Pellet form cathode for use in a biocompatible battery

• US 10,374,216 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Flitsch, Frederick A., Otts, Daniel B., Pugh, Randall B., Riall, James Daniel, Toner, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Ripa, Bryan D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erwin, James M
• Application Number:
  US15/680,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20170352865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 296234
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00038 Production of contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00817 Producing electro-active lenses or lenses with energy receptors, e.g. batteries or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0041 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0436 Small-sized flat cells or batteries for portable equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/028 Positive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0404 by coating on electrode collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0409 by a doctor blade method, slip-casting or roller coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0411 by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0471 involving thermal treatment, e.g. firing, sintering, backing particulate active material, thermal decomposition, pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0473 Filling tube-or pockets type electrodes; Applying active mass in cup-shaped terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to form biocompatible energization elements are described. In some examples, the methods and apparatus to form the biocompatible energization elements involve forming pellets comprising active cathode chemistry. The active elements of the cathode and anode are sealed with a biocompatible material. In some examples, a field of use for the methods and apparatus may include any biocompatible device or product that requires energization elements.

Claims

1. A method of forming a biocompatible energization element, the method comprising:

receiving a first substrate film of a first insulating material;

cutting a cavity in the first substrate film to form a cathode spacer layer, wherein an edge of the cavity defines a sidewall of the cavity;

receiving an anode film;

adhering a first surface of the cathode spacer layer to a first surface of the anode film;

depositing a separator into the biocompatible energization element through the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, wherein a material deposited as the separator comprises a polymerizable material;

receiving a cathode pellet; and

placing the cathode pellet into the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, wherein the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer and a surface of the separator contain the cathode pellet.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

forming the cathode pellet from a cathode slurry.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the forming of the cathode pellet involves shaping the cathode slurry by squeegee processing of the cathode slurry onto a masking layer comprising holes shaped as to form pellets, and wherein the masking layer is positioned upon a substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the substrate comprises a cathode current collector.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising annealing the pellet and the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the annealing is performed at a temperature approximately between 25 and 200 degrees Celsius.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the annealing is performed at a temperature approximately between 25 and 600 degrees Celsius.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising connecting the biocompatible energization element to an electroactive element within a biomedical device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the forming the cathode pellet involves extruding slurry into pellet shaped deposits onto a substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the substrate comprises a cathode current collector.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising annealing the pellet and the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising connecting the biocompatible energization element to an electroactive element within a biomedical device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein the cathode pellet is received unconnected to any substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising adding a cathode current collector layer to a second surface of the cathode spacer layer, wherein the cathode current collector layer contacts a surface of the cathode pellet that has been placed into the cavity.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising connecting the biocompatible energization element to an electroactive element within a biomedical device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.

19. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

forming a layer of cathode chemicals by spreading the cathode slurry upon a substrate;

drying the layer of cathode chemicals; and

cutting pellets from the layer of cathode chemicals with a knife edge press.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

Sintering the layer of cathode chemicals upon a substrate.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the cutting cuts the cathode chemicals and an underlying cathode current collector into the pellet.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising sintering the pellet.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising connecting the biocompatible energization element to an electroactive element within a biomedical device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.