DE102023111815B4 - Battery, in particular button cell, and method for its production - Google Patents

Abstract

Battery, in particular button cell, with an anode (13) and a cathode (11) and a separator (15) arranged therebetween and
a housing consisting of a cup (5) and a lid (3) and an annular insulation and sealing layer (17) therebetween,
wherein an electronic device (7) with at least one electronic component (9) is additionally arranged in the housing (3, 5) of the battery (1),
wherein the electronic device (7) comprises, as an electronic component (9), a sensor device in the form of a motion or acceleration sensor, which is designed such that it triggers an action upon detection of a predefined event,
the electronic device (7) comprises, as an electronic component (9), a switching device which is designed such that it causes the battery voltage to be switched off if no movement is detected by the movement or acceleration sensor over a predetermined period of time and/or the battery voltage is switched on via a detected movement or a detected predetermined movement pattern,
the electronic device (7) is circular or annular and
wherein at least one sensitive electronic component (9) is arranged in a ring shape on or in the electronic device (7) and is protected from the cathode (11) and/or the anode (13) by the ring-shaped insulation and sealing layer (17).

Description

The invention relates to a battery, in particular a button cell, with an anode and a cathode, as well as a separator arranged therebetween, and to a method for producing such a battery.

Such batteries are used in countless devices (remote controls of all kinds, medical devices, measuring instruments, etc.) to enable these devices to be used independently of the mains power supply, either battery-operated or battery-assisted. Such batteries are also used to make electronic components in non-autonomous devices (computers, smartphones, laptops, notebooks, etc.) battery-assisted, for example, to power standby circuits, preserve volatile memory content, or bridge short-term power outages.

For the purposes of the invention, the term "battery" encompasses both rechargeable and non-rechargeable energy storage devices, including so-called accumulators, which contain substances inside that can store and release energy through a chemical reaction. For the purposes of the invention, the term "battery" also includes multi-cell battery cells combined in a housing, but in a preferred embodiment, it refers to a single battery cell, particularly of a conventional, standardized design, such as mono, mignon, micro, mini, baby, lady, 9 V block, and preferably various button cell types.

A clear distinction must be made between so-called battery packs, which contain multiple batteries. Such battery packs, even if they are arranged in a common housing, are not to be understood as batteries within the meaning of the invention.

To detect various battery properties, such as its charge level, the device into which the battery is inserted must be equipped with a corresponding measuring device. If the first and/or repeated correct insertion of these batteries is to be detected, monitored, or even documented in calibrated devices (e.g., measuring instruments) or safety-relevant devices, such as medical devices, these devices require suitable devices that offer only limited security against fraud or misuse.

From the DE 11 2017 000 614 T5 A battery device to be mounted in a vehicle with a position change detector inside the battery pack is known. Other batteries are known from US 2015 / 0 349 388 A1 and the US 2008 / 0 090 134 A1 , the DE 10 2015 002 149 A1 , the DE 10 2016 105 219 A1 and the DE 11 2014 003 323 T5 known.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of avoiding the above disadvantages and of providing a battery and a manufacturing method for such a battery which increases the field of application of the battery and/or facilitates detection of the battery properties.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a battery having the features of claim 1 and by a method having the features of claim 5.

According to the invention, an electronic device with at least one electronic component is additionally arranged within a battery housing consisting of a cup and a lid. By accommodating the electronic device in the battery housing, the battery can perform various tasks or actions independently or in conjunction with devices arranged outside the battery—particularly within devices into which the battery is inserted.

The electronic device can, for example, comprise a preferably processor-controlled switching device that enables the battery voltage to be switched on and/or off. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the electronic device to comprise a sensor device (in particular with a motion or acceleration sensor), and/or a measuring device, and/or a transmitting and/or receiving device, and/or an evaluation unit, and/or a memory unit.

For example, as an action according to the invention, the battery voltage can be switched off if no movement is detected by a motion or acceleration sensor for a longer period of time, in particular a predetermined period of time. According to the invention, the battery voltage can also be switched on as needed, for example, via a detected movement or a detected predetermined movement pattern or via a signal or data received by a receiving device.

It is also conceivable to store data received and/or detected actions such as movement, movement patterns, battery current output, battery status, charging cycles (in the case of rechargeable batteries), etc. as a history in a storage unit in the battery.

Electronic components that may be included individually or in any combination by the electronic device include, for example, memory, microprocessor or FPGA, switching transistor, sensors (in particular acceleration or motion sensors, humidity sensors).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the components, particularly acid-sensitive components, is separated from the anode and/or cathode by the insulating and sealing layer in an acid-tight or even gas-tight manner. This prevents premature failure of the respective component due to an undesirable chemical reaction (e.g., oxidation). Advantageously, the sealing is preferably achieved by an insulating and sealing layer already present in the battery (between the can and the lid of the battery).

In an embodiment according to the invention, the electronic device is circular or ring-shaped, preferably with a diameter almost equal to the inner diameter of the battery housing cup. This facilitates insertion and positioning during production, so that, apart from inserting the electronic device, no additional (work) step is required compared to the conventional manufacturing process.

In a configuration according to the invention, at least one sensitive electronic component (microprocessor, etc.) is arranged in a ring on or in the electronic device and is separated from the cathode and/or the anode in a gas-tight manner by the annular insulation and sealing layer, thus protecting it from chemically aggressive substances or materials. The annular arrangement advantageously allows the use of the annular insulation and sealing layer already present in the battery without requiring any significant modifications to this annular insulation and sealing layer, apart from a possible recess.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic device is designed as a circular surface and has a contact surface, preferably an inner circle, to the cathode and another contact surface, preferably a tab or nose, to the positive pole (cup) of the battery. If the contact surfaces come into contact with chemically aggressive materials, they are preferably made of a correspondingly resistant conductive material.

As already explained above, the electronic device can comprise a switching device as an electronic component which is designed in such a way that it causes the battery voltage to be switched on and off, i.e. it separates the plus and/or minus pole and thus switches it to a voltage-free state (or potential-free).

Furthermore, it is conceivable that the electronic device comprises a sensor device (in particular a motion or acceleration sensor) as an electronic component, and upon detection of a predefined event (e.g. movement or a movement pattern) triggers an action, such as switching the battery voltage on and off, sending a predefined pattern (data signal).

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the electronic device comprises, as an electronic component, a transmitting and/or receiving device, by means of which data can be transmitted and/or received via radio and/or modulation of the battery voltage and/or battery current. For example, data can be stored in the battery (in a storage device) in order to later provide evidence (e.g., for quality assurance, calibration, or warranty purposes) that the battery was inserted in the respective device.

According to the invention, during battery production, a round or ring-shaped electronic device is inserted into the can as an additional and preferably only further process step. This can be done in a first step before the application of the insulation and sealing layer, the introduction of additional material to form the cathode, the introduction of a separator, the introduction of additional material or the provision of air holes to form the anode, and the insertion of the lid, so that only a minor and therefore cost-effective modification of the conventional manufacturing process is required.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

• 1 eine schematische gebrochene Längsschnittansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Batterie mit einer Elektronikeinrichtung;
• 2 und schematische perspektivische Detailansicht einer Elektronikeinrichtung nach 1 als Einzelheit und
• 3 eine schematische Seitenansicht einer Elektronikeinrichtung nach 2.

The drawing shows:

• 1 a schematic broken longitudinal sectional view of a battery according to the invention with an electronic device;
• 2 and schematic perspective detailed view of an electronic device according to 1 as an individual and
• 3 a schematic side view of an electronic device according to 2 .

1 shows a battery 1 according to the invention, for example in the form of a typical button cell with a housing consisting of a cup 5 as the positive pole and a lid 3 as the negative pole of the battery 1, usually made of stainless steel.

The battery 1, which is circular in plan view (x-y plane) and in cross-section, has, like conventional batteries, two different elements which serve as reducing agents (anode 13: for example zinc or lithium) and oxidizing agents (cathode 11: for example mercury oxide, silver oxide or manganese oxide).

The anode 13 contacts the lid and forms the technical negative pole. The cathode 11 is arranged below the anode 13, separated by a separator 15. It contacts the can 5 and forms the technical positive pole of the battery 1.

In contrast to a conventional battery, in the battery according to the invention, an electronic device 7, for example in the form of a round circuit board, is located below the separator 15, preferably at the bottom of the cup 5.

The electronic device 7 has on its underside several (for example three, see also 3 ) contact springs 29 to contact the cup 5 and thus the positive pole of the battery 1.

Of course, it is also conceivable that the electronic device 7 is not formed over the entire surface. Thus, the electronic device 7 can also not be placed directly on the bottom of the can 5, but preferably only be arranged within the insulation and sealing layer 17, whereby the cathode 11 or the can 5 can then be contacted via a corresponding contact surface.

As from 2 As can be seen, the electronic device 7 has on its upper side in the region of the cathode 11 a preferably circular inner part or inner region 23 which is connected to the contact springs 29 directly or via a switching device, so that the cathode is connected, preferably over its entire cross section, to the positive pole of the battery directly (through-contacted) or via the switching device.

Depending on the requirements, electronic components 9 in any combination, such as a microprocessor, a motion sensor, an electronic switching device, a memory device, an evaluation device, etc., are arranged on the preferably ring-shaped edge 21 of the electronic device 7.

The electronic device 7 has a projection in the form of a contact nose 25 with a contact surface 27 arranged in the end region in order to contact the anode 13 or directly the cover 3 and thus the negative pole of the battery 1.

For this purpose, the contact nose can, for example, be bent upwards at a right angle (in the z-direction) in order to contact a usually downwardly extending edge of the cover 3 or the anode 13 arranged above the separator 15 (seen in the z-direction).

The edge 21 of the electronic device 7 and thus the components 9 arranged in this area are protected by the insulation and sealing layer 17 from the cathode 11 and anode 13, so that the components are only contacted via the electronic device 7 and are connected, as desired, to the positive and negative poles of the battery via their terminals. For this purpose, the edge 21 can, for example, be designed in the usual way as a circuit board (possibly also multi-layered) and have corresponding conductor tracks.

The upwardly bent contact nose 25 is sealed by the insulating and sealing layer 17 (or insulating ring) such that only the contact surface 27 is in contact with the cover 3 or the anode 13. The edge 21 of the electronic device 7 remains separated from the cathode 11 and the anode by the insulating and sealing layer 17 and is thus protected from aggressive chemical reactions.

In this way, the components 9 are supplied with power from the battery 1 in order to carry out their tasks, such as switching the battery voltage on and off.

As from 1 As can be seen, the electronic device 7, in particular in the form of a circular circuit board, can be inserted into a cup 5 during production, wherein the edge 21 is not only electrically insulated (except for contact surface 27) but preferably also protected from the interior of the battery 1 and the mostly chemically aggressive materials located therein by the insulation and sealing layer 17 - which is introduced subsequently or simultaneously.

The electronic components 9 are located in the area of the circumferential sealing ring or the ring-shaped insulation and sealing layer 17.

Although the invention was explained above using a round button cell, the invention naturally also encompasses square basic shapes of batteries or battery cells. Accordingly, the term "ring-shaped" also refers to square-shaped rings.

List of reference symbols

1

battery

3

Cover (- battery terminal)

5

Cup (+ battery pole)

7

Electronic device in the form of a circuit board

9

Electronic components

11

cathode

13

anode

15

separator

17

Insulation and sealing layer

21

edge of the board

23

Inner part of the board/interior

25

Contact nose

27

Contact surface

29

Contact springs

Claims (6)

A battery, in particular a button cell, comprising an anode (13) and a cathode (11), a separator (15) arranged therebetween, and a housing consisting of a cup (5) and a lid (3), as well as an annular insulating and sealing layer (17) arranged therebetween. An electronic device (7) with at least one electronic component (9) is additionally arranged in the housing (3, 5) of the battery (1). The electronic device (7) comprises, as the electronic component (9), a sensor device in the form of a motion or acceleration sensor, which is designed to trigger an action upon detection of a predefined event. The electronic device (7) comprises, as the electronic component (9), a switching device, which is designed to switch off the battery voltage as an action if no movement is detected by the motion or acceleration sensor over a predetermined period of time and/or to switch on the battery voltage via a detected movement or a detected predetermined movement pattern, the electronic device (7) is circular or annular, and wherein at least one sensitive electronic component (9) is arranged in a ring shape on or in the electronic device (7) and is protected from the cathode (11) and/or the anode (13) by the annular insulation and sealing layer (17). Battery after Claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one electronic component (9) of the electronic device (7) is separated from the anode (13) and/or the cathode (11) in an acid-tight manner by the insulation and sealing layer (17). Battery after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the electronic device (7) is designed as a circular surface and has contact surfaces to the cathode (11) and the positive pole of the battery. Battery according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic device (7) comprises, as an electronic component (9), a transmitting and/or receiving device by means of which data can be transmitted and/or received via radio and/or modulation of the battery voltage and/or the battery current. A method for producing a battery (1), in particular a button cell, according to one of the preceding claims, in which, as a method step, the circular or ring-shaped electronic device (7) is inserted into the housing (3, 5) of the battery (1), wherein the sensor device in the form of a motion or acceleration sensor is arranged in the electronic device (7) as at least one electronic component (9), wherein at least one sensitive electronic component (9) is arranged in a ring shape on or in the electronic device (7) and is protected from the cathode (11) and/or the anode (13) by the ring-shaped insulation and sealing layer (17). Procedure according to Claim 5 , characterized in that the electronic device (7) is inserted into the cup (5) of the battery (1) before further process steps for forming the anode (13), the cathode (11) or the separator (15) take place.

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