Vented frame for laminar batteries and methods of making the same

• US 4,532,193 A
• Filed: 11/18/1977
• Issued: 07/30/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Kniazzeh, Alfredo G., Mailloux, Dennis R., Norvaisa, Kestutis
• Primary Examiner(s): Weston, Caleb
• Application Number:
  US05/852,921
• Time in Patent Office: 2,811 Days
• Field of Search: 156/250, 156/252, 156/253, 156/108, 156/302, 156/324, 156/554, 156/555, 156/514, 29/623.2, 29/623.3, 29/623.4, 29/623.5, 429/86, 429/126, 429/82
• US Class Current: 429/82
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/394 Gas-pervious parts or elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/48 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1057 Subsequent to assembly of laminae

Abstract

A method of making vented battery frames in which strips of paper are laminated between strata of dissimilar thermoplastic materials, at least one of which is formed as a frame, having a central opening to receive battery components.

Claims

1. In the method of making vented battery frames, the steps of embedding at least one elongated strip, consisting essentially of paper, between confronting sheets of thermoplastic sheet material by adhering the confronting thermoplastic sheets together to thereby enclose the strip in a thermoplastic matrix, and cutting windows through the adhering sheets alongside and spaced from said strip to form a ladder of vented battery frames.

2. The method of making vented battery frames, comprising the steps of embedding at least one narrow elongated strip consisting essentially of paper between confronting sheets of thermoplastic sheet material by adhering the confronting thermoplastic sheets together to thereby enclose said strip in a thermoplastic matrix, cutting windows through the adhering sheets alongside and spaced from said strip to form a vented ladder of battery frames, and cutting said adhering sheets and the strip enclosed thereby between said windows to form individual vented battery frames with ends of pieces of said strip in each frame exposed.

3. The method of making vented battery frame stock, comprising the steps of feeding a pair of spaced parallel elongated strips consisting essentially of paper between confronting sheets of dissimilar thermoplastic sheet materials, both of said materials being liquid-impermeable and gas-permeable, through a pair of heated nip rolls to adhere the confronting thermoplastic sheets together and thereby enclose the strips, a first of said materials softening and flowing under lower temperatures and pressures than the second, whereby said paper strips are enclosed on three sides by said first material and on one side by said second material and are surrounded on four sides by a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable barrier, and cutting windows through the adhering sheets between the strips to form a ladder of vented battery frames.

4. The method of making vented battery frame stock, comprising the steps of feeding a pair of spaced parallel elongated strips consisting essentially of paper between confronting sheets of dissimilar thermoplastic sheet materials through a pair of heated nip rolls to adhere the confronting thermoplastic sheets together and thereby embed the strips in a thermoplastic matrix.

5. The method of making vented battery frames comprising the steps of feeding a pair of spaced parallel elongated strips consisting essentially of paper between confronting sheets of thermoplastic sheet material through a pair of heated nip rolls to adhere the confronting thermoplastic sheets together and thereby enclose the strips, cutting windows through the adhering sheets between the strips to form a vented ladder of battery frames, adhering a cellophane separator over each of said windows, and cutting said adhering sheets and the strips enclosed thereby between said separators to form vented frame and separator subassemblies.

6. In the method of making vented battery frame stock from two narrow elongated strips of paper and first and second elongated sheets of thermoplastic laminate of first and second gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable thermoplastic materials, said first material softening and flowing at lower temperatures than said second material, the steps of feeding said strips in spaced parallel relationship between said sheets between a pair of nip rolls with said first material on said first sheet confronting said second material on said second sheet while heating only the nip roll in contact with said first sheet to cause said first material on said first sheet to soften and flow and adhere to said second sheet and thereby embed said strips in a gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable matrix with said strips being surrounded on three sides by said first material and on a fourth side by said second material.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of cooling the nip roll contacting said second sheet.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of cutting windows through said sheets between said strips and spaced therefrom to form a ladder of vented frame material.

9. The method of making vented frame and end terminal assemblies for laminar batteries from a thin metal sheet on one surface of which there is a thin layer of conductive plastic, a narrow elongated strip of paper and a ladder of battery frame stock comprising a thin elongated sheet of thermoplastic gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable material formed with a series of spaced windows to receive battery components, comprising the steps of laminating said paper strip between said ladder and said conductive plastic under heat and pressure with said paper strip between said windows and one edge of said frame stock and said laminate to embed said strip in a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic matrix permeable by gases diffusing through said frame stock, and cutting the laminate so formed between at least selected ones of said windows to make vented frame and end terminal assemblies.

10. A vented laminar battery having cells sealed by means comprising thin flat thermoplastic frames formed with central apertures to receive cell components, at least one of said frames comprising a laminate of first and second different thermoplastic gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable materials and at least one narrow elongated strip of paper embedded between said first and second materials with at least one end exposed, said strip being surrounded on three sides with said first material and on one side with said second material.

11. A vented frame for laminar batteries, comprising a thin, flat laminate of first and second different gas-permeable, liquid impermeable thermoplastic materials formed with a central aperture to receive cell components, and a narrow elongated strip of paper embedded between said first and second materials and extending along one side thereof to exposed ends, said strip being surrounded on three contiguous sides with said first material and on a fourth contiguous side with said second material.

12. In the method of making vented laminar batteries, the steps of embedding at least one narrow elongated paper strip in and between confronting liquid impermeable strata each comprising thermoplastic material, at least one of said strata being gas permeable and formed as a frame having a central opening to receive battery components, said strip being fed between said strata within the borders thereof but outside of said central opening.

13. The method of making vented frames for laminar batteries, comprising the steps of laminating a narrow elongated strip of paper between and along one side of thin confronting sheets of first and second different gas-permeable, liquid-impermeable thermoplastic materials to embed said strip between said first and second materials, so that said strip is surrounded on three continguous sides with said first material and on a fourth contiguous side with said second material, forming central apertures to receive cell components in said sheets, said apertures being spaced from each other and from said strip, and severing said sheets and the strip embedded therein between said apertures to form individual vented frames each having a portion of said strip embedded therein with ends of said portion exposed.