Battery tester label for battery

• US 6,054,234 A
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Morgan Adhesives Company (Amcor Plc)
• Original Assignee: Morgan Adhesives Company (Amcor Plc)
• Inventors: Anderson, Jeffrey L., Weiss, Victor H., Langbehn, John G., Laird, Dean A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US08/979,605
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 429/90, 429/91, 429/92, 429/93, 324/435
• US Class Current: 429/93
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/005 Indication of measured value by colour change
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/403 using passive display devices, e.g. liquid crystal display or Kerr effect display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• 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 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/66 Heat-exchange relationships between the cells and other systems, e.g. central heating systems or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/667 the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/121 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/126 comprising three or more layers
• 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 method for producing a battery tester label is disclosed. The method includes forming an inserted tester device and a base layer, which are combined together to form the battery tester label. The resulting tester label can be applied to a battery. Also disclosed are methods for producing a plurality of battery tester labels disposed on a common releasable liner. The resulting array can be stored for subsequent application to batteries, cut into relatively long strips for rolling and storage, or immediately applied to batteries.

Claims

1. A battery tester label for an electrochemical cell having a housing, said battery tester label comprising:

a label substrate;

a conductive circuit attached on said label substrate, said conductive circuit including first and second switch segments, said first switch segment adapted to be placed in electrical contact with a negative terminal and said second switch segment adapted to be placed in electrical contact with a positive terminal to generate an amount of heat related to the remaining capacity of the electrochemical cell;

a thermochromic material applied over said conductive circuit and responsive to the heat generated by said conductive circuit for changing visual states to provide an indication of the remaining capacity of the electrochemical cell; and

an insulating layer disposed between said conductive circuit and the housing of the electrochemical cell, said insulating layer defining a plurality of cavities extending through the thickness thereof to form thermally insulating air pockets between said conductive circuit and the housing of the electrochemical cell.

2. The battery tester label as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said cavities underlies one of the switch segments of said conductive circuit such that, when pressure is applied to said one switch segment of said conductive circuit, said one switch segment contacts the housing of the electrochemical cell thereby activating the battery tester.

3. The battery tester label as defined in claim 1, wherein said insulating layer is disposed between said label substrate and said conductive circuit.

4. A battery having a negative terminal and a positive terminal comprising:

an electrochemical cell contained within a housing; and

a battery tester label comprising;

a label substrate;

a conductive circuit attached on said label substrate, said conductive circuit including first and second switch segments, said first switch segment adapted to be placed in electrical contact with the negative terminal and said second switch segment adapted to be placed in electrical contact with the positive terminal to generate an amount of heat related to the remaining capacity of the electrochemical cell;

a thermochromic material applied over said conductive circuit and responsive to the heat generated by said conductive circuit for changing visual states to provide an indication of the remaining capacity of said electrochemical cell; and

an insulating layer disposed between said conductive circuit and said housing of said electrochemical cell, said insulating layer defining a plurality of cavities extending through the thickness thereof to form thermally insulating air pockets between said conductive circuit and said housing of said electrochemical cell.

5. The battery as defined in claim 4, wherein at least one of said cavities underlies one of the switch segments of said conductive circuit such that, when pressure is applied to said one switch segment of said conductive circuit, said one switch segment contacts said housing of said electrochemical cell thereby activating the battery tester.

6. The battery as defined in claim 4, wherein said insulating layer is disposed between said label substrate and said conductive circuit.

7. The battery as defined in claim 4, wherein said second switch segment is permanently in electrical contact with the positive terminal.