United States Patent (19)
`Nakayama
`
`(11)
`45
`
`4,224,387
`Sep. 23, 1980
`
`54 BATTERY CONSTRUCTION
`Yasuaki Nakayama, Hanno, Japan
`75) Inventor:
`73 Assignee:
`Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Tokyo,
`Japan
`21 Appl. No.: 961,782
`22 Filed:
`Nov. 17, 1978
`30
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Nov. 21, 1977 (JP
`Japan .......................... 52/156461 U.
`ES1) Int. Cl. .............................................. H01M 2/18
`52 U.S.C. ..................................... 429/133; 429/174
`58 Field of Search ........................ 429/133, 162, 174
`(56)
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,121,021 10/1978 Ogawa et al. ........................ 429/162
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2445305 3/1975 Fed. Rep. of Germany ........... 429/174
`Primary Examiner-Donald L. Walton
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jordan and Hamburg
`57
`ABSTRACT
`A battery construction having a cup member and a cap
`member fixedly held by the cup member. A cup-shaped
`separator is disposed between the cup member and the
`cap member, to provide first and second compartments
`to accommodate a positive active material and a nega
`tive active material. The cup-shaped separator has a
`radial wall intervening between the first and second
`compartments, an axial wall integral with the radial
`wall, and a flange portion compressed between a sealing
`member and the cup member.
`7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures
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`24. 4d 26b
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`
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`6 IO 2(OO 6O2O 22 2Ob2OC
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`5 2Od 8 12 4C 4 6b. 26O 26
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`Eve Energy Co., Ltd v. Varta Microbattery Gmbh
`
`Eve Ex. 1015, p. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 1980
`
`4,224,387
`
`Fig. 1
`2, 4, 6b i? papa pap 2 2Ob2OC
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`5
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`2Od 8 (2 40 4 6b 26O26
`
`Fig. 2
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`22 16a 16 200 IO 202Obae
`
`
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`26 (6C 6b 8 (2 40 4 260 2Oe
`
`Eve Energy Co., Ltd v. Varta Microbattery Gmbh
`
`Eve Ex. 1015, p. 2
`
`

`

`1
`
`BATTERY CONSTRUCTION
`
`5
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`10
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`This invention relates generally to miniaturized bat
`teries for use in electronic timepieces and other small
`size portable electronic devices, and more particularly
`to an improvement over the construction of such batter
`1S.
`In recent years, small size batteries of larger capacity
`than previously were available have been increasingly
`developed, with the development of electronic time
`pieces and other small size portable electronic devices.
`Of these, alkali type cells such as mercury or silver
`oxide batteries using potassium hydroxide (KOH) or
`sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as an electrolyte are well
`known in the art. Most recently, other types of cells,
`such as a lithium battery using an organic electrolyte,
`have also become known in the art. These batteries
`usually have a chamber to accommodate a positive
`active material, a negative active material and a separa
`20
`tor, etc. This chamber will be referred to as the battery
`chamber hereinafter. The battery chamber is generally
`formed in a cylindrical shape, the cell having a top cap
`and a bottom cup, with annular flanges or shoulders at
`their outer peripheries so that the battery chamber can
`25
`be easily sealed by crimping operations at the time of
`battery assembly, to prevent leakage of the electrolyte
`from the battery chamber. This sealing ensures long
`battery life. In conventional batteries of these types
`such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,672, a mix
`sleeve is disposed in a cup at a middle part thereof, and
`a separator is disposed on and supported by the mix
`sleeve, whereupon a sealing member is disposed on the
`separator between a flange of the cup and a flange of a
`cap. With this construction, it is extremely difficult to
`35
`decrease the thickness of the battery due to provision of
`the mix sleeve and the sealing member in an axial direc
`tion of the battery.
`It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to
`provide a new and improved battery construction for
`40
`use in electronic timepieces and other portable elec
`tronic devices.
`It is another object of the present invention to pro
`vide a new and improved battery construction which is
`simple in construction and easy to manufacture.
`45
`It is another object of the present invention to pro
`vide an improved construction for a battery construc
`tion by which a battery has a minimum thickness.
`These and other objects, features and advantages of
`the present invention will become more apparent from
`50
`the following description when taken in conjunction
`with the accompanying drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred em
`bodiment of a battery construction according to the
`present invention; and
`FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred
`embodiment of the battery construction according to
`the present invention;
`Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown in cross
`section a battery construction embodying the present
`60
`invention. The battery construction has a negative ac
`tive material 10 and a positive active material 12. A cup
`member 14 has a radial wall 14a and an axial wall 14b
`provided at an outer periphery of the radial wall 14a, A
`cup-shaped separator 16 is disposed in the cup member
`65
`14 and has a radial wall 16a spaced from the radial wall
`14a of the cup member 14 to define therebetween a first
`compartment 18 to accommodate therein the positive
`
`4,224,387
`2
`active material 12. The separator 16 also has an axial
`wall 16b formed around an outer periphery of the radial
`wall 16a, and a flange portion 16c radially outwardly
`extending from the axial wall 16b. The flange portion
`engages with the radial wall 14a of the cup member 14.
`An annular shoulder 14c is axially displaced from the
`radial wall 14a of the cup member 14 and engages with
`a positive terminal 15. A cap member 20 is disposed in
`the cup member 14 and fixedly held thereby. The cap
`member 20 has a radial wall 20a spaced from the radial
`wall 16a of the separator 16 to define therebetween a
`second compartment 22 to accommodate therein the
`negative active material 10. The cap member 20 also has
`an axial wall 20b formed around an outer periphery of
`the radial wall 20a, and an annular shoulder 20c axially
`displaced from the radial wall 20a of the cap member 20
`to engage with a negative terminal 24. A packing or
`sealing member 26 is fixedly retained between the cup
`member 14 and the cap member 20. The sealing member
`26 includes a radial flange portion 26a compressing the
`radial wall 16c of the separator 16 toward the radial
`wall 14a of the cup member 14. With the construction
`mentioned above, each of the axial walls 14b and 26b
`has a larger thickness than the radial walls 14 and 20a.
`Although the separator 16 also has a second axial wall
`16d disposed between the sealing member 26 and the
`axial wall 14b of the cup member 14, the axial wall 16d
`may be omitted, if desired.
`Assembling the battery construction by pressing the
`cup member 14 and the cap member 20 together in the
`axial direction provides a sufficient seal so that there
`will be no leakage of electrolyte from within the bat
`tery. Stability is assured since the diametrically directed
`compression seal between parts of the battery is decided
`by the dimensions of the inner circumference of the
`axial wali. 14b of the cup member 14 and the outer cir
`cumference of the axial wall 20b of the cap member 20,
`the thickness of the separator 16 and the thickness of
`packing 26, all of which can be easily dealt with to
`eliminate any machining errors. The axial wall 20b of
`the cap member 20 is formed at its three equally spaced
`positions with recessed portions 20d. Designated at 14d
`is a projection located at three equally spaced apart
`points along the circumference of the axial wall 14b of
`the cup member 14. These projections are formed by
`means of a hammer following a step in which the thick
`ness of the assembled battery is reduced by a milling
`cutter. The projections 14a prevent the cap member 20
`from being forced open by a build-up in internal gas
`pressure as discharge of the battery progresses. The
`projections 26b on packing 26 also play a similar role.
`Lead plates constituting the electrical terminals 15 and
`24 retain the battery and provide the electrical connec
`tion to the positive cup member and negative cap mem
`ber by being held in abutting contact with respective
`stepped portions 14c and 20c in the form of annular
`shoulders provided on the outer circumference of the
`cup member 14 and the cap member 20. It is therefore
`possible to reduce the thickness of the battery portion
`including the portions at which the electrical connec
`tions to the battery are provided.
`FIG. 2 shows another preferred embodiment of a
`battery construction according to the present invention,
`with like or corresponding component parts bearing the
`same reference numerals as those used in FIG. 1. The
`embodiment of FIG. 2 is identical to the structure
`shown in FIG. 1 except that the cap member 20 has an
`annular flange portion axially extending radially out
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`Eve Energy Co., Ltd v. Varta Microbattery Gmbh
`
`Eve Ex. 1015, p. 3
`
`

`

`4,224,387
`3
`4.
`ward from the axial wall 20b of the cap member 20. The
`rator to define therebetween a second compart
`annular flange portion 20e is compressed by the sealing
`ment to accommodate therein another one of said
`member 26 by the action of a flange portion 14e of the
`negative active material and said positive active
`cup member 14 crimped inward during assembly of the
`material, an axial wall formed around an outer
`battery construction.
`periphery of the radial wall of said cap member;
`In accordance with the present invention as described
`and
`above, the radial walls of the cup member and the cap
`a sealing member fixedly retained between said cup
`member are thin so that a large amount of positive and
`member and said cap member, said sealing member
`negative active materials can be introduced into the first
`including a radial flange portion compressing the
`and second compartments, thus providing a battery
`radial wall of said separator toward the radial wall
`with a large discharge capacity despite its small size and
`of said cup member;
`thin configuration. Moreover, the stable sealing struc
`wherein each of the axial walls of said cup member
`ture practically eliminates the danger of leakage. The
`and said cap member is thicker than each of the
`battery construction of the present invention is there
`radial walls of said cup member and said cap mem
`fore particularly effective when employed in small elec
`ber.
`tronic devices such as electronic timepieces.
`2. A battery construction according to claim , in
`While the present invention has been shown and
`which the radial wall of said cap member has its outer
`described with reference to particular embodiments, it
`periphery formed at its circumferentially spaced posi
`should be noted that various other changes or modifica
`tions with recessed portions with which said sealing
`tions may be made without departing from the scope of 20
`member engages.
`the present invention. For example, the first compart
`3. A battery construction according to claim 1, in
`ment 18 may be filled with a negative active material
`which the axial wall of said cup member has at least one
`instead of a positive active material, and the second
`inwardly extending porjections to compress said sealing
`compartment 22 may be filled with a positive active
`member toward the outer periphery of the radial wall of
`material instead of a negative active material.
`said cap member.
`What is claimed is:
`4. A battery construction according to claim 1, in
`1. A battery construction having a negative active
`which said cup member has a shoulder portion axially
`material and a positive active material, comprising:
`displaced from the radial wall of said cup member.
`a cup member having a radial wall and an axial wall
`5. A battery construction according to claim i, in
`provided at an outer periphery of the radial wall;
`30
`which said cap member has a shoulder portion axially
`a cup-shaped separator disposed in said cup member
`displaced from the radial wall of said cap member.
`and having a radial wall spaced from the radial
`6. A battery construction according to claim i, in
`wall of said cup member to define therebetween a
`first compartment to accommodate one of said
`which said cap member also has a radially outwardly
`extending annular shoulder fixedly holding said sealing
`negative active material and said positive active
`material, an axial wall formed around an outer
`member.
`periphery of the radial wall of said separator, and a
`7. A battery construction according to claim 1, in
`flange portion radially outwardly extending from
`which said cap member also has a radially extending
`the axial wall of said separator, said flange portion
`flange portion and said cup member has a flange portion
`which is crimped inward during assembly to compress
`engaging with the radial wall of said cup member;
`a cap member disposed in said cup member and
`said sealing member between said flange portion of said
`fixedly held thereby, said cap member having a
`cup member and said radially extending flange portion.
`radial wall spaced from the radial wall of said sepa
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`Eve Energy Co., Ltd v. Varta Microbattery Gmbh
`
`Eve Ex. 1015, p. 4
`
`