Greatbatch Ltd.

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc.

Merck + Co., Inc.

Wilson Greatbatch Ltd.

Robert S Rubino

Hong Gan

Esther S Takeuchi

Ho-Chul Yun

Joseph M Lehnes

Marcus J Palazzo

David Dianetti

Keith W Seitz

Gary Freitag

Brian P Hohl

Mark J Roy

Mark E Fraley

William C Thiebolt

Randall W Hungate

Xiaohong Tang

Todd C Sutay

Mark T Bilodeau

Thomas Marzano

Ashish Shah

David M Spillman

Xiangyang Steve Dai

Richard L Kendall

Kenneth A Thomas

Joseph M Prinzbach

Ruth Rutledge

Holly Noelle Moschiano

Afsar Ali

Biswa P Das

Steven Davis

David Wutz

Lasantha Viyannalage

Adrish Ganguly

Paul W Krehl

Scott R Hambaugh

Sourabh Biswas

Jeffrey Salzmann

Ho Chul Yun

Jared Arellano

Yuemin Zhang

Paul Krehl

An active implantable medical device (AIMD) has a high-purity fused silica wafer assembly micro-bonded to the housing for the device's electrical energy power source. During the micro-bonding process, electromagnetic radiation passes through the fused silica wafer but impinges on the metal housing to create a micro-bond at the interface between the two materials. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly resides inside a power source housing recess closed by the micro-bonded fused silica wafer. Two conductive pathways extend through the fused silica wafer from electrodes supported on a body fluid side of the wafer to the PCB. The PCB, in turn, is connected to the power source to energize the electrodes for providing stimulation therapy to a patient or for sensing biological signals from the patient.

Miniature active implantable medical device having a high-purity fused silica wafer assembly micro-bonded to a titanium power source housing

A miniature electrochemical cell of a primary or secondary chemistry with a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing comprises an annular sidewall connected to a base plate opposite an upper lid. A sealing glass forms a hermetic glass-to-ceramic seal with a dielectric material contacting a lower portion of the annular sidewall and a glass-to-metal seal with the base plate. Since the glass seals against three surfaces of the annular sidewall, which are the inner and outer sidewall surfaces adjacent to the lower edge, the glass seal is robust enough to withstand the heat generated when the lid is welded to the upper edge of the annular sidewall. The lid has a sealed electrolyte fill port that is axially aligned with an annulus residing between the inner surface of the annular sidewall and the electrode assembly.

Electrochemical cell casing having an annular sidewall secured to a base plate by a ceramic-to-glass-to-metal seal

An electrochemical cell having a casing housing an electrode assembly of a separator residing between a lithium anode and a cathode comprising silver vanadium oxide and fluorinated carbon is described. The electrode assembly is activated with a nonaqueous electrolyte comprising a lithium salt dissolved in a solvent system of propylene carbonate mixed with 1,2-dimethoxyethane, dibenzyl carbonate (DBC), lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB), and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). Preferably DBC is present in an amount ranging from about 0.005 moles (M) to about 0.25M, LiBOB is present in an amount ranging from about 0.005 wt. 5 to about 5 wt. %, and FEC is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. %. This electrolyte formulation is more conductive than the conventional or prior art binary and ternary solvent system electrolytes while being chemically and electrochemically stable toward Li/SVO cells, Li-SVO/CFmixture cells, and Li-SVO/CFsandwich cathode primary electrochemical cells.

Lithium electrochemical cell activated with an electrolyte containing DBC, LiBOB and FEC additives

An electrochemical cell having a casing housing an electrode assembly of a separator residing between a lithium anode and a cathode comprising silver vanadium oxide and fluorinated carbon is described. The electrode assembly is activated with a nonaqueous electrolyte comprising a lithium salt dissolved in a solvent system of propylene carbonate mixed with 1,2-dimethoxyethane, lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB), and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). Preferably LiBOB is present in an amount ranging from about 0.005 wt. 5 to about 5 wt. %, and FEC is present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 wt. % to about 10 wt. %. This electrolyte formulation is more conductive than the conventional or prior art binary and ternary solvent system electrolytes while being chemically and electrochemically stable toward Li/SVO cells, Li-SVO/CFmixture cells, and Li-SVO/CFsandwich cathode primary electrochemical cells.

Lithium electrochemical cell activated with an electrolyte containing LiBOB and FEC additives

A miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing is formed by joining two ceramic casing halves together. One or both casing halves are machined from ceramic to provide a recess that is sized and shaped to contain the electrode assembly. The opposite polarity terminals are metal feedthroughs, such as of gold, and are formed by brazing gold into openings machined into one or both of ceramic casing halves. A thin film metallization, such as of titanium, contacts an edge periphery of each ceramic casing half. The first ceramic casing half is moved into registry with the second ceramic casing half so that the first and second ring-shaped metallizations contact each other. Then, a laser welds through one of the casing halves being a substantially transparent ceramic, for example sapphire, to braze the first and second ring-shaped metallizations to each other to thereby join the first and second casing halves together to form a casing housing the electrode assembly. A solid electrolyte (LiPON) activates the electrode assembly.

Hermetic weld for a thin film electrochemical cell activated with a solid electrolyte and housed in a ceramic casing

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing comprises an open-ended ceramic container having a via hole providing an electrically conductive pathway extending through the container. A metal lid closes the open-end of the container. An electrode assembly housed inside the casing comprises an anode current collector deposited on an inner surface of the ceramic container in contact with the electrically conductive pathway in the via hole. An anode active material contacts the current collector and a cathode active material contacts the metal lid. A separator is disposed between the anode and cathode active materials. That way, the electrically conductive pathway serves as a negative terminal, and the lid, electrically isolated from the conductive pathway by the ceramic container, serves as a positive terminal. The negative and positive terminals are configured for electrical connection to a load.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a conductive plate closing an open-ended ceramic container having a via hole supporting a platinum-containing conductive pathway

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing comprises an open-ended ceramic container having first and second via holes providing respective first and second electrically conductive pathways extending through the container. A metal lid secured to the open-end of the container by a gold seal provides the cell casing. An electrode assembly housed inside the casing comprises a cathode active material deposited on an inner surface of the ceramic container in contact with a current collector in electrical continuity with one of the conductive pathways. A solid electrolyte, preferably of LiPON (LiPON), is deposited on the cathode active material followed by an anode active material in contact with the other conductive pathway. The first and second conductive pathways can comprise platinum or gold. That way, the first and second conductive pathways serve as negative and positive terminals for the cell. The negative and positive terminals are configured for electrical connection to a load.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a conductive plate closing an open-ended ceramic container having two via holes supporting opposite polarity platinum-containing conductive pathways

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc includes a casing having a header assembly comprising a ceramic plate formed by co-firing a metallic-containing paste in first and second via holes extending through a green-state ceramic. The ceramic plate is joined to a metal ring by a gold-braze to form the header assembly that is secured to an open-ended metal container by a weld to provide the casing. The fill material resulting from sintering the metallic-containing paste provides a first conductive pathway to the anode current collector contacting an anode active material and a second conductive pathway to a cathode current collector contacting a cathode active material. A solid electrolyte activates the anode and cathode while also serving as a separator. Outer surfaces of the first and second conductive pathways are configured for electrical connection to a load.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a metal container closed with a ceramic plate having two via holes supporting opposite polarity platinum-containing conductive pathways

A current collector for an electrochemical cell is described. Unlike conventional current collector designs, the current collector does not have an unperforated perimeter frame completely bordering or surrounding a perforated interior region. Instead, only that portion of the current collector adjacent to the connector tab is unperforated. Otherwise, perforations extend directly to the perimeter edge.

Foil-type current collector having an unperforated strip at the connector tab

A miniature electrochemical cell having a volume of less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing has a ceramic substrate, preferably of alumina, that is part of a metal-containing feedthrough formed by co-firing a metallic paste in a via hole extending through a green state ceramic. The sintered feedthrough serves as a header assembly that is then joined to an open-ended container by a gold-braze to thereby provide the cell casing. The metallic container serves as a terminal for one of the electrodes, for example the anode, while the metal fill material resulting from sintering the metallic paste serves as the opposite polarity terminal, for example the positive terminal for the cathode.

Miniature electrochemical cell having a casing of a metal container closed with a ceramic plate having a via hole supporting a platinum-containing conductive pathway

A lithium electrochemical cell with increased energy density is described. The electrochemical cell comprises an improved sandwich cathode design with a second cathode active material of a relatively high energy density but of a relatively low rate capability sandwiched between two current collectors and with a first cathode active material having a relatively low energy density but of a relatively high rate capability in contact with the opposite sides of the two current collectors. In addition, a cathode fabrication process is described that increases manufacturing efficiency. The cathode fabrication process comprises a process in which first and second cathode active materials are directly applied to opposite surfaces of a perforated current collector and laminated together. The present cathode design is useful for powering an implantable medical device requiring a high rate discharge application.

Sandwich cathode lithium battery with high energy density

A miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The cell casing is formed by joining two ceramic casing halves together. One or both casing halves are machined from ceramic to provide a recess that is sized and shaped to contain the electrode assembly. The opposite polarity terminals are metal feedthroughs, such as of gold, and are formed by brazing gold into openings machined into one or both ceramic casing halves. The two ceramic casing halves are separated from each other by a metal interlayer, such as of gold, bonded to a thin film metallization adhesion layer, such as of titanium, that contacts an edge periphery of each ceramic casing half. A solid electrolyte (LiPON) is used to activate the electrode assembly.

Hermetic thin film electrochemical cells housed in a ceramic casing and activated with a solid electrolyte

A miniature electrochemical cell having a total volume that is less than 0.5 cc is described. The casing enclosure consists of a lower plate supporting a cylindrically-shaped can having an open upper end closed with a cover. The can is selectively coated with a dielectric material to provide electrical isolation of the to-be-housed active materials from the can sidewall. A glass-to-metal seal electrically isolates the lower plate from the can. An electrode assembly comprising a sandwich of cathode active material/separator/anode active material is housed in the casing. That way, the lower plate contacting the cathode active material is the positive terminal and the closing cover connected to the can and contacted to the anode active material serves as the negative cell terminal. An electrolyte filled into the casing activates the electrode assembly and the fill opening is sealed with a plug. The cell can be of either a primary or a secondary chemistry.

Miniature electrochemical cells housed in a metallic casing having a glass-to-metal seal isolating the opposite polarity terminals

An electrochemical cell, preferably a secondary, rechargeable cell, including a casing comprised of a main body portion having opposed lower and upper open ends closed by respective lower and upper lids is described. The main body portion is composed of titanium Grades 5 or 23 having a relatively high electrical resistivity material while the lower and upper lids are composed of titanium Grades 1 or 2. The lids are preferably joined to the main body portion using laser welding. The combination of these differing titanium alloys provides a cell casing that effectively retards eddy current induced heating during cell recharging.

Method of providing an electrochemical cell casing having an open-ended main body portion of grade 5 or 23 titanium closed by upper and lower lids of grade 1 or 2 titanium

An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode and an anode residing within a casing, the anode being positioned distal of the cathode. The cathode having a cathode current collector having an angled configuration that encourages the cathode active material to move in an axial distal direction during cell discharge. The cathode current collector may be configured having at least one fold thereby dividing the current collector into at least two portions having an angle therebetween. The cathode current collector may comprise a wire having a helical configuration or the cathode current collector may comprise a post with a thread having a helical orientation about the post exterior. A preferred chemistry is a lithium/CFactivated with a nonaqueous electrolyte.

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Williamsville, NY, United States of America

Robert S Rubino