Label having an incorporated electrochromic state-of-charge indicator for an electrochemical cell

• US 5,737,114 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailey, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US08/453,700
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265-274
• US Class Current: 359/268
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/403 using passive display devices, e.g. liquid crystal display or Kerr effect display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• 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 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A label for electrochemical cell employs an electrochromic material so that when the material is connected to power provided by the electrochemical cell, the material will undergo a visible change as a result of a chemical reaction.

Claims

1. A label having an incorporated state-of-charge indicator for an electrochemical cell, said electrochemical cell having a first terminal and a second terminal of opposite polarity;

said indicator comprising a first electrically conductive electrode adapted to electrically contact said first terminal, said first electrically conductive electrode being comprised of an electrochromic material to form an electrically conductive electrochromic electrode, a second electrically conductive electrode adapted to electrically contact said second terminal, and an ionically conductive electrolyte disposed between and in contact with said first and second electrically conductive electrodes;

wherein said electrochromic material will undergo a visible change as a result of current being supplied from the electrochemical cell.

2. The label of claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive electrode is a composite of electrically conductive material and electrochromic material.

3. The label of claim 1 wherein the label is comprised of a substrate, the state-of-charge indicator being disposed thereon.

4. The label of claim 1 wherein the electrochromic electrode comprises at least one inorganic electrochromic material.

5. The label of claim 4 wherein the inorganic electrochromic material is selected from the group consisting of WO₃, MoO₃, TiO₂, SnO₂, Cr₂ O₃, NiO₂, MnO₂, Mn₂ O₃, and Prussian blue.

6. The label of claim 1 wherein the electrochromic electrode comprises at least one organic electrochromic material.

7. The label of claim 6 wherein the organic electrochromic material is selected from the group consisting of macrocyclic and polycyclic materials.

8. The label of claim 6 wherein the organic electrochromic material is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted phthalocyanines, polypyrroles, and polyanilines.

9. The label of claim 6 wherein the organic electrochromic material is polyaniline.

10. The label of claim 6 wherein the organic electrochromic material is polypyrrole.

11. The label of claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive electrochromic electrode further comprises an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of metal powder and metal oxide powder.

12. The label of claim 1 wherein the ionically conductive electrolyte comprises a material selected from the group consisting of organic materials.

13. The label of claim 12 wherein the ionically conductive electrolyte material is poly-2-acrylamido-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid.

14. The label of claim 13 wherein the electrochromic material comprises at least one inorganic electrochromic material selected from the group consisting of WO₃, MoO₃, TiO₂, SDO₂, Cr₂ O₃, NiO₂, MDO₂, MD₂ O₃, and Prussian blue.

15. The label of claim 12 wherein the electrochromic material comprises at least one organic electrochromic material selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted phthalocyanines, polypyrroles, and polyanilines.

16. The label of claim 1 wherein the electrochromic electrode is polyaniline, the second electrically conductive electrode is copper, and the ionically conductive electrolyte is poly-2-acrylamido-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid.

17. The label of claim 13 wherein the electrochromic material is Selected from the group consisting of a mixture of WO₃ and indium-tin oxide and a mixture of Prussian blue and indium-tin oxide.

18. The label of claim 17, wherein one of the electrically conductive electrodes is copper.

19. The label of claim 3 wherein the substrate is a polymer film and the electrochromic electrode is printed on the polymer film, the ionically conductive electrolyte is printed on the electrochromic electrode and the second electrically conductive electrode is printed on the ionically conductive electrolyte.

20. The label of claim 3 wherein the substrate is a polymer film and the electrochromic electrode is printed on the polymer film, the second electrically conductive electrode is printed on the polymer film, and the ionically conductive electrolyte is printed in contact with both the electrochromic and second electrically conductive electrode.

21. The label of claim 3 wherein the substrate is a polymer film and the electrochromic electrode is printed on the polymer film, the second electrically conductive electrode is printed on a second substrate of the label, and the ionically conductive electrolyte is disposed between the polymer film substrate and the second label substrate and in contact with both the electrochromic and second electrically conductive electrodes.

22. The label of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive electrochromic electrode is polyaniline or polypyrrole and the second electrically conductive electrode is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, and polypyrrole.

23. The label of claim 1 being adhered to a housing of the electrochemical cell.

24. The label of claim 21 wherein one of the polymer film or the second substrate has means for adherence to a housing of the electrochemical cell.

25. The label of claim 3 further comprising a second substrate having graphics disposed thereon.

26. The label of claim 25 being adhered to a housing of the electrochemical cell.

27. The label of claim 23 wherein the housing is electrically conductive and the second electrically conductive electrode is a part of the housing of the electrochemical cell.

37. The label of claim 2 wherein said electrically conductive electrochromic electrode is an electrically conductive matrix containing said electrochromic material dispersed homogeneously throughout and in contact with said matrix.

38. The label of claim 2 wherein said electrochromic material is coated on electrically conductive particles.

39. The label of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive electrochromic electrode is polyaniline or polypyrrole and the second electrically conductive electrode is copper.

40. The label of claim 1 wherein the ionically conductive electrolyte comprises a material selected from the group consisting of inorganic materials.

41. The label of claim 40 wherein the electrochromic material comprises at least one organic electrochromic material selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted phthalocyanines, polypyrroles, and polyanilines.

28. An electrochemical cell having a label with a state-of-charge indicator incorporated in the label, said electrochemical cell having first and second terminals of opposite polarity, and wherein the label comprises a substrate, an electrically conductive electrochromic electrode deposited on the substrate and adapted to electrically contact the first terminal of the of the cell, an ionically conductive electrolyte disposed in contact with the electrochromic electrode, an electrically conductive counter electrode disposed in contact with the electrolyte and adapted to electrically contact the second terminal of the cell;

wherein when the electrochromic electrode makes electrical contact with the first terminal of the cell and the counter electrode makes contact with the second terminal of the cell, the electrochromic electrode will exhibit a visible change as a result of a chemical reaction.

29. A process for preparing a label with a state of charge indicator incorporated therein, the process comprising:

a) disposing a first electrically conductive material on a first substrate for the label;

b) disposing a second electrically conductive material on a second substrate for the label such that when the first substrate and second substrate are combined, the first electrically conductive material and the second electrically conductive material will be spaced apart to provide an opening between them;

c) disposing an electrochromic material in contact with at least one of the electrically conductive materials; and

d) disposing an ionically conductive electrolyte in the opening between and in contact with said electrochromic and electrically conductive materials; and

e) combining the first substrate and second substrate such that the first conductive material, second conductive material, the electrochromic material and electrolyte are in registration to provide an electrochromic state of charge indicator.

30. The process of claim 29 wherein the electrochromic material is disposed on one of said electrically conductive materials and the electrolyte is disposed on the other prior to combining the first substrate and second substrate.

31. The process of claim 30 wherein the electrochromic material forms a composite with at least one of the electrically conductive materials.

33. The process of claim 29 wherein the first conductive material and second conductive material are in a stacked arrangement when the first substrate and second substrate are combined.

35. The process of claim 29 wherein the first conductive material, second conductive material, electrochromic material and electrolyte are a series of printed layers.

36. The process of claim 29 wherein the first and second substrates are combined by laminating the first and second substrates together.

32. A process for preparing a label with a state of charge indicator incorporated therein, the process comprising:

a) disposing a first electrically conductive material on a first substrate for the label;

b) disposing a second electrically conductive material on a second substrate for the label such that when the first substrate and second substrate are combined, the first electrically conductive material and the second electrically conductive material will be spaced apart to provide an opening between them;

c) disposing an electrochromic material in contact with at least one of the electrically conductive materials;

d) disposing an ionically conductive electrolyte in the opening between and in contact with said electrochromic and electrically conductive materials; and

e) combining the first substrate and second substrate such that the first conductive material, second conductive material, the electrochromic material and electrolyte are in registration to provide an electrochromic state of charge indicator;

said electrochromic material forming a composition with the electrolyte.

34. A process for preparing a label with a state of charge indicator incorporated therein, the process comprising:

a) disposing a first electrically conductive material on a first substrate for the label;

b) disposing a second electrically conductive material on a second substrate for the label such that when the first substrate and second substrate are combined, the first electrically conductive material and the second electrically conductive material will be spaced apart to provide an opening between them;

c) disposing an electrochromic material in contact with at least one of the electrically conductive materials;

d) disposing an ionically conductive electrolyte in the opening between and in contact with said electrochromic and electrically conductive materials; and

e) combining the first substrate and second substrate such that the first conductive material, second conductive material, the electrochromic material and electrolyte are in registration to provide an electrochromic state of charge indicator;

said electrochromic material being disposed on one of said electrically conductive materials and the electrolyte being disposed on the other prior to combining the first substrate and second substrate;

said first conductive material and second conductive material being in a side-by-side arrangement when the first and second substrates are combined.