WRAPAROUND BATTERY AND HEATER

• US 3,623,471 A
• Filed: 12/15/1969
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John C. Bogue, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Original Assignee: John C. Bogue, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Inventors: Bogue, John C., Sarbacher, Robert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, Charles J.
• Application Number:
  US04/885,261
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 126/262,263
• US Class Current: 126/263.01
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/00 Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/38 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/00 Ohmic-resistance heating

Abstract

A reserve battery acting as a heating element is designed for heating the contents of a food package or container. The battery is energized at the time the contents are to be heated by releasing the electrolyte into the electrode compartment of the battery. The battery may be designed of flexible electrodes and separator and is readily wrapped around the package or container of the material to be heated. Another configuration may be inserted into a cavity in the package or container. Still another configuration may be sandwiched between two flat objects to be heated. The battery is effectively short circuited upon itself so as to generate heat evenly over the surface of the package or container. In the wraparound configuration of the battery, a special flexible insulating cover is built into the battery to reflect heat which would otherwise escape into the surrounding atmosphere and also provide protection in handling after activation.

Claims

1. A heat source comprising:

an electrochemical reserve primary cell battery having an anode, a cathode, a perforated absorbent separator sandwiched between said anode and cathode in such a manner that said anode and cathode are in short circuiting contact through said perforations, and an electrolyte, said electrolyte being stored in a rupturable compartment to isolate said electrolyte from said anode and cathode until said heat source is to be activated and means to rupture said rupturable compartment to permit the electrolyte to flow into said absorbent separator thereby activating said heat source.

2. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein said anode forms one side of the battery container and said cathode forms the other side of the battery container.

3. The heat source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said anode and said cathode are made of materials which are thin and flexible thereby providing a flexible battery.

4. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein said rupturable electrolyte container is made of flexible plastic and said means to rupture said container comprises means to apply pressure to said flexible plastic container, said flexible plastic container being so positioned that rupture of said flexible container by said pressure application means releases said electrolyte into the anode and cathode interelectrode space occupied by said absorbent separator.

5. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein channels are provided between the anode and cathode to permit rapid disbursement of said electrolyte throughoUt said separator upon the release of said electrolyte from said rupturable container.

6. The heat source as defined in claim 4 wherein said heat source is affixed to a container as the label for said container.

7. The heat source as defined in claim 5 wherein said heat source is affixed to a container as the label for said container.

8. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein said anode, cathode and separator are positioned coaxially and encapsulated to form a heat source suitable for insertion into a material that is to be heated.

9. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein said anode, cathode and separator are positioned coaxially and encapsulated to form a heat source suitable for insertion into a cavity formed in a container that is to be heated.

10. The heat source as defined in claim 4 wherein an insulatory and reflectory material is provided as one side of said battery to aid in the containment of heat and to provide a means for safe handling of said heat source after said battery has been activated.

11. The heat source as defined in claim 5 wherein an insulatory and reflectory material is provided as one side of said battery to aid in the containment of heat and to provide a means for safe handling of said heat source after said battery has been activated.

12. The heat source as defined in claim 1 wherein said anode forms both sides of the battery container thereby providing a heat source that can be sandwiched between two objects that are to be heated.