Battery characteristic evaluation device and battery characteristic evaluating method

• US 7,279,902 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dowa Electronics Materials Co. Ltd. (DOWA Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dowa Electronics Materials Co. Ltd. (DOWA Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Toshiya, Harigae, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward H
• Application Number:
  US10/834,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 320/127, 320/132, 320/147, 324/425, 324/426, 324/432, 324/427
• US Class Current: 324/432
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/386 using test-loads
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/50 of manganese
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/04 Cells with aqueous electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5044 Cells or batteries structurally combined with cell condition indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5088 Initial activation; predischarge; Stabilisation of initial voltage

Abstract

To provide a battery characteristic evaluation device and a battery characteristic evaluation method capable of precisely measuring a potential difference between a positive and negative electrode materials, without largely breaking the original battery shape of a sealed battery such as a sealed alkaline-manganese battery. A cylindrical alkaline-manganese battery sample 30 is prepared, wherein a bore hole of 1 mm diameter and 0.5 mm depth is provided in approximately the center of the side face of a can body, lead wires are provided in the positive and negative electrodes, a sealing material made of a resin is applied on the negative electrode so as not to come into contact with an electrolytic solution. The battery sample is dipped into a measuring cell 10 in which an electrolytic solution 11 is filled. A tip 23 of a Luggin tube 21 constructing a reference electrode 20 is placed near the bore hole 40, a prescribed load is applied on the battery sample 30, and a voltage between positive and negative electrodes per discharging time, and a voltage between a positive electrode and a reference electrode is measured, and from the values obtained, the voltage between the negative electrode and the reference electrode is calculated, thereby precisely measuring the potential difference between the positive and negative electrode materials.

Claims

1. A battery characteristic evaluation method of a cylindrical alkaline-manganese battery, a cylindrical manganese battery, a button-type alkaline-manganese battery, a button-type silver oxide battery, or a button-type lithium battery, which are sealed batteries, comprising:

providing a bore hole on a can body of the sealed battery so as not to impair the battery characteristic of the sealed battery;

through the bore hole, bringing an electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery into contact with the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery having the same composition and concentration with the electrolytic solution contained in the sealed battery;

dipping an electrode into the electrolytic solution outside the sealed battery, and

during discharge of the sealed battery under a prescribed condition, measuring a voltage between an electrode of the sealed battery provided with a bore hole and an electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution, and measuring a potential difference between an electrode material of the sealed battery on a side of the can body provided with the bore hole and the electrode dipped into the electrolytic solution.