Method and device employing heat absorber for limiting battery temperature spikes
AssigneeQuallion LLC
InventorsHisashi Tsukamoto, David Skinlo, Clay Kishiyama, Joanna Dodd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for containing heat generated by a battery to reduce the amplitude of a temperature excursion to enhance safety in temperature critical applications, such as in implantable medical devices. The apparatus employs a heat absorber (38) closely thermally coupled to the battery (30). The heat absorber includes heat-absorbing material preferably exhibiting an endothermic phase change at a temperature below that produced by the battery.
Claims37
An implantable medical device, comprising:
- an implantable medical device housing that includes a housing wall of biocompatible material defining an interior volume;
- a battery including an electrode assembly housed in a battery case and capable of producing a temperature greater than a temperature T1, the battery mounted within the interior volume;
- and
- heat absorbing material exhibiting a phase change at the temperature T1 and positioned external to the electrode assembly for reducing the amplitude of a temperature excursion of the implantable medical device housing to prevent significant damage to body tissue.
A device, comprising:
- a housing that includes a wall defining an interior housing volume;
- a battery including an electrode assembly housed in a battery case and capable of producing a temperature greater than a temperature T1, the battery mounted within the interior volume with the battery case spaced from the housing;
- a heat absorber mounted adjacent to and thermally coupled to the battery case, the heat absorber including a heat absorbing material exhibiting a phase change at the temperature T1;
- and
- a fibrous mat contacting the heat absorbing material.
A method for containing heat generated by a battery having a battery case within a housing, comprising:
- spacing the battery case from the housing;
- providing high heat capacity material in thermal contact with the battery case and spaced from the housing;
- and
- transferring the heat generated from the battery to the high heat capacity material in the form of latent heat of fusion of the high heat capacity material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.