Wilson Greatbatch Ltd.

Greatbatch Ltd.

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc.

Robert A Zayatz

Timothy R Ronald

Michael David Brown

Douglas L Bronnenberg

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.

Self-centering current collector for an electrochemical cell

A family of spacers of various sizes for securing a standardized terminating electrical protection device (such as one of the &ldquo;snap-cap&rdquo; type) to an electrical energy power source (i.e., a lithium electrochemical cell) is described. The terminating protection device is mounted on a header for an electrochemical cell and contains a circuit board provided with electrical components, such as diodes and fuses. The function of the circuit board is generally to protect the cell from being overcharged or too rapidly discharged, and the like. The spacers are sized to take up the space between the edge of the cell and the edge of the terminating protection device. That way, only variously sized spacers need to be stocked. The spacers are relatively simple to manufacture and inexpensive to stock. For example, the same terminating protection device sized for a &ldquo;C&rdquo; sized cell can be used on any larger size cell, for example, a &ldquo;D&rdquo; sized cell, by providing a spacer taking up the space between the edge of the larger cell and the terminating protection device.

Universal family spacers for a battery electrical protection device

A protection device for an electrical component that has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for accommodating an electrical terminal pin. A projecting perimeter wall extends from the base. A sleeve resides within the perimeter wall, and a terminal cap is captured between the sleeve and the protective housing. A method of assembling a battery and an electrical component with such a protection device is also disclosed.

Protection device having a sleeve and method of assembling a battery with a protection device and an electrical component

The present invention includes a housing having a casing and a cap. A connecting conductor is joined to the cap, and a plunger conductor assembly is electrically connected to the connecting conductor. A battery may be placed in the casing and electrically connected to an electrically conductive concentric ring. When the cap is attached to the casing, the plunger conductor is electrically connected with the concentric ring so as to provide electricity from the battery to the connecting conductor. A method of delivering electricity using such a housing is also described.

Battery housing, electricity delivering system and method of delivering electricity

A power providing device that has a battery, a protective housing a terminal cap and a fuse.

Link fuse

A power providing device that has a battery, a protective housing a terminal cap, and a fuse on a substrate.

Trace fuse

A protection device and a method of protecting an electrical component. The protection device has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for receiving an electrical terminal pin, and has a projecting shoulder extending from the base to a first distance from the base. The protective housing also has a retaining clip extending from the base to a second distance from the base, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The terminal cap has a first side and a second side, and in use, at least part of the first side of the terminal cap contacts the projecting shoulder and at least part of the second side of the terminal cap contacts the retaining clip. A method according to the present invention includes steps for determining the temperature to which the protective housing was exposed.

Protection device and method of determining exposure temperature

A protection device for an electrical component that has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for accommodating an electrical terminal pin. A projecting perimeter wall extends from the base. Attached to the perimeter wall is an inwardly extending tapered rib. Each rib is tapered such that the end of each rib closest to the base surface extends from the perimeter wall further than the end of the rib furthest from the base surface. A terminal cap is placed within the perimeter wall and forced toward the base surface until the tapered ribs engage and are deformed by the terminal cap to provide an interference fit between the ribs and the terminal cap. A method of assembling a battery and an electrical component with such a protection device is also disclosed.

Protection device having tapered ribs and method of assembling a battery with a protection device and an electrical component

A protection device and a method for protecting an electrical component. The protection device has a protective housing and a terminal cap. The protective housing has a base with a contact hole therethrough for receiving an electrical terminal pin, and has a projecting shoulder extending from the base to a first distance from the base. The protective housing also has a retaining clip extending from the base to a second distance from the base, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The terminal cap has a first side and a second side, and in use, at least part of the first side of the terminal cap contacts the projecting shoulder and at least part of the second side of the terminal cap contacts the retaining clip. A method according to the present invention includes steps for assembling a battery and an electrical component housed within the protection device described above.

Stiffened protection device for protecting an electrical component

Protection device for protecting an electrical component and method of assembling a battery with a protection device and an electrical component

An anode assembly for a lithium-halogen cell including halogen-containing cathode material, i.e. depolarizer, such as an iodine-organic complex wherein the anode comprises an electrical conductor sandwiched between a pair of lithium plates defining substantially oppositely directed lithium surfaces terminating in a peripheral lithium edge and characterized by a major portion of the length of the peripheral edge being exposed to the cathode material. This greatly increases the available internal volume of the cell for cathode material which, in turn, increases the theoretical ampere-hour rating of the cell. At least one and preferably both oppositely directed lithium surfaces have formations such as ribs or the equivalent which increases the surface area thereof, and the formations terminate a short distance from the edge to form a marginal type, peripheral border and highly effective seal therearound. The inner surfaces of the lithium plates can include co-operating formations near the peripheral edge shaped to expose new surfaces of the lithium plates to each other to form or enhance the bond therebetween. The anode assembly is formed using mold sections of a polyolefin material such as a high density polyethylene or equivalent material and having tapered recesses to provide effective separation of the anode from the mold without any need for parting sheets.

Anode assembly for lithium-halogen cell

Lithium-halogen cell

A film of organic electron donor material is formed to a predetermined thickness and shape and then the preformed film and a lithium element are pressed together in a manner bonding the film to the surface of the lithium element to form a coated lithium anode. During the pressing operation, the surface of the lithium element can be shaped to include formations such as corrugations which serve to increase the surface area thereof, and the pressure bonded film is of substantially uniform thickness over these formations. The resulting coating also is substantially free of voids so as to be of substantially uniform solidity. An entire coated anode assembly is formed in one pressing operation, so that bare lithium is not subjected to prolonged atmospheric exposure which, in turn, reduces or substantially eliminates the possibility of nitride formation on the surface of the lithium element which is coated simultaneously while being pressed. The resulting anode is for use in a lithium-halogen cell wherein the cathode contains a charge transfer complex of an organic donor component and halogen, and the material of the film can be the same as the organic donor component material of the charge transfer complex, for example polyvinyl pyridine.

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North Tonawanda, NY, United States of America

Robert A Zayatz