The Gillette Company

Matthew R Sylvestre

Alexander Boris Shelekhin

Steven Jeffrey Specht

Mark T Ashbolt

David Lloyd Anglin

Robert Yoppolo

Philip D Trainer

Anthony Joseph Malgioglio

Derek R Bobowick

Brien Merrill

Robert S Ferrin

Michael F Roberts

Paul Albert Christian

Richard Edward Durkot

Tae-Won Lee

Weifang Luo

David V Adamson

James R Costanzo

Dean MacNeil

Scott Manning

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The housing may be laser welded closed with a metal cover inserted as a part of an end cap assembly. A portion of an insulating seal may be held compressed between a sleeve extending from the metal cover and an anode current collector nail within the end cap assembly. The housing may include a vent mechanism, preferably a grooved vent, which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a threshold level typically between about 250 and 800 psig (1724&#xd7;10and 5515&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cell can have a supplemental laser welded vent which may activate at higher pressure levels.

Alkaline cell with flat housing

An alkaline cell having a flat casing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising nickel oxyhydroxide. The casing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm, but may be larger. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the casing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism, preferably a grooved vent, which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a threshold level typically between about 250 and 800 psig (1724&#xd7;10and 5515&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cell can have a supplemental vent mechanism such as a laser welded region on the surface of the casing which may activate at higher pressure levels.

Alkaline cell with flat housing and nickel oxyhydroxide cathode

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising MnO. The housing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. There can be a gap between separator and cathode for insertion of additional electrolyte. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism, preferably a grooved vent, which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a threshold level typically between about 250 and 800 psig (1724&#xd7;10and 5515&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cell can have a supplemental vent mechanism such as a laser welded region on the surface of the housing which may activate at higher pressure levels.

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising MnO. The housing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a threshold level typically between about 100 and 300 psig (6.89&#xd7;10and 20.69&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cell can have primary and supplemental vent mechanisms such as welded or thinned regions on the surface of the housing which may activate at different pressure levels. The cathode can be formed of a plurality of stacked slabs having aligned hollow centers with an elongated opening for anode material to be inserted therein.

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising MnO. The housing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. The end cap assembly includes an insulating sealing member having a circumferential skirt which surrounds wide portions of the anode current collector. This provides a barrier between said wide portions of the current collector and the cell housing. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a level typically between about 100 and 300 psig (6.89&#xd7;10and 20.69&#xd7;10pascal gage). The cathode can be formed of a plurality of stacked slabs having aligned hollow centers forming a central core with anode material placed therein. A separator is between anode and cathode. The housing can be of steel having a wall thickness desirably between about 0.30 and 0.45 mm.

Alkaline cell with flat housing and improved current collector

An electrochemical cell generating hydrogen gas upon discharge, wherein the cell has an outer casing, a vent aperture passing through a wall of the casing, and a rupturable membrane covering the vent aperture. The outer casing preferably has a flat wall running along the cell's length and a vent aperture passing through the flat wall. The cell may typically be an alkaline cell in the shape of a cuboid. The rupturable membrane may be secured by a ring facing the inside surface of the flat wall of the casing in a position adjacent the vent aperture. The rupturable membrane is preferably of polysulfone. The membrane allows hydrogen gas to permeate therethrough to the environment and is rupturable if hydrogen gas within the cell interior builds up rapidly to a threshold pressure level. Optionally, a pointed puncture member extends into the vent aperture to assist membrane rupture.

Electrochemical cell with flat casing and vent

A primary alkaline battery includes a cathode having a cathode active material and carbon fibers, an anode, a separator and an alkaline electrolyte. The carbon fibers have diameters less than about 250 nanometers.

Battery cathode

An alkaline cell having a flat housing, preferably of cuboid shape. The cell can have an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising MnO . The housing can have a relatively small overall thickness, typically between about 5 and 10 mm. Cell contents can be supplied through an open end in the housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein to seal the cell. The end cap assembly includes an insulating sealing member having a circumferential skirt which surrounds wide portions of the anode current collector. This provides a barrier between said wide portions of the current collector and the cell housing. The end cap assembly includes a vent mechanism which can activate, when gas pressure within the cell reaches a level typically between about 100 and 300 psig (6.89&times;10 and 20.69&times;10 pascal gage). The cathode can be formed of a plurality of stacked slabs having aligned hollow centers forming a central core with anode material placed therein. A separator is between anode and cathode. The housing can be of steel having a wall thickness desirably between about 0.30 and 0.45 mm.

An alkaline cell having an anode comprising zinc and a cathode comprising manganese dioxide wherein the cathode is located annularly along the inside surface of the cell housing and has a plurality of indentations on the inside of its surface facing the cell interior. Each indentation has a wall defining a channel with an opening thereto running preferably in the direction of the cell's length. The channel and opening facing the cell interior filled with anode material. The cell can have an anode current collector, typically of metal, with at least a portion of its surface extending into the cathode indentation channel. The anode current collector can have a portion of its surface extending from a point within the anode and into the cathode indentation channel through said opening. The cell can include a cathode current collector comprising a sheet of conductive material such as a sheet of metal or graphite placed within the cathode, particularly within thick regions of the cathode. The cathode current collector can be used in conjuction with a conventional single nail anode current collector or in combination with the extended surface anode current collectors of the invention. Such alkaline cells exhibit improved performance, particularly under high power application.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, RI, United States of America

Matthew R Sylvestre