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US 8,895,168 B2Granted
Deactivating a power source
AssigneeLenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsBouziane Yebka, Joseph Anthony Holung, Tin-Lup Wong, Kenneth Scott Seethaler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery is disclosed that includes two contact areas, an electrolyte, and a conductivity mechanism to increase electron conductivity internal to the battery between the two contact areas that, in turn, deactivates the battery. In one embodiment, the conductivity mechanism is triggered external to the battery. In another embodiment, the conductivity mechanism utilizes deactivator material to increase electron conductivity through the electrolyte to deactivate the battery. In yet another embodiment, the conductivity mechanism creates multiple shorts between the two contact areas to deactivate the battery.
Claims21
A battery, comprising:
- a first contact area and a second contact area, wherein the first contact area is negatively charged relative to the second contact area;
- an electrolyte that couples to the first contact area and the second contact area, wherein the electrolyte suppresses electron flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area and enables ion flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area;
- and
- a conductivity mechanism structured to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area internal to the battery, the conductivity mechanism comprising a deactivator mechanism, a valve operatively coupled to the deactivator mechanism, and a deactivator material reserve arranged for fluid communication with the valve and comprising deactivator material, wherein the deactivator mechanism is arranged to actuate the valve to open the valve for deactivator material to travel from the deactivator material reserve to the electrolyte to introduce deactivator material into the electrolyte to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- one or more system components that consume power;
- a battery that provides power to the one or more system components, wherein the battery comprises:
- a first contact area and a second contact area, wherein the first contact area is negatively charged relative to the second contact area;
- an electrolyte that couples to the first contact area and to the second contact area, wherein the electrolyte suppresses electron flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area and enables ion flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area;
- a conductivity mechanism structured to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area internal to the battery, the conductivity mechanism comprising a deactivator mechanism, a valve operatively coupled to the deactivator mechanism, and a deactivator material reserve arranged for fluid communication with the valve and comprising deactivator material, wherein the deactivator mechanism is arranged to actuate the valve to open the valve for deactivator material to travel from the deactivator material reserve to the electrolyte to introduce deactivator material into the electrolyte to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area.
2 more elements
A method for producing a battery, the method comprising:
- including a first contact area and a second contact area in the battery, wherein the first contact area is negatively charged relative to the second contact area;
- including an electrolyte in the battery that couples to the first contact area and to the second contact area, wherein the electrolyte suppresses electron flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area and enables ion flow internal to the battery between the first contact area and the second contact area;
- and
- including a conductivity mechanism in the battery structured to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area internal to the battery, the conductivity mechanism comprising a deactivator mechanism, a valve operatively coupled to the deactivator mechanism, and a deactivator material reserve arranged for fluid communication with the valve and comprising deactivator material, wherein the deactivator mechanism is arranged to actuate the valve to open the valve for deactivator material to travel from the deactivator material reserve to the electrolyte to introduce deactivator material into the electrolyte to increase electron conductivity between the first contact area and the second contact area.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.