Method of assembling electrochemical cells of novel construction

• US 5,549,985 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heller, Bernard F., Lessar, Joseph F., Schmidt, Craig L., Nutzman, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NUZZOLILLO, MARIA
• Application Number:
  US08/459,571
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 429/157, 429/163, 429/164, 429/180, 429/181, 429/199, 429/218
• US Class Current: 429/157
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0473 Filling tube-or pockets type electrodes; Applying active mass in cup-shaped terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/0483 by methods including the handling of a melt H01M4/0438, take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/174 adapted for the shape of the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/182 with halogenide as solid electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A lithium halide button cell formed of simplified sub-assemblies including one such subassembly in which molten cathode material is poured into a retaining ring and allowed to solidify therein before incorporation into the cell.

Claims

1. A button cell comprised of preassembled active components within a retaining ring, the cell comprising;

top and bottom metal enclosure portions, the top portion including a sealed pin feedthrough structure extending through the top portion to an interior surface thereof, an inverted plastic insulator cup positioned against the interior surface thereof with the pin extending therethrough, and a collector disk attached to an interior end of the pin, the disk being positioned against a bottom of the inverted insulator cup;

a retaining ring subassembly including a flange on one edge, enclosing the ring, lithium anode layer positioned on the flanged edge, a P2VP film against an interior surface of the anode layer within the ring and a solidified layer of cathode I₂ /P2VP against the film, the ring subassembly being positioned with the anode surface and ring flange against the bottom of the insulator cup whereby the anode contacts the collector and the flange on the ring positions the subassembly in the insulator cup, and

the bottom enclosure portion is positioned against the cathode surface and secured to the top portion to form a sealed enclosure.

2. The button cell of claim 1 including a cathode collector between the cathode and the bottom enclosure portion.

3. The button cell of claim 1 wherein the flange extends around the outer periphery of a retaining ring edge.

4. The button cell of claim 1 wherein the flange extends around an inner periphery of the retaining ring edge.

5. The button cell of claim 1 wherein the flange extends around an inner and outer periphery of the retaining ring edge.

6. The button cell of claim 1 wherein a diameter of the ring is selected to provide a predetermined retaining ring size and amount of anode and cathode materials therein for capacity control.