Medical device having lithium-ion battery

• US 7,642,013 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Howard, William G., Scott, Erik R., Schmidt, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons; Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US10/978,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20060093923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 429/218.1, 429/223, 429/224, 429/231.5, 429/231.95, 429/231.3, 429/322, 607/9, 607/41, 607/116, 607/137
• US Class Current: 429/231.95
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/131 Electrodes based on mixed oxides or hydroxides, or on mixtures of oxides or hydroxides, e.g. LiCoOx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/362 Composites
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/382 Lithium H01M4/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/483 for non-aqueous cells H01M4/485 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/505 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing manganese for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiMn2O4 or LiMn2OxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/525 of mixed oxides or hydroxides containing iron, cobalt or nickel for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiNiO2, LiCoO2 or LiCoOxFy
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/5815 Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/587 for inserting or intercalating light metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A medical device includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for providing power to the medical device. The lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode including a current collector, a first active material, and a second active material. The lithium-ion battery also includes a negative electrode including a current collector, a third active material, and a quantity of lithium in electrical contact with the current collector of the negative electrode. The second active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.

Claims

1. A medical device comprising:

a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for providing power to the medical device, the lithium-ion battery comprising;

a positive electrode comprising

a current collector,

a first active material, and

a second active material; and

a negative electrode comprising

a current collector,

a third active material, and

a quantity of lithium in electrical contact with the current collector of the negative electrode;

wherein the quantity of lithium provides electrochemically cyclable lithium for the second active material of the positive electrode to allow the second active material to exhibit charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material;

whereby the rechargeable lithium-ion battery may be discharged completely without a substantial reduction in battery capacity during subsequent charge cycling of the battery.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the medical device is configured for implantation into a body of a patient.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the lithium-ion battery may be charged without removing the medical device from the body of the patient.

4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the medical device comprises a neurological stimulation device.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein the neurological stimulation device is configured to provide a therapeutic treatment to a patient by electrically stimulating a portion of the patient'"'"'s brain.

6. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the neurological stimulation device is programmed to selectively provide a plurality of therapeutic treatments to a patient.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of a cardiac defibrillator, a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiac contractility modulator, a cardioverter, a drug administration device, a cochlear implant, a hearing aid, a sensor, a telemetry device, and a diagnostic recorder.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein the device is an implantable cardiac defibrillator for providing a therapeutic high voltage treatment to a patient.

9. The medical device of claim 8, further comprising at least one lead extending from the defibrillator and configured for contacting a portion of a patient'"'"'s heart.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode have a zero voltage crossing potential below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.

11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the quantity of lithium is provided in the form of a lithium patch coupled to the current collector of the negative electrode and is configured to provide a lithium capacity for the negative electrode sufficient to at least compensate for irreversible loss of capacity of the negative electrode.

12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the quantity of lithium is provided as powdered lithium.

13. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the current collector of the negative electrode comprises copper.

14. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the current collector of the negative electrode comprises at least one titanium, aluminum, and nickel.

15. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the first active material comprises at least one of LiCoO₂, LiCo_1/3Mn_1/3Ni_1/3O₂, LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂, and LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂.

16. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the second active material does not include lithium.

17. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the second active material comprises V₆O₁₃.

18. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the second active material comprises LiMn₂O₄.

19. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the second active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of V₂O₅, Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, Li_xVO₂, V₃O₈, MoO₃, TiS₂, WO₂, MoO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

20. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the third active material is a carbonaceous material.

21. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the third active material is a lithium titanate material.

22. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

23. A system for providing a therapeutic treatment to a patient comprising:

a lithium-ion battery configured to provide power to the system and capable of being charged and discharged, the lithium-ion battery comprising;

a positive electrode comprising a current collector having a primary active material and a secondary active material provided on at least one side thereof;

a negative electrode having a negative current collector and an active material provided on the negative current collector;

wherein the secondary active material does not include lithium and provides charging and discharging capacity for the positive electrode below a corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above a decomposition potential of the primary active material.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the system is configured for implantation into a body of a patient.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the lithium-ion battery may be charged and recharged without removing the system from the body of the patient.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the system is a neurological stimulation device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the neurological stimulation device is configured to provide a therapeutic treatment to a patient by electrically stimulating a portion of the patient'"'"'s brain.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the neurological stimulation device is configured to selectively provide a plurality of therapeutic treatments to a patient.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the system is selected from a cardiac defibrillator, a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiac contractility modulator, a cardioverter, a drug administration device, a cochlear implant, a hearing aid, a sensor, a telemetry device, and a diagnostic recorder.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the system is an implantable cardiac defibrillator for providing a therapeutic high voltage treatment to a patient.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising at least one lead extending from the defibrillator and configured for contacting a portion of a patient'"'"'s heart.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode have a zero voltage crossing potential below the corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above the decomposition potential of the primary active material.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the corrosion potential of the negative current collector is approximately 3.5 volts.

34. The system of claim 23, further comprising a mass of lithium provided in electrical contact with the negative current collector.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the mass of lithium is configured to provide a lithium capacity for the negative electrode sufficient to at least compensate for irreversible loss of capacity of the negative electrode.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the mass of lithium is configured to provide a lithium capacity equal to the sum of the irreversible loss of capacity of the negative electrode and the capacity of the secondary active material.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein the negative current collector comprises copper.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein the first active material is selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiCo_1/3Mn_1/3Ni_1/3, LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂, LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂, and combinations thereof.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the secondary active material comprises V₆O₁₃.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein the secondary active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of V₂O₅, V₃O₈, MoO₃, TiS₂, WO₂, MoO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

41. The system of claim 23, wherein the active material provided on the negative current collector is a carbonaceous material.

42. The system of claim 23, wherein the active material provided on the negative current collector is a lithium titanate material.

43. The system of claim 23, wherein the battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

44. A method of treating a medical condition of a patient by providing a therapeutic treatment to the patient, the method comprising:

providing at least a portion of a medical device in contact with the patient; and

discharging a battery to provide power to the medical device such that the medical device provides the therapeutic treatment;

wherein the battery comprises;

a positive electrode comprising

a positive current collector,

a first active material, and

a second active material; and

a negative electrode comprising

a negative current collector,

a third active material, and

a quantity of lithium in electrical contact with the negative current collector;

wherein the first active material, the second active material, and the third active material are configured for doping and undoping of lithium ions therefrom; and

wherein the quantity of lithium provides electrochemically cyclable lithium for the second active material of the positive electrode to allow the second active material to exhibit charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above a decomposition potential of the first active material;

whereby the rechargeable lithium-ion battery may be discharged completely without a substantial reduction in battery capacity upon recharging.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of providing at least a portion of the medical device in contact with the patient comprises implanting at least a portion of the medical device in the patient.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the battery may be charged and recharged without removing the medical device from the body of the patient.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the medical device is a neurological stimulation device.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising providing a therapeutic treatment to a patient by electrically stimulating a portion of the patient'"'"'s brain.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the method is selected from a defibrillator, a pacemaker, a cardioverter, a cardiac contractility modulator, a drug administration device, a cochlear implant, a hearing aid, a sensor, a telemetry device, and a diagnostic recorder.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the method is a defibrillator and further comprising providing a therapeutic high voltage treatment to a patient.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein the quantity of lithium is configured to provide a lithium capacity for the negative electrode sufficient to at least compensate for irreversible loss of capacity of the negative electrode.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the negative current collector comprises at least one of copper, titanium, aluminum, and nickel.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the first active material is selected from the group consisting of LiCoO₂, LiCo_1/3Mn_1/3Ni_1/3, LiNi_xCo_yAl_zO₂, LiCo_xNi₍₁₋

x)O₂, and combinations thereof.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the second active material comprises a material selected from V₆O₁₃ and LiMn₂O₄.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein the second active material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of V₂O₅, Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, Li_xVO₂, V₃O₈, MoO₃, TiS₂, WO₂, MoO₂, RuO₂, and combinations thereof.

56. The method of claim 44, wherein the third active material is a carbonaceous material.

57. The method of claim 44, wherein the third active material is a lithium titanate material.

58. The method of claim 44, further comprising a polymeric separator provided intermediate the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein the battery has a capacity between approximately 10 mAh and 1000 mAh.

60. The method of claim 44, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode have zero voltage crossing potentials below the corrosion potential of the negative current collector and above the decomposition potential of the primary active material.

61. The method of claim 44, wherein the negative current collector comprises copper.