Rickie C. Lake

Method for fabricating a leadless battery employing an alkali metal anode and polymer film inks

A package and method for fabricating a battery is disclosed. According to the method a first base, preferably comprising a polyester, is provided and a first slot is made thereon. Next, a first conductive thick film ink is printed superjacent the first base which is subsequently cured to form a first conductive layer. Subsequently, a cathode layer is formed superjacent the first conductive layer and the combination is subsequently cured. An electrolyte layer is then formed superjacent the cathode layer, which is subsequently cured to complete the first base. A second base, preferably comprising a polyester, is then provided and a second slot is made thereon. Subsequently, a second conductive thick film ink is printed superjacent the second base which is then cured to form a second conductive layer. Next, a molten alkali metal is fused to the second conductive layer and allowed to solidify and cool. This completes fabrication of the second base. Once both first and second bases are completed, they are properly aligned such that the first pad is exposed through the second slot, and the second pad is exposed through the first slot. Thus, direct electrical contact can be made to both the first and second conductive layers by means of both pads through both slots.

Methods of producing button-type batteries and a plurality of battery terminal housing members

A method of forming a button-type battery includes: a) providing an electrically conductive sheet having an exposed surface which is divisible into a plurality of areas; b) depositing an uncured electrically insulative gasket material onto the conductive sheet into a plurality of the areas, the gasket material being deposited to define at least one discrete pattern within the respective deposited areas, the respective discrete patterns covering less than a total of their respective areas; c) curing the deposited gasket material; d) cutting and forming a plurality of discrete first terminal housing members from the areas of the conductive sheet, the respective first terminal housing members comprising at least a portion of one of the discrete patterns of gasket material; d) providing a discrete electrically conductive second terminal housing member in facing juxtaposition to one of the first terminal housing members; e) providing an anode and a cathode having a separator and electrolyte positioned therebetween; the anode, cathode, separator and electrolyte being positioned intermediate the juxtaposed first and second terminal housing members; the anode being positioned to electrically connect with one of the first or second terminal housing members and the cathode being positioned to electrically connect with the other of the first or second terminal housing members; and f) crimping the first and second terminal housing members together into an enclosed battery housing with the gasket material being interposed between the first and second terminal housing members to provide a fluid-tight seal and to provide electrical insulation therebetween.

Method of forming a battery and battery

A button-type battery includes, a) an anode; b) a cathode positioned adjacent to the anode; c) an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode; d) a conductive first terminal housing member in electrical contact with one of the anode or the cathode; the first terminal housing member having a periphery; e) a conductive second terminal housing member in electrical contact with the other of the anode or the cathode; the second terminal housing member having a periphery; f) the first and second terminal housing members forming an enclosed housing which holds and protects the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte; and g) the first and second terminal housing member peripheries being configured together to form an electrically insulative seal which seals the anode, the electrolyte and the cathode within the housing formed by the first and second terminal housing members, the electrically insulative seal comprising cross-linked butyl rubber. The seal can include a gasket which constitutes the cross-linked butyl rubber or other material. The seal can comprise an uncured precursor to butyl rubber. Methods of forming such button-type batteries include in situ curing or forming butyl rubber in place on one of the battery terminals. Alternately, a butyl rubber precursor can be applied to one or both of the battery terminals.