Discharging of Batteries

• US 20110215766A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven E. Sloop
• Original Assignee: Robert M Parker, Steven E. Sloop
• Inventors: Parker, Robert, Sloop, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,823,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/106 PTC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/267 having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed that relate to devices for discharging batteries. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a battery discharge device including a positive battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a positive battery terminal of a battery, a negative battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a negative battery terminal of the battery, and a battery discharge indicator including a resistive heating material in electrical communication with the positive battery contact and with the negative battery contact, and also including a reversible thermochromic indicator in thermal communication with the resistive heating material.

Claims

1. A battery discharge device, comprising:

a positive battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a positive battery terminal of a battery;

a negative battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a negative battery terminal of the battery; and

a battery discharge indicator including;

a resistive heating material in electrical communication with the positive battery contact and with the negative battery contact, and

a reversible thermochromic indicator in thermal communication with the resistive heating material.

2. The battery discharge device of claim 1, wherein the battery discharge indicator further comprises a contrast image disposed between the reversible thermochromic indicator and the resistive heating material.

3. The battery discharge device of claim 1, wherein the resistive heating material comprises a positive thermal coefficient material.

4. The battery discharge device of claim 3, wherein the resistive heating material comprises a positive thermal coefficient carbon-based ink printed on a surface of an insulating substrate.

5. The battery discharge device of claim 1, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are printed with an electrically conductive ink on a surface of an insulating substrate.

6. The battery discharge device of claim 1, wherein the reversible thermochromic indicator is configured to be visibly transparent at a first, lower temperature and visibly colored at a second, higher temperature.

7. The battery discharge device of claim 6, wherein the reversible thermochromic indicator is printed on a surface of the resistive heating material.

8. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum-formed housing including a die-cut opening surrounding the resistive heating material.

9. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 8, the vacuum-formed housing including a battery receptacle configured to retain the battery during a discharge process.

10. A resistive battery discharge device for discharging batteries, comprising:

a positive battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a positive battery terminal of a battery;

a negative battery contact for forming an electrical contact with a negative battery terminal of the battery;

a positive electrode in electrical communication with the positive battery contact;

a negative electrode in electrical communication with the negative battery contact;

a resistive heating material electrically bridging a portion of an electrical gap separating the positive electrode from the negative electrode, the resistive heating material having a constant cross-sectional area normal to a direction of an electrical current flow produced by the battery between the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and

a battery discharge indicator in thermal communication with the resistive heating material, the battery discharge indicator including a reversible thermochromic indicator.

11. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the battery discharge indicator further comprises a contrast image disposed between the reversible thermochromic indicator and the resistive heating material.

12. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the resistive heating material is a positive thermal coefficient material.

13. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 12, wherein the resistive heating material is a positive thermal coefficient carbon-based ink printed on a surface of an insulating substrate.

14. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are printed with an electrically conductive ink on a surface of an insulating substrate.

15. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 10, wherein the reversible thermochromic indicator is configured to be visibly transparent at a first, lower temperature and visibly colored at a second, higher temperature.

16. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 15, wherein the reversible thermochromic indicator is printed on a surface of the resistive heating material.

17. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 10, further comprising a vacuum-formed housing including a die-cut opening surrounding the resistive heating material.

18. The resistive battery discharge device of claim 17, the vacuum-formed housing including a battery receptacle configured to retain the battery during a discharge process.

19. A method of discharging a battery with a resistive battery discharge device, the method comprising:

inserting a battery into a battery receptacle of the resistive battery discharge device;

discharging the battery via the resistive battery discharge device to heat a reversible thermochromic material in the battery discharge device to thereby produce a color indicating a current flow produced by the battery; and

removing the battery from the battery after color indicating current flow has changed to indicate a lesser current flow from the battery.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising marking the battery as discharged after removing the battery from the resistive battery discharge device.