Zinc/air cell

• US 6,436,156 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Wandeloski, William J., Shepard, Vance Roger, Searle, Gary M., McHugh, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEINER, LAURA S
• Application Number:
  US09/578,549
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 429/229, 429/209, 429/162, 429/27, 296/232
• US Class Current: 29/623.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/109 of button or coin shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1245 characterised by the external coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/12 with flat electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A zinc/air button cell having an adhesive sealant applied to a portion of the inside surface of the cell'"'"'s cathode casing. The adhesive sealant can be applied to the inside surface of a recessed annular step surrounding the cell'"'"'s positive terminal on the cathode casing. The adhesive is preferably applied in a pattern which conforms to the shape of the annular recessed step. An electrolyte barrier sheet, preferably of Teflon, can be applied to the adhesive pattern on the inside surface of said recessed step, preferably so that the adhesive bonds the edge of the barrier sheet to the step. The adhesive prevents electrolyte from leaking from the cell. The adhesive is applied preferably by preparing a plate having a desired pattern etched thereon, filling the etching in the plate with an adhesive mixture, applying a silicon pad to the etching to transfer the adhesive pattern to the pad, then applying the pad to the inside surface of the cathode casing step to transfer the adhesive pattern thereto. The adhesive is preferably a solvent based mixture comprising a polyamide.

Claims

1. A method of applying adhesive to a portion of the inside surface of the cathode casing for a zinc/air cell, comprising:

applying an adhesive carried by a transfer pad to a portion of the inside surface of said cathode casing and retracting the transfer pad from said casing whereby a portion of the adhesive on the pad remains on the cathode casing.

2. A method of applying adhesive to a portion of the inside surface of the cathode casing for a zinc/air cell, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plate having a groove or etching on its surface,

(b) filling the groove or etching on the plate with an adhesive forming an adhesive pattern on the plate,

(c) applying a transfer pad to the adhesive pattern,

(d) retracting the transfer pad from the adhesive pattern whereby said adhesive pattern transfers to the pad,

(e) applying the transfer pad to a portion of the inside surface of said cathode casing,

(f) retracting the transfer pad from the inside surface of said casing whereby the adhesive pattern on the transfer pad transfers to the cathode casing.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end, wherein a central portion of the closed end forms the cell'"'"'s positive terminal and said positive terminal is surrounded by a recessed annular step, wherein step (e) comprises applying the transfer pad through said open end to contact a portion of the inside surface of said annular step, and step (f) comprises retracting the pad from the inside surface of said annular step whereby the adhesive pattern on the pad transfers to the inside surface of the cathode casing.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising step (g) applying a portion of an electrolyte barrier sheet to the adhesive pattern on the inside surface of said annular step.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the electrolyte barrier sheet is of tetrafluoroethylene.

7. The method of claim 4 herein said cell is a button cell and said annular step is an integral portion of the cathode casing.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the annular step is in the form of an annular ring and the adhesive pattern is in the form of a continuous ring conforming to the shape of said step.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the adhesive pattern comprises a polyamide.

3. The method of claim 3 wherein the pad is of silicone rubber.

10. A metal/air depolarized cell comprising an anode casing and a cathode casing, an anode material comprising zinc and alkaline electrolyte within said anode casing, and a catalytic cathode within said cathode casing, wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end, wherein said closed end has a central portion surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and said adhesive is applied to the inside surface of said annular step.

11. The metal/air cell of claim 10 wherein the cell is a button cell and said closed end is an integral portion of the cathode casing.

12. The metal/air cell of claim 10 wherein the cell is a button cell and said annular step is an integral portion of the cathode casing.

13. The metal/air cell of claim 10 wherein the cell further comprises and electrolyte barrier sheet having a portion therefor bonded to the adhesive on the inside surface of said annular step.

14. The metal/air cell of claim 13 wherein the electrolyte barrier sheet is of tetrafluoroethylene.

15. The metal/air cell of claim 14 wherein the edge of said barrier sheet is applied to the adhesive on the inside surface of said annular step, wherein the edge of said barrier sheet becomes bonded to the inside surface of said step.

16. The metal/air of claim 15 wherein the adhesive comprises a polyamide.

17. A metal/air depolarized cell comprising an anode casing and a cathode casing, an anode material comprising zinc and alkaline electrolyte within said anode casing, and a catalytic cathode within said cathode casing, wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end, wherein said closed end has a central portion surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and said adhesive is applied to the inside surface of said annular step, wherein the adhesive is in the form of a continuous ring conforming to the shape of said annular step.

18. A metal/air depolarized cell comprising an anode casing and a cathode casing, an anode material comprising zinc and alkaline electrolyte within said anode casing, and a catalytic cathode within said cathode casing, wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end, wherein said closed end has a central portion surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and wherein an adhesive is applied to a portion of the inside surface of said closed end, wherein the cell further comprises an electrolyte barrier sheet having a portion thereof bonded to the adhesive on the inside surface of said closed end.

19. A cathode casing for a metal/air depolarized cell wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end wherein said closed end has a central portion surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and said adhesive is applied to the inside surface of said annular step.

20. The cathode casing of claim 19 wherein the casing is cylindrical and said closed end is an integral portion of the cathode casing.

21. The cathode casing of claim 19 wherein the metal/air cell is a zinc/air cell.

22. The cathode casing of claim 19 wherein the adhesive comprises a polyamide.

23. A cathode casing for a metal/air depolarized cell wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end, wherein said closed end has a central portion surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and said adhesive is applied to the inside surface of said annular step, wherein the adhesive is in the form of a continuous ring conforming to the shape of said annular step.

24. A cathode casing for a metal/air depolarized cell wherein the cathode casing is in the form of a can having an open end and a closed end wherein a central portion of said closed end is surrounded by a recessed annular step, said annular step forming a portion of said closed end and said adhesive is applied to the inside surface of said annular step, wherein the cell further comprises a electrolyte barrier sheet having a portion thereof bonded to said adhesive on the inside surface of said annular step.

25. The cathode casing of claim 24 wherein the cell further comprises an electrolyte barrier sheet having a portion thereof bonded to the adhesive on the inside surface of said annular step.

26. The cathode casing of claim 25 wherein the electrolyte barrier sheet is of tetrafluoroethylene.

27. The cathode casing of claim 26 wherein the edge of said barrier sheet is applied to the adhesive on the inside surface of said annular step, wherein the edge of said barrier sheet becomes bonded to the inside surface of said annular step.

28. The cathode casing of claim 27 wherein a catalytic cathode comprising manganese dioxide is applied over said electrolyte barrier sheet so that said barrier sheet is between the inside surface of said annular step and the catalytic cathode.