The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2004
Timofei Nikita Kroupenkine, Warren, NJ (US);
Alan Michael Lyons, New Providence, NJ (US);
Steven David Simon, Middletown, NJ (US);
Joseph Ashley Taylor, Springfield, NJ (US);
Brijesh Vyas, Warren, NJ (US);
Timofei Nikita Kroupenkine, Warren, NJ (US);
Alan Michael Lyons, New Providence, NJ (US);
Steven David Simon, Middletown, NJ (US);
Joseph Ashley Taylor, Springfield, NJ (US);
Brijesh Vyas, Warren, NJ (US);
Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
mPhase Technologies, Inc., Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
A cell-array battery is disclosed having end-of-life cells that can be activated at the end of a battery's life to, illustratively, neutralize the toxic chemicals inside the battery. In one embodiment, neutralization of the electrolyte in the battery is achieved through immobilization of the electrolyte at the end of the life of the battery by, for example, a vitrification process. Using electrowetting techniques, the electrolyte is made to contact a neutralizing substance between the nanostructures in one or more end-of-life cells, thus causing a reaction that results in the electrolyte becoming immobilized by, for example, a polymer substance. In a second illustrative embodiment, when the electrolyte contacts the substance between the nanostructures in one or more end-of-life cells, the chemical composition of the electrolyte is changed into a less toxic chemical compound, thus neutralizing the electrolyte.