Zinc/air cell assembly
AssigneeThe Gillette Company
InventorKeith Buckle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly process for manufacture of zinc/air cells, typically zinc/air button cells. The cells have a cup shaped anode casing and cup shaped cathode casing, each having an open and closed end. The process comprises an assembly step wherein the two casings are pushed together, followed by a crimping step wherein the cell is punched through a die thereby crimping the cathode casing edge over the anode casing side wall with insulator seal therebetween. In each step, particularly in the crimping step, an anode punch having an annular protruding surface impacts the corner edge of the closed end of the anode casing while another punch is applied with an opposing force to the cathode casing. The process has particular utility for anode and cathode casings of small wall thickness, preferably between 2 and 5 mil (0.0508 and 0.127 mm).
Claims24
In a method of assembling an electrochemical cell having an anode can and a cathode can;
- wherein said cathode can has an open end and opposing closed end with integral side wall therebetween;
- wherein said anode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween;
- wherein the intersection of said anode can side wall and said anode can closed end forms an integral corner edge;
- wherein the cathode can is pushed onto the anode can so that the side wall of the cathode can overlaps at least a portion of the side wall of the anode can with an insulator seal material therebetween to form an intermediate cell, the improvement comprising:
- punching said intermediate cell into a die cavity by exerting a force against a portion of the corner edge of the closed end of the anode can without contacting the central portion of said anode can closed end, and simultaneously therewith applying an opposing greater force against the closed end of the cathode can thereby forcing the cell into said die cavity;
- wherein the edge of the cathode can at the open end thereof is crimped over a portion of the anode can side wall with insulator seal material therebetween.
A method of assembling an electrochemical cell having an anode can and a cathode can, wherein said anode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween with an insulator seal material covering a portion of said anode can side wall;
- wherein the intersection of said anode can side wall and said anode can closed end forms an integral corner edge;
- wherein said cathode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween, said method comprising:
- a) pushing the cathode can onto the anode can so that the side wall of the cathode can overlaps at least a portion of the insulator seal material to form an intermediate cell,
- b) punching said intermediate cell into a die cavity by applying a force against a portion of the corner edge of the closed end of the anode can without applying a force to the central portion of the closed end of said anode can while applying an opposing greater force against the closed end of the cathode can thereby forcing the cell into said die cavity;
- wherein the edge of the cathode can at the open end thereof is crimped over a portion of the anode can side wall with said insulator seal therebetween.
A method of assembling an electrochemical cell having an anode can and a cathode can, wherein said anode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween with an insulator seal material covering a portion of said anode can side wall;
- wherein the intersection of said anode can side wall and said anode can closed end forms an integral corner edge;
- wherein said cathode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween, said method comprising:
- a) pushing the cathode can onto the anode can so that the side wall of the cathode can overlaps at least a portion of the insulator seal material to form an intermediate cell,
- b) punching said intermediate cell into a die cavity by applying a force against a portion of the corner edge of the closed end of the anode can without applying a force to the central portion of the closed end of said anode can while applying an opposing greater force against the closed end of the cathode can thereby forcing the cell into said die cavity;
- wherein the edge of the cathode can at the open end thereof is crimped over a portion of the anode can side wall with said insulator seal therebetween;
- wherein said central portion of said closed end of the anode can is defined as any portion of said closed end which is within one third of the radius of said closed end as measured from the center thereof.
A method of assembling an electrochemical cell having an anode can and a cathode can, wherein said anode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween with an insulator seal material covering a portion of said anode can side wall;
- wherein the intersection of said anode can side wall and said anode can closed end forms an integral corner edge;
- wherein said cathode can has an open end and opposing closed end and integral side wall therebetween, said method comprising:
- a) pushing the cathode can onto the anode can so that the side wall of the cathode can overlaps at least a portion of the insulator seal material to form an intermediate cell,
- b) punching said intermediate cell into a die cavity by applying a force against a portion of the corner edge of the closed end of the anode can without applying a force to the central portion of the closed end of said anode can while applying an opposing greater force against the closed end of the cathode can thereby forcing the cell into said die cavity;
- wherein the edge of the cathode can at the open end thereof is crimped over a portion of the anode can side wall with said insulator seal therebetween;
- wherein said central portion of said closed end of the anode can is defined as any portion of said closed end which is within two thirds of the radius of said closed end as measured from the center thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.