Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – With nonbattery electrical component electrically connected...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-08-07
Chaney, Carol (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
With nonbattery electrical component electrically connected...
C429S049000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270916
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus to completely discharge a LiSO
2
battery.
LiSO
2
batteries require complete discharge prior to disposal. This is typically accomplished by a Complete Discharge Device (CDD). A CDD, typically a switch, can be actuated to complete a discharge circuit. When the battery is subject to physical abuse, self-activation, resulting in unintended battery discharge, may result if the switch need simply be depressed or slid from one position to another. One manner of preventing self-activation is to design the discharge actuator such that a special tool is required to activate the discharge function. However, such a system is cumbersome to use.
An example of such a cumbersome device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,505 which relates to the deactivation of a lithium battery by means of a switch. The discharge switch is activated by inserting an elongated object into an aperture located in the battery casing. The inserted object presses one contact against another, thereby closing the discharge circuit. While such a manner of discharging is substantially immune from self-activation, the use of a separate object to be inserted into the battery casing suffers from the drawback of being cumbersome to operate when desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for completely discharging a LiSO
2
battery.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for completely discharging a LiSO
2
battery which is not prone to self-activation under physical abuse conditions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for completely discharging a LiSO
2
battery which does not require special tools for activation.
In order to realize the above objects, the present invention provides a method and apparatus in which a CDD actuator is used which is not prone to self-activation under physical abuse conditions. In the present invention, a switch is formed of a switch contact (e.g., a spring contact) biased toward a contact pad. When the contact and contact pad meet, the discharge circuit is activated. Under normal conditions, an elongated insulative strip is situated between the switch contact and the contact pad and extends through an aperture in the casing of the battery to form a tab. The tab allows the strip to be pulled out from the exterior of the casing. Also under normal conditions, the tab portion of the insulative strip extending through the casing is folded over and covered with a peel-off label. When it is desired to activate the CDD, the peel-off label is removed to expose the end of the strip, and the strip can be withdrawn from the casing. This then allows the contact and the contact pad to touch and activate the CDD.
The switch configured according to the present invention may be used as well to activate or inactivate other circuits, components or subsystems in addition to the complete discharge subsystem.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4184007 (1980-01-01), Urry
patent: 4407909 (1983-10-01), Gobel
patent: 4407910 (1983-10-01), Cantanzarite
patent: 4448859 (1984-05-01), Bishop et al.
patent: 5119009 (1992-06-01), McCaleb et al.
Bowling Glen V.
Sink Michael S.
Alcatel
Chaney Carol
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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