Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Separator – retainer or spacer insulating structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-21
2003-06-10
Kalafut, Stephen (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Separator, retainer or spacer insulating structure
C429S162000, C429S210000, C361S504000, C427S123000, C029S623100, C029S623500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06576365
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to electrochemical systems for storage and release of electrical energy. In particular, the present invention relates to electrochemical systems for use in electronic circuits, for example, as capacitors or batteries. More particularly, the present invention relates to electrochemical systems for operation in electronic circuitry, for example, as capacitors or batteries, with either a non-liquid, organic solution, an aqueous solution or a protonic medium electrolyte material positioned between the electrodes.
Further still, the present invention relates to improved designs for bi-polar assemblies that address the deficiencies in existing bi-polar designs. In particular, this invention relates to an assembly of a plurality of single cells of an electrochemical system. More particularly, individual cells may be connected individually to each other to form a stack. Also, stacks may be connected together to form an assembly. Further, the present invention is more versatile for achieving inter-cell or inter-stack connections in series, parallel, or combinations thereof and for achieving hybrid packs of a battery or batteries combined with a capacitor or capacitors in a single package.
As electronic devices and other electrical apparatuses become increasingly more portable and provide more functionality, advances must be made in the components of such devices that enable such portability. As is often the case with current electronics technology, the limiting factor in both size and functionality of an electronic apparatus is the size and weight of its component parts and in particular, the size and weight of its energy storage components. Additionally, the miniaturization of electronics has seen the push towards integrating various components into a single device to save both room and weight within both portable and stationary devices.
The current main energy source used for portable electronics is the electrochemical battery and/or the electrochemical capacitor. One of the limiting features of such current energy storage components is the packaging of the electrochemical system and the interconnection among the cells comprising the system. The current convention is to house the active electrodes and electrolytic material in a metallic casing. This form of housing is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. In the past, however, this has lead designers to accommodate the form of the electronic device to the casing rather than adding either the battery or capacitor after designing the device as they choose. As a result, the metal can, as opposed to the functionality of the device, has influenced the design of such portable electronic devices.
Similarly, the ability to enhance voltage and/or current for a given circuit design has required multiple energy storage components within individual cans within the electronic device. Again, this has forced designers to accommodate the design based on the casings needed to house multiple capacitors or batteries.
Alternative packagings for capacitors are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,540, issued to Louie et al., the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses an electrochemical charge storage device. While useful for its purpose, the '540 device, however, provides only a single capacitor cell. With the need for incorporating multiple energy storage components into a single device, using the design of the '540 packaging simply repeats the space hungry designs of the past.
Further, in most electrochemical systems the electrodes are separated by a liquid solution. In the solution, referred to as an electrolyte, ions can move freely. It is not, however, always convenient to have a liquid present within an electrochemical system. The use of liquids has many disadvantages. First, the liquid may leak from the component. Second, the additional cell elements are required to keep the liquid absorbed between the electrodes. Finally, many of the liquids used are corrosive, caustic, or even flammable.
A liquid electrolyte also has implications for cell design. Typically, liquid electrolyte electrochemical systems are built as individual cells in order to contain the liquid between the electrodes. Since in many applications an operating voltage greater than that capable of being provided by an individual cell is required, a plurality of cells need be connected into a pack to achieve a specified voltage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,203, issued to Muranaka et al., the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses an electrochemical double-layer capacitor. While useful for its purpose, the '203 device discloses only a single capacitive cell “separated from one another in a simple manner.” (See column 2, lines 3-5 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,203) Additionally, while capable of being stacked to form a plurality of capacitor cells in series, the '203 device requires significantly more space and results in additional weight which a truly integrated plurality of capacitor cells within a single component would not.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an ultra-thin multi-cell energy storage component that may comprise an electrochemical capacitor, a double-layer capacitor or a battery. In an electrochemical capacitor version of the present invention, which may also be referred to as a pseudo-capacitor or batcap, the electrodes comprise material that may participate in reversible charge transfer reactions. Thus, a portion of the energy is stored in the double-layer at the surface of the electrodes and another portion is contributed by the charge transfer reactions. In a double-layer capacitor version of the present invention, essentially all of the energy is stored in the double layer at the surface of the electrodes. In a battery version of the present invention, the anode and cathode materials are specifically chosen so that each reacts during operation of the cell. The chemical energy that is stored in the electrodes is converted to electrical energy via charge transfer reactions of active materials.
It is also desirable to provide a new packaging for an electrochemical multi-cell energy storage component for a single electronic device wherein the cells are in series or parallel or a combination thereof by virtue of the component's construction in one integrated structure. The packaging material needed for such a method must be a lightweight, flexible material which is inexpensive and can be processed with current processing techniques and tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and addresses various of the foregoing limitations and drawbacks, and others, concerning both the designs of electrochemical multi-cell energy storage components and methods of making the same. Therefore, the present invention provides an improved ultra-thin electrochemical multi-cell energy storage component comprising electrochemical capacitors, double-layer capacitors or batteries or combinations thereof that are connected in series, parallel or some combination thereof, in addition to an improved method of making the component.
It is, therefor, a principle object of the subject invention to provide an improved electrochemical multi-cell capacitor and/or battery. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrochemical multi-cell capacitor and/or battery within an improved casing. In such context, it is still a more particular object of the present invention to provide an electrochemical multi-cell capacitor and/or battery wherein the improved casing is made of a film material.
Another more particular object of the present invention is to provide an electrochemical multi-cell capacitor and/or battery with a low resistance. In such context, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide an electrochemical multi-cell capacitor with a low equivalent series resistance (hereinafter, ESR) and a high capacity.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an ultra-thin electrochemical mu
Chodesh Eli Rosh
Fleischer Niles
Lang Joel
Lifschitz David
Manassen Joost
Dority & Manning P.A.
E.C.R. - Electro Chemical Research Ltd.
Kalafut Stephen
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