battery assembly further includes a cavity defined by the cathode can and the anode can disposed nested within the cathode can, and a grommet that provides a seal between the cathode can and the anode can while also keeping the anode can and the cathode can separate.

Zinc-air battery systems and methods

A nickel iron battery comprising a housing, an electrolyte solution contained within the housing, an anode comprising iron configured to be retained within the housing and the electrolyte solution, an cathode comprising nickel configured to be retained within the housing and the electrolyte solution, and a separator configured to be retained within the hosing and the electrolyte solution, wherein the separator is interposed between the cathode and the anode.

Systems and methods for a battery

A Nickel iron battery using a mono-block housing that has cells with leak-proof intercell connections. The intercell connections use compressed grommets to prevent fluid transfer between the cells. Each cell generates a charge that can be connected in series or parallel as required. The cells use an electrode plate that enables a manufacturing process which yields higher efficiency, higher throughput, and significantly lower battery cost. The anode composition of the cells has iron powder to increase cathode utilization, therefore lowering cathode material usage and lowering production cost.

Nickel iron battery

An insulation portion for an electrochemical cell having a plurality of slots into which bent electrode tabs are slid through during an assembly process of an electrochemical cell. A latch is disposed adjacent the slots and is movable from a resting position to a biased position to engage the electrode tabs. Attachment of the insulation portion to the electrochemical cell and bending of the electrode tabs can be robotically performed, such that controllers of an attachment device and bending device are in communication with each other.

Electrical insulator for electrochemical cell

An electrochemical cell includes components that are welded from an external source after the components are assembled in a cell canister. The cell canister houses electrode tabs and a core insert. An end cap insert is disposed opposite the core insert. An external weld source, such as a laser beam, is applied to the end cap insert, such that the end cap insert, the electrode tabs, and the core insert are electrically coupled by a weld which extends from the end cap insert to the core insert.

Method and design for externally applied laser welding of internal connections in a high power electrochemical cell

A cap assembly for use in an electrochemical cell. The cap assembly includes a tab collection post, a core insert, and at least one current collecting tab connected at one end to an electrode foil in the electrochemical cell, and horizontally connected at the other end to the tab collection post and the core insert. The at least one current collecting tab is disposed between and welded with the tab collection post and the core insert. The cap assembly also includes a shock absorber disposed around the core insert.

Cap assembly for a high current capacity energy delivery device

A thermally activated circuit interrupter () has a cantilever mounted, snap acting thermostatic disc () mounting a movable electric contact () that is adapted to move between a contacts engaged position and a tripped, contacts disengaged position. A pivot member () is rotatably mounted above the thermostatic disc and movably mounts a latch () that is biased by spring arm () against the edge of the free end of thermostatic disc () in the contacts engaged position and is moved under the thermostatic disc when the disc moves to the contacts disengaged position. An arm () of the pivot member transfers motion to a trip indicator button () pushing the button to an exposed position upon rotation of the pivot member when the thermostatic disc moves to the tripped configuration and the latch moves under the disc. The trip indicator button also serves as a reset button so that upon cooling of the thermostatic disc to the reset temperature, the button can be depressed transferring motion to the arm () of the pivot member thereby moving the latch from under the disc allowing the disc to move to the contacts engaged configuration.

Thermally activated circuit interrupter

An apparatus and method for detecting arc faults that have reduced susceptibility to nuisance tripping. The apparatus includes a current sensor, an input sense circuit, an arcing sense circuit, a power supply, a tripping (firing) circuit, a processor, and an electromechanical interface. The current sensor monitors a power input comprising an AC current, and provides high frequency components of the. AC current to the input sense circuit. The input sense circuit filters and rectifies the AC signal, and provides the rectified signal to the arcing sense circuit. The arcing sense circuit provides a voltage level accumulated over a predetermined time period, and digital signals indicative of possible electrical arcing occurring during the sampling period, to the processor. The processor measures the voltage level, stores information relating to measured voltages and the digital signals, and processes the stored information using one or more algorithms, thereby determining whether the signals resulted from an arc fault or a nuisance load. In the event the signals resulted from an arc fault, the processor activates the firing circuit to trip the electromechanical interface, thereby interrupting the power output to the load.

Apparatus for detecting arc faults

Method for detecting arc faults

A current interrupt assembly for electrochemical cells is disclosed. The current interrupter assembly may be a self-contained, sealed unit which may be separately inserted into the cell during cell construction. Several current interrupt assemblies may be inserted in the cell. The current interrupter assembly has particular utility for thin rechargeable cells and when inserted in the cell forms a portion of the electrical pathway between a cell electrode and corresponding terminal. The current interrupt mechanism comprises a thin thermally responsive member preferably comprising a disk of a shape memory metal alloy having a curved surface. When cell temperature exceeds a predetermined value the disk deflects to cause a break in the electrical pathway within the assembly. The assembly may include therein a flexible electrically conductive member which forms a part of the electrical pathway within the assembly and which is physically responsive to deflection of the thermally responsive member. The assembly may also include a pressure actuated diaphragm which may form a portion of the assembly housing. When the cell internal pressure exceeds a predetermined level the diaphragm deflects causing a break in the electrical pathway within the assembly, thereby shutting down the cell.

Current interrupter for electrochemical cells

A current interrupt mechanism for electrochemical cells is disclosed. A thermally activated current interrupt mechanism is integrated into an end cap assembly for an electrochemical cell. The thermally responsive mechanism preferably includes a free floating bimetallic disk or shape memory alloy member which deforms when exposed to elevated temperature causing a break in an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. This prevents current from flowing through the cell and effectively shuts down an operating cell. The thermally responsive mechanism may include a heat producing electrical resistance means, preferably a Zener diode, to enhance thermal sensitivity. The end cap assembly may include a pressure responsive mechanism which ruptures when there is extreme gas pressure buildup. Gas is allowed to escape from the cell interior to the external environment through a series of vent apertures within the end cap assembly.

A current interrupt assembly for electrochemical cells is disclosed. The current interrupter assembly may be a self-contained, sealed unit which may be separately inserted into the cell during cell construction. Several current interrupt assemblies may be inserted in the cell. The current interrupter assembly has particular utility for thin rechargeable cells and when inserted in the cell forms a portion of the electrical pathway between a cell electrode and corresponding terminal. The current interrupt mechanism comprises a thin thermally responsive member preferably comprising a disk of a shape memory metal alloy having a curved surface. The current interrupt mechanism may include a heat producing electrical resistance means, preferably a Zener diode in proximity to the thermally responsive member. When cell temperature exceeds a predetermined value the disk deflects to cause a break in the electrical pathway within the assembly. The assembly may include therein a flexible electrically conductive member which forms a part of the electrical pathway within the assembly and which is physically responsive to deflection of the thermally responsive member. The assembly may also include a pressure actuated diaphragm which may form a portion of the assembly housing. When the cell internal pressure exceeds a predetermined level the diaphragm deflects causing a break in the electrical pathway within the assembly, thereby shutting down the cell.

A current interrupt mechanism for electrochemical cells is disclosed. A thermally activated current interrupt mechanism is integrated into an end cap assembly for an electrochemical cell. The thermally responsive mechanism preferably includes a free floating bimetallic disk or shape memory alloy member which deforms when exposed to elevated temperature causing a break in an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. This prevents current from flowing through the cell and effectively shuts down an operating cell. The end cap assembly may include a pressure responsive mechanism which ruptures when there is extreme gas pressure buildup. Gas is allowed to escape from the cell interior to the external environment through a series of vent apertures within the end cap assembly.

A current interrupt mechanism for electrochemical cells is disclosed. A thermally activated current interrupt mechanism is integrated into an end cap assembly for an electrochemical cell. The thermally responsive mechanism preferably includes a free floating bimetallic disk which deforms when exposed to elevated temperature causing a break in an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. This prevents current from flowing through the cell and effectively shuts down an operating cell. Alternatively, the thermally responsive mechanism may include a meltable mass of material which melts when exposed to elevated temperature to break an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly. The end cap assembly may also include integrated therein a pressure responsive current interrupt mechanism. If the internal gas pressure within an operating cell exceeds a predetermined value, the pressure responsive mechanism activates to sever an electrical pathway within the end cap assembly to prevent current from passing through the cell. The pressure responsive mechanism may include a diaphragm which ruptures when there is extreme gas pressure buildup. Gas is allowed to escape from the cell interior to the external environment through a series of vent apertures within the end cap assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, RI, United States of America

Lucien Paul Fontaine