HK1231631B - Battery - Google Patents

Description

Battery

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of reusable batteries and in particular to batteries activated by adding a liquid such as water.

Background Art

Conventional, off-the-shelf AA and AAA batteries tend to deteriorate over time. This can cause serious problems when battery performance reliability is important, such as in emergency situations where batteries are needed to power flashlights, radios, mobile phones, or other potentially life-saving electronic devices.

In seeking to address this problem, water-activatable batteries have been developed that can be stored in an inactivated state (i.e., wherein water has not yet mixed with the electrolyte powder mix within the battery to activate the electrolyte powder mix) for relatively long periods of time without appreciable loss of battery performance when the battery is subsequently activated by the addition of water.

However, existing water-activated batteries also have certain drawbacks, including the fact that their structure and material composition are still considered too complex and expensive for mass production. The structure of existing water-activated batteries also makes it possible for parts of the battery to be accidentally lost, rendering the battery unusable. This is, of course, undesirable, particularly in emergency situations.

Furthermore, during battery production, problems tend to occur when filling the battery housing with electrolyte powder. Specifically, as the electrolyte is injected into the battery housing, the electrolyte powder tends to clog the delivery channels, requiring frequent cleaning. This problem of clogged channels causes unacceptable delays and inefficiencies in battery production, impacting overall production costs.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention seeks to alleviate at least one of the problems discussed above in connection with the prior art.

The present invention may be embodied in several broad forms. Embodiments of the present invention may include one or any combination of the different broad forms described herein.

In a first broad form, the invention provides a battery comprising:

a housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, the electrolyte being disposed within the chamber;

a conductive surface located within the chamber adjacent an inner surface of the housing and configured to be in electrical communication with an anode terminal of a battery;

a permeable separator positioned within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface;

a conductive rod having a first end configured to be in electrical communication with a cathode terminal of the battery and a second end configured to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte; and

an opening disposed within the housing;

wherein the housing includes at least first and second portions movably attached to one another, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between at least a first attachment position in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second attachment position in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the first and second parts are movable relative to each other by at least one of a sliding, rotating, pivoting, twisting, pulling and pushing movement.

Typically, the first and second portions of the housing may comprise valved portions of the housing to controllably allow liquid to enter the chamber.

Preferably, the housing may comprise a plastic material. More preferably, the plastic may comprise a recyclable plastic material.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a conductive lining of the housing.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a zinc material.

Preferably, the conduction surface may include at least one of the following formations: a lightening portion, a slot, and a series of apertures extending generally along the elongate axis of the conduction surface.

Preferably, the at least one of the lightening portion, the slot and the series of apertures is formed as a cutout of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the anode terminal may be arranged within a first end portion of the housing, said first end portion comprising a combination of plastics material and metal material.The plastics region may concentrically surround a core formed of the metal material.

Preferably, the present invention may include a spring configured to be positioned within the housing to provide electrical communication between a conductive surface of the housing and the anode terminal.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise generally spherical particles having a diameter generally in the range of about 0.2-0.8 mm.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise particles having a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, the granules may comprise a water content of approximately 3% or less.

In a second broad form, the invention provides a battery comprising:

a plastic housing having an inner surface defining a chamber in which an electrolyte is disposed;

a conductive surface located within the chamber and adjacent an inner surface of the housing and configured to be in electrical communication with an anode terminal of the battery;

a permeable separator positioned within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface;

a conductive rod having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to be in electrical communication with a cathode terminal of the battery and the second end being configured to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte; and

An opening is arranged in the housing to allow liquid to enter the chamber to activate the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the plastic may comprise a recyclable plastic material.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a conductive lining of the housing.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a zinc material.

Preferably, the conductive surface may include at least one of the following formations: a lightening portion, a slot, and a series of apertures extending generally along the elongate axis of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the at least one of the lightening portion, the slot and the series of apertures is formed as a cutout of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the anode terminal is arrangeable in a first end portion of the housing, said first end portion comprising a combination of plastic material and metal material.

Preferably, the plastic region may concentrically surround a core formed from the metal material.

Preferably, the present invention may include a spring configured to be positioned within the housing to provide electrical communication between a conductive surface of the housing and the anode terminal.

Preferably, the housing comprises at least first and second portions movably attached to one another, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between at least a first attachment position in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second attachment position in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the first and second parts are movable relative to each other by at least one of a sliding, rotating, pivoting, twisting, pulling and pushing movement.

Preferably, the first and second portions of the housing may comprise portions of a valve of the housing to controllably allow liquid to enter the chamber.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise generally spherical particles having a diameter generally in the range of about 0.2-0.8 mm.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise particles having a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, the granules may comprise a water content of approximately 3% or less.

In a third broad form, the invention provides a battery comprising:

a housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, the electrolyte being disposed within the chamber;

a conductive surface located within the chamber and adjacent an inner surface of the housing and configured to be in electrical communication with an anode terminal of the battery;

a permeable separator positioned within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface;

a conductive rod having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to be in electrical communication with a cathode terminal of the battery and the second end being configured to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte; and

an opening disposed in the housing to allow liquid to enter the chamber to activate the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod;

The conductive surface includes at least one of the following structures: a weight reduction portion, a slot, and a series of openings extending generally along the elongated axis of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the housing may comprise a plastic material. More preferably, the plastic may comprise a recyclable plastic material.

Typically, the conductive surface may comprise a conductive lining of the housing.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a zinc material.

Preferably, the at least one of the lightening portion, the slot and the series of apertures is formed as a cutout of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the housing may include at least first and second portions movably attached to one another, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between at least a first attachment position in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second attachment position in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the first and second parts are movable relative to each other by at least one of a sliding, rotating, pivoting, twisting, pulling and pushing movement.

Preferably, the first and second portions of the housing may comprise portions of a valve of the housing to controllably allow liquid to enter the chamber.

Preferably, the anode terminal is disposed within the first end portion of the housing, said first end portion comprising a combination of plastic material and metal material.

Preferably, the plastic region may concentrically surround a core formed from the metal material.

Preferably, the present invention may include a spring configured to be positioned within the housing to provide electrical communication between a conductive surface of the housing and the anode terminal.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise generally spherical particles having a diameter generally in the range of about 0.2-0.8 mm.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise particles having a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, the granules may comprise a water content of approximately 3% or less.

In a fourth broad form, the invention provides a battery comprising:

a housing having an inner surface defining a chamber, the electrolyte being disposed within the chamber;

a conductive surface located within the chamber and adjacent an inner surface of the housing and configured to be in electrical communication with an anode terminal of the battery;

a permeable separator positioned within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface;

a conductive rod having a first end configured to be in electrical communication with a cathode terminal of the battery and a second end configured to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte; and

an opening disposed in the housing to allow liquid to enter the chamber to activate the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod;

Wherein the anode terminal is disposed within a first end portion of the housing, the first end portion comprising a combination of plastic material and metal material.

Preferably, the plastic region may concentrically surround a core formed from the metal material.

Preferably, the present invention may include a spring configured to be positioned within the housing to provide electrical communication between a conductive surface of the housing and the anode terminal.

Preferably, the housing may comprise a plastic material. More preferably, the plastic may comprise a recyclable plastic material.

Typically, the conductive surface may comprise a conductive lining of the housing.

Preferably, the conductive surface may comprise a zinc material.

Preferably, the conductive surface may include at least one of the following formations: a lightening portion, a slot, and a series of apertures extending generally along the elongate axis of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the at least one of the lightening portion, the slot and the series of apertures is formed as a cutout of the conductive surface.

Preferably, the housing may include at least first and second portions movably attached to one another, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between at least a first attachment position in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second attachment position in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the first and second parts are movable relative to each other by at least one of a sliding, rotating, pivoting, twisting, pulling and pushing movement.

Preferably, the first and second parts of the housing may comprise parts of a valve of the housing for controllably allowing liquid to enter the chamber.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise generally spherical particles having a diameter generally in the range of about 0.2-0.8 mm.

Preferably, the electrolyte may comprise particles having a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, the granules may comprise a water content of approximately 3% or less.

In a fifth broad form, the present invention provides a method of filling a battery housing with electrolyte powder, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) forming the electrolyte powder into generally spherical particles having a diameter generally in the range of about 0.2-0.8 mm; and

(ii) Introducing the generally spherical particles into the battery housing.

Preferably, the substantially spherical particles may comprise a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, the generally spherical particles may comprise a water content of approximately 3% or less.

Preferably, the step of introducing the particles into the battery housing may comprise injecting the particles into the battery housing through a funnel.

Preferably, the present invention may include the step of shaking or vibrating the battery housing during or after the particles are introduced into the battery housing.

In a sixth broad form, the present invention provides a battery comprising a battery housing, the electrolyte powder being disposed within the battery housing according to the fifth broad form of the invention.

In another broad form, the invention provides a battery comprising:

a housing having an inner surface defining a chamber in which an electrolyte is disposed;

a conductive surface located within the chamber and adjacent an inner surface of the housing and configured to be in electrical communication with an anode terminal of the battery;

a permeable separator positioned within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface;

a conductive rod having a first end configured to be in electrical communication with a cathode terminal of the battery and a second end configured to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte; and

an opening disposed within the housing;

The housing is configurable between at least one of a first configuration in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second configuration in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

Preferably, the housing comprises at least first and second portions movably attached to one another, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another between at least a first configuration in which the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and a second configuration in which the opening is substantially unblocked to allow liquid to enter through the opening into contact with the electrolyte within the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of preferred but non-limiting embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG2 shows an enlarged side cross-sectional view of a first end of the first embodiment battery, illustrating one manner in which the first end portion may be removably attached to the cylindrical portion of the housing to controllably allow water ingress into the housing;

FIG3 illustrates a conductive lining configured for lining an interior surface of an enclosure according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG4 shows the conductive liner in sheet form before being rolled into a cylindrical configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The exemplary embodiment described herein comprises a battery that is activatable by controllably allowing a liquid to enter a chamber of the battery through an opening in the battery housing and come into contact with an electrolyte powder (104) within the chamber. This embodiment can be suitably constructed to conform to the standard shape and size requirements of off-the-shelf AA and AAA size batteries and provide an electrical output comparable to that of off-the-shelf AA and AAA size batteries.

Figure 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. The battery comprises a housing (101A, 101B, 101C) made of a biodegradable plastic material, the housing comprising a cylindrical portion (101A) disposed between first and second end portions (101B, 101C) attached to opposite ends of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing.

The first end portion (101B) of the housing is configured to be removably attached to the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing such that the first end portion is movable between at least a first attachment position in which water can enter through an opening disposed within the housing and a second attachment position in which water is blocked from entering the housing through the opening within the housing. When disposed in either the first or second attachment position, the first end portion (101B) of the housing is configured not to be separated or detached from the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing during normal use of the battery. In contrast, some existing water-activated batteries include a battery housing with an end cap that is detachable or separable from the housing (e.g., unscrewable from the housing) to allow the housing to be filled with water through an opening in the end of the housing. However, the end cap of such existing water-activated batteries can be easily lost or misplaced when separated or detached from the housing. Therefore, this problem can be alleviated by embodiments of the present invention.

FIG2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which a first end portion (101B) of the housing is rotatably attached to a cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing. In this exemplary embodiment, the first end portion (101B) of the housing includes a lip (202) extending around a circumference of the first end portion (101B), wherein when the first end portion (101B) is urged into the cylindrical portion (101A) during battery assembly, the lip (202) resiliently engages a recess (201) extending around an inner surface of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing. With the resilient lip (202) received in the recess (201), the first end portion (101B) can coaxially rotate relative to the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing between at least a first attachment position, whereby an opening (200C) disposed in the first end portion (101B) and an opening disposed in the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing are configured to align. When arranged in this first attachment position, water can enter the housing through the aligned openings by immersing the battery in water. Conversely, when the first end portion (101B) of the housing and the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing are rotated to the second attachment position, the opening (200C) arranged in the first end portion (101B) and the opening arranged in the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing are no longer aligned, and water can no longer enter the housing.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the first end portion (101B) of the housing and the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing can be movably attached to each other in other ways to controllably allow water to enter the housing during normal use of the battery, without being separated or separated from each other in this situation. For example, the first end portion (101B) of the housing and the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing can be slidably attached to each other and movable between a variety of attachment positions to controllably allow water to enter the housing. In one such embodiment, when the first end portion (101B) of the housing is pulled outward from the first end of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing to the first attachment position, the opening in the first end portion (101B) and the opening in the cylindrical portion (101A) can align to allow water to enter the housing. Conversely, when the first end portion (101B) is pushed inward from the first end of the housing, the openings can no longer align, and this prevents water from entering the housing. Alternatively still, the first end portion (101B) of the housing may be hingedly attached to the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing.

In yet another embodiment, the first end portion (101B) may not necessarily be movably attached to the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing. Other portions of the housing may be configured to be movably attached to each other in other manners and configurations to controllably allow water to enter the housing. For example, the first and second end portions (101B, 101C) of the housing may be fixed to the first and second ends of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing, respectively, and configured not to move at all. Alternatively, the opening in the housing may be arranged in the middle along the cylindrical portion (101A), and the cylindrical portion (101A) may include first and second movably attached portions to controllably allow water to enter the housing through the opening. To facilitate the manufacture and operation of embodiments of the present invention, a valve mechanism of the off-the-shelf type, such as a "twist-off valve," that is suitably shaped and sized, may be incorporated into the housing of the battery to allow water to controllably enter the housing.

As shown in FIG2 , the first end portion ( 101B) of the housing forms the anode terminal ( 200A) of the battery. Unlike certain other water-activated batteries, the first end portion ( 101B) is not formed entirely of metal, but rather is formed from a novel combination of biodegradable plastic and metal. The novel construction of the first end portion ( 101B) in an embodiment of the present invention, comprising a combination of metal ( 200A) and biodegradable plastic ( 200B), provides advantages over existing batteries in terms of reduced production costs (due to the use of less metal) and reduced overall battery weight. The metal material forms a core ( 200A) that extends from one side of the first end portion to the other and is concentrically surrounded by the plastic material ( 200B). When the first end portion (101B) is attached to the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing, the plastic periphery (200B) of the first end portion (101B) and the plastic material of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing can be configured to engage with each other with a certain amount of deformation, which can tend to provide a better hermetic seal than in some existing water-activated batteries. That is, in existing water-activated batteries that include metal end caps and metal housings, metal-to-metal engagement tends to form a poor seal. Even if an O-ring is included (which increases the cost and complexity of these existing batteries), the hermetic seal may not be as effective as the seal in the embodiments of the present invention.

The second end portion (101C) is rigidly fixed to the second end of the cylindrical portion (101A) to form an airtight seal between the second end portion (101C) and the second end of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing. In some embodiments, the second end portion (101C) can be integrally molded with the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing from a single piece of biodegradable plastic. An opening having a diameter of approximately 4 to 6 mm can be arranged in the center of the second end portion (101C), the opening being configured to allow a conductive cathode terminal (101C') to protrude through the opening. In this embodiment, the cathode terminal (101C') includes a stainless steel cover (101C') that is seated in the opening in a snug fit so as to also provide an airtight seal to the interior of the battery chamber. The carbon rod (103) extends into the battery housing so that one end of the carbon rod (103) is fixed to the steel cover (101C') and is in electrical communication therewith, and the other end of the carbon rod (103) extends into the housing so that the other end will be in electrical communication with the electrolyte (104) in the housing when the housing is filled with the electrolyte (104).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a cylindrically shaped conductive liner (102) is positioned within the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing, where the conductive liner (102) is located on or adjacent to the inner surface of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing to snugly complement the inner surface of the housing. The conductive liner (102) includes six spaced-apart cutout slots (102A) extending generally parallel to one another along an elongated axis of the conductive liner (102). During manufacture of this embodiment of the battery, the conductive liner (102) is inserted into the chamber of the housing through the open first end of the cylindrical portion (101A) before the first end portion of the housing is removably attached to the first end of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing.

The cylindrical conductive liner (102) is formed by rolling a zinc sheet having dimensions of approximately 0.5 mm in thickness, 45 mm in length, and 35.5 mm in width as shown in FIG4 . The cutout slots (102A) are each approximately 35 mm long and 2 mm wide. When the zinc sheet is rolled into a cylindrical shape, the diameter of the zinc liner is approximately 11.3 mm. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a lightening portion or a series of holes may extend along the extended length of the conductive liner instead of the slots. Although the slots are formed as cutouts in the zinc sheet in this embodiment, the slots may be integrally formed in the zinc sheet using molding techniques. Alternatively, the overall shape and configuration of the conductive liner with the slots, lightening portion, or series of holes arranged therein may be formed as a composite of two or more different zinc sheets bonded together using any suitable technique. The novel configuration of the plastic housing with the conductive liner (102) offers advantages over existing batteries including all-metal housings in terms of reduced production costs (due to the use of less metal) and reduced overall battery weight, without compromising battery performance.

A permeable separator (105) is also located within the battery housing and adjacent to the conductive liner, wherein the conductive liner (102) is positioned between the permeable separator (105) and the inner surface of the housing. The permeable separator (105) is formed by rolling a double layer of 0.08 mm Kraft paper into a cylindrical configuration that can be slid into place within the housing chamber during battery manufacturing while the first end portion (101B) is not yet attached to the first end of the housing. In alternative embodiments, synthetic or natural polymer materials can be used. The portion of the permeable separator (105) located adjacent to the second end of the housing is folded over to form an envelope for containing electrolyte (104) particles, which are injected into the battery housing from the first end of the housing through the first end of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing and then sealed by the first end portion (101B).

The electrolyte (104) includes metal oxide powders such as manganese dioxide, iron oxide, or crystalline silver oxide. In this embodiment, the electrolyte includes approximately 3% ammonium chloride particles, 16% zinc chloride particles, 68% manganese dioxide particles, 12.4% acetylene black particles, and 0.6% zinc oxide particles by weight.

The electrolyte (104) is ball milled using a rotary or planetary ball mill and ceramic balls such as carnilian. During testing, a laboratory ball mill with a volume of 500 ml was used with ceramic milling balls weighing 110 g and having a diameter of 22.4 mm or smaller balls weighing 190 g and having a diameter of 10.0 mm. Also during testing, 150 g of electrolyte was milled in each case. It should be understood that the ball milling of the electrolyte (104) can be appropriately scaled up to industrial sizes to accommodate larger production volumes. The electrolyte particles resulting from the ball milling process have a generally spherical configuration, a diameter in the range of about 0.2 to 0.8 mm, a density in the range of approximately 1.71 to 1.75 g/cm ³ , and a water content of approximately 3% or less. The embodiments of the present invention were assembled in a humidity-controlled environment, commonly referred to as a "dry room," to mitigate the risk of moisture adversely activating the electrolyte (104).

When the electrolyte (104) particles have been properly formed according to the process described above, and before the first end portion is attached to the cylindrical portion (101A), the electrolyte (104) particles are injected into the housing of the battery through a funnel into the envelope formed by the permeable separator (105). Certain existing equipment and processes have been used to fill the battery housing by introducing electrolyte powder into the battery housing through a funnel. However, compared to such existing equipment and processes, embodiments of the present invention utilizing the electrolyte particles described herein tend to reduce the occurrence of particle blockage within the funnel and, therefore, reduce the occurrence of delays in the production of such batteries. In addition, it has been found that the electrolyte particles shaped and sized according to embodiments of the present invention tend to naturally allow water to penetrate the bulk of the electrolyte within the housing more easily than other existing water-activated batteries.

During or after the electrolyte (104) particles are injected into the permeable separator (105) envelope, the housing is shaken or vibrated to assist in the placement of the electrolyte (104) particles within the permeable separator (105) envelope and to maximize the amount of electrolyte (104) particles stored within the housing. Although a plunger may also be used to further assist in urging the electrolyte (104) particles into the housing, this step may not be necessary to deliver an appropriate amount of electrolyte (104) particles into the housing of the battery. When the electrolyte (104) particles have been injected into the envelope formed by the permeable separator (105), the carbon rods (103) extending from the cathode terminal (101C') into the housing and into the envelope are surrounded by the electrolyte (104) particles to be in electrical communication with the electrolyte (104).

When the required amount of electrolyte has been injected into the housing, the permeable separator (105) is folded over the electrolyte (104) particles at the first end of the housing to substantially enclose the electrolyte (104) particles within the envelope. FIG1 shows a tapered coil spring (106) inserted into the housing, as shown in FIG2 , with the base (106A) of the coil spring (106) seated on the folded portion of the permeable separator (105) that encloses the electrolyte (104). The base (106A) of the coil spring (106) is wide enough to electrically communicate with the conductive lining (102) within the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing. The tapered end (106B) of the coil spring (106) is configured to electrically communicate with the metal core (200A) of the first end portion (101B) when the first end portion (101B) is attached to the first end of the housing. Conveniently, the presence of the coil spring (106) not only assists in retaining the permeable separator (105) folded over the envelope, but the coil spring (106) is configured to provide direct electrical communication between the conductive liner (102) and the anode terminal (200A) provided by the metal core (200A) disposed within the first end portion (101B) of the housing. This provides a significant improvement over other water-activated batteries that use a "membrane" or "retention member" to retain the permeable separator folded within the cell, but do not provide direct electrical communication between the conductive surface within the housing and the cell's anode terminal.

Once assembled, the battery embodiment is maintained in an inactive state until water ingress into the housing is achieved according to battery operation as described above. Conveniently, an elongated slit slot (102A) provided in the conductive liner (102) allows water delivered into the housing to flow relatively freely and evenly along the length of the cylindrical portion (101A) of the housing, thereby improving the total surface area contact of the water with the electrolyte (104) as the water passes from the slit slot (102A) through the permeable separator (105) into contact with the electrolyte (104). The permeable separator (105) enables water to be wicked from the area along the length of the slit slot (102A) in the conductive liner (102) and then wicked into contact with the electrolyte (104) through the permeable separator (105). Compared to certain existing water-activated batteries that may, for example, utilize corrugated metal sheets within the housing to conduct water along the battery housing through grooves within the corrugations, the use of cutout slots (102A) within the conductive liner (102) in embodiments of the present invention tends to provide at least comparable water flow within the housing while mitigating the loss of electrolyte storage volume within the housing. Additionally, the use of cutout slots (102A) within the conductive liner (102) (compared to the use of corrugated construction within the conductive sheets of existing batteries) can result in the use of less overall metal, which in turn reduces the overall cost per unit of manufacture and overall weight of batteries according to the present invention.

Once the water has properly come into contact with the electrolyte within the housing, the activated electrolyte (104) chemically reacts with the conductive lining (102) through the permeable separator (105), thereby generating a potential difference between the electrically isolated conductive rods (103) and the conductive lining (102). Although the permeable separator (105) disposed between the conductive lining (102) and the conductive rods (103) physically and electrically isolates them from each other, it allows positive ions generated as a result of the chemical reaction to flow freely from the conductive lining (102) through the permeable separator (105) toward the conductive rods (103) to continuously generate and maintain the potential difference. As a result, electrons can flow from the battery through the load device to power the load device.

Advantageously, because the battery embodiments of the present invention are maintained in an inactivated state prior to use, they have a significantly longer shelf life than conventional, off-the-shelf batteries intended for similar applications. In contrast, conventional types of batteries tend to deteriorate more quickly during storage due to the electrolyte powder mixture being activated during manufacture. While the embodiments of the present invention described herein are particularly well-suited for and intended for use during emergency situations due to their longer shelf life, the actual output performance of these battery embodiments may be comparable to or better than the expected power output of certain conventional batteries.

Advantageously, the structural design and material composition of the battery according to an embodiment of the present invention contribute to the ease of reusability and recyclability of the component parts. The various parts of the battery can be quickly and effectively separated from each other using automated machinery. Therefore, the separated parts can be collected and returned to the factory to be reused in the manufacture of new batteries without incurring the time, cost and energy of recycling these parts. By collecting these reusable component parts and transporting them in batches to a factory in a relatively cost-effective manufacturing jurisdiction, additional cost savings can be obtained.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art should be considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as broadly described hereinabove. It should be understood that the present invention includes all such variations and modifications. The present invention also includes all steps and features referenced or indicated in this specification, either individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Claims (13)

1. A battery, the battery comprising: A housing having an inner surface defining a chamber in which the electrolyte is disposed; A conductive surface located in the interior and adjacent to the inner surface of the housing, and the conductive surface is configured to be electrically connected to the anode terminal of the battery; A permeable insulating sheet, located within the housing and configured to electrically isolate the electrolyte from the conductive surface; A conductive rod having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to be electrically connected to the cathode terminal of a battery, and the second end of the conductive rod being configured to be electrically connected to the electrolyte; and An opening arranged in the housing; The housing includes at least first and second portions movably attached to each other, the first and second portions being movable relative to each other between at least a first attachment position and a second attachment position. In the first attachment position, the opening is substantially blocked to prevent liquid from entering the housing through the opening, and in the second attachment position, the opening is substantially open to allow liquid to enter through the opening and contact the electrolyte in the chamber, thereby activating the battery by generating a potential difference between the conductive surface and the conductive rod; and The opening arranged in the housing is configured to allow the liquid to enter the interior through the opening when the housing is immersed in liquid, without having to force the liquid into the opening. 2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are movable relative to each other by at least one of sliding, rotating, pivoting, twisting, pulling, and pushing movements. 3. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second portions of the housing include a valve portion of the housing to controllably allow liquid to enter the chamber. 4. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing comprises a plastic material. 5. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductive surface comprises the conductive liner of the housing. 6. The battery according to claim 5, wherein the conductive surface comprises a zinc material. 7. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductive surface comprises at least one of the following configurations: a weight reduction portion, a slot, and a series of openings extending substantially along an extended axis of the conductive surface. 8. The battery according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the weight reduction portion, the slot, and the series of openings is formed as a cutout in the conductive surface. 9. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anode terminal is disposed within a first end portion of the housing, the first end portion comprising a combination of plastic and metal materials. 10. The battery of claim 9, wherein the plastic region concentrically surrounds a core formed of a metallic material. 11. The battery of claim 1 or 2, wherein the battery includes a spring configured to be positioned within the housing for providing electrical communication between the conductive surface of the housing and the anode terminal. 12. The battery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrolyte comprises generally spherical particles having a diameter in the range of 0.2-0.8 mm. 13. The battery of claim 12, wherein the electrolyte comprises particles with a density in the range of 1.71 g/ ^cm³ to 1.75 g/ ^cm³ .