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US 5,716,729 AGranted
Electrochemical cell
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsWalter C. Sunderland, Anthony W. Rorvick, Donald R. Merritt, Craig L. Schmidt, David P. Haas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochemical cell has a cathode material formed into a pellet shape which expands as the cell is discharged. A cathode current collector circumferentially surrounds the cathode pellet and is in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet to prevent peripheral cathode expansion. The peripheral cathode current collector maintains a stable cell impedance during cell discharge.
Claims40
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- (a) a metal housing;
- (b) an anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprising a material which expands as the cell is discharged, the cathode formed into a pellet shape having a flat top surface, a flat bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding the cathode pellet and in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet;
- wherein the cathode current collector is a non-circular ring having an open top portion exposing the top surface of the cathode pellet and an open bottom portion exposing the bottom surface of the cathode pellet, and reinforcement means for retaining the non-circular shape of the current collector.
2 more elements
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- (a) a metal housing;
- (b) an anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprised of a powder as an active cathode material, the cathode formed into a pellet shape having a flat top surface, a flat bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding said cathode pellet and in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet, wherein the cathode current collector has an open top portion exposing the top surface of the cathode pellet and an open bottom portion exposing the bottom surface of the cathode pellet;
- (e) an insulator member insulating the metal housing from contact with the cathode pellet;
- and
- (f) means for electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the metal housing.
4 more elements
A method for constructing an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a metal cathode current collector in a closed ring shape;
- (b) forming a metal housing;
- (c) placing the formed current collector into a circumferentially fitting die;
- (d) placing an amount of a powdered cathode material into the die and current collector;
- (e) pressing the cathode material into a self-supporting pellet shape such that the current collector circumferentially surrounds the pellet in a cathode assembly;
- (f) placing the cathode assembly into the housing;
- and
- (g) electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the metal housing.
5 more elements
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- (a) a metal housing;
- (b) an anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprised of a material which expands as the cell is discharged, the cathode formed into a pellet shape having a flat top surface, a flat bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding said cathode pellet and in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet;
- (e) a feedthrough with an insulated, electrically conductive pin extending through a portion of the metal housing;
- and
- (f) means for electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the feedthrough pin.
4 more elements
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- (a) a metal housing;
- (b) an anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprised of a powder, the cathode formed into a pellet shape having a flat top surface, a flat bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding said cathode pellet and in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet, wherein the cathode current collector has an open top portion exposing the top surface of the cathode pellet and an open bottom portion exposing the bottom surface of the cathode pellet;
- (e) an insulator member insulating the metal housing from contact with the cathode pellet;
- (f) a feedthrough with an insulated, electrically conductive pin extending through a portion of the metal housing;
- and
- (g) means for electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the feedthrough pin.
5 more elements
A method for constructing an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a metal cathode current collector in a closed ring shape;
- (b) forming a metal housing having a conductive feedthrough pin extending therethrough;
- (c) placing the formed current collector into a circumferentially fitting die;
- (d) placing an amount of a powdered cathode material into the die and current collector;
- (e) pressing the cathode material into a self-supporting pellet shape such that the current collector circumferentially surrounds the pellet in a cathode assembly;
- (f) placing the cathode assembly into the housing;
- and
- (g) electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the feedthrough pin.
5 more elements
An electrochemical cell, comprising:
- (a) a titanium housing;
- (b) a lithium anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprising silver vanadium oxide cathode material, the cathode formed into a pellet shape;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding the cathode pellet;
- (e) means for electrically connecting the cathode current collector to the titanium housing;
- and
- (f) an insulator member insulating the titanium housing from contact with the cathode pellet,
- wherein the cathode current collector is a non-circular ring having an open top portion exposing the top surface of the cathode pellet and an open bottom portion exposing the bottom surface of the cathode pellet, and reinforcement means for retaining the non-circular shape of the current collector.
5 more elements
An electrochemical cell, comprising:
- (a) a metal housing:
- (b) an anode;
- (c) a cathode in operative relation to the anode, the cathode comprising a material which expands as the cell is discharged, the cathode formed into a pellet shape having a flat top surface, a flat bottom surface and a peripheral edge extending between the top and bottom surfaces;
- (d) a cathode current collector circumferentially surrounding the cathode pellet and in contact with the peripheral edge of the cathode pellet;
- and
- (e) an insulator member insulating the metal housing from contact with the cathode pellet,
- wherein the cathode current collector is a non-circular ring having an open top portion exposing the top surface of the cathode pellet and an open bottom portion exposing the bottom surface of the cathode pellet, and reinforcement means for retaining the non-circular shape of the current collector.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.