Battery voltage tester for end of cell having indicator disposed on battery side

• US 5,525,439 A
• Filed: 05/05/1995
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eveready Battery Company Incorporated (Energizer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailey, John C., Huhndorff, Harry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/437,134
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 429/91-93, 324/435
• US Class Current: 429/91
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/005 Indication of measured value by colour change
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

A battery is provided with an end-of-cell voltage indicating device which can be used to indicate the state-of-charge of the battery. The indicating device has a flexible substrate of the same peripheral configuration as the battery. The substrate has an indicating coating on one surface which is in thermal or electrical contact with a conductive circuit pattern which can be temporarily connected between the terminals of the battery on application of pressure to an indicated spot on the surface of the substrate. The conductive circuit means causes the indicating coating to undergo a visible change which is representative of the state-of-charge or voltage of the battery. A dual end-switched, integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device having two switches disposed on one end of the battery is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device comprising:

a battery having a first end and a second end and a first and a second external terminal of opposite polarity;

a state-of-charge indicating device affixed to said battery, said device comprising;

an indicator disposed on the side of said battery;

a flexible member affixed to and disposed substantially in its entirety upon one of said first end and said second end and covering a portion of each of said first and second terminals; and

an electrically conductive means on said flexible member in association with said indicator, and positioned for electrical contact with said first and second external terminals such that pressure on said flexible member will cause said conductive means to complete an electrical circuit between said first and second external terminals of said battery causing said indicator to change optical absorption to an extent depending on the state-of-charge of said battery.

2. The integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device of claim 1 wherein said conductive means comprises a pair of electrical conductors extending between said flexible member disposed on said battery end and said indicator disposed on said battery side.

3. The integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device of claim 2 wherein said pair of electrical conductors are further disposed between a label and an insulator layer extending along at least a portion of said battery side.

4. The integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device of claim 1 wherein said conductive means comprises two switches disposed on said battery end that said flexible member is disposed upon, for establishing electrical contact with said indicator disposed on said battery side.

5. The integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device of claim 1 wherein said indicator comprises an indicating material selected from the group consisting of thermochromic and electrochromic.

6. The integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device of claim 1 wherein said indicator is oriented along the axial dimension of said battery.