Abstract: A process is recited for plating elongated current collectors with indium. The current collectors have particular utility in alkaline electrochemical cells, particularly zinc/manganese dioxide alkaline cells containing "zero-added" mercury. The process of the invention involves electroplating conductive wire with indium and then drawing the plated wire to a lesser diameter. The drawn plated wire may then be cut to the desired lengths, typically in the shape of a nail, for use as current collectors within the alkaline cell.

Abstract: A label for an electrochemical cell with a condition tester for the cell integrated with the label to form a label/tester composite is disclosed. The label/tester composite has a thermochromic material in thermal contact with an electrically conductive material. A substructure containing a cured conductive material and preferably also a thermochromic material is formed on a releasable web and transferred from the releasable web to the inside surface of the heat shrinkable base film. A partition coating may be applied over the transferred conductive material. Preferably, a sheet of paper or plastic film having a large window opening therein for entrapping air is applied over the partition coating and aligned over the heat generating portion of the conductive material. The label/tester composite is applied to the cell housing with the insulating paper or plastic film with window opening against the cell housing.

Abstract: A label for an electrochemical cell with a condition tester for the cell integrated with the label to form a label/tester composite is disclosed. The label/tester composite comprises a thermochromic coating in thermal contact with an electrically conductive coating. The label/tester composite is preferably constructed by applying an adhesive to the inside surface of a heat shrinkable base film forming part of the label. A substructure containing a cured conductive coating and preferably also a thermochromic coating is formed on a releasable web. The substructure is transferred from the releasable web to the inside surface of the heat shrinkable base film and in contact with a portion of the adhesive on the base film. A patterned partition insulating coating is then applied over the transferred conductive coating. The label/tester composite is applied to the cell housing. The integrated tester may be manually activated by depressing one or two regions on the surface of the composite.

Abstract: A light transparent moisture barrier useful for preventing moisture from destroying the effectiveness of a moisture sensitive cell condition tester on an electrochemical cell comprises a plurality of very thin, alternating layers of an inorganic material and an organic material on a flexible, polymeric substrate. The layers are not laminated, but are formed on the substrate by a deposition or coating process and the thickness of any layer is less than 5 microns. The organic material is a hydrophobic polymer and the inorganic material is a metal oxide, nitride, a glass or silicon.

Abstract: A label for an electrochemical cell with a condition tester for the cell integrated with the label to form a label/tester composite is disclosed. The label/tester composite has a thermochromic material in thermal contact with an electrically conductive material. A substructure containing a cured conductive material and preferably also a thermochromic material is formed on a releasable web and transferred from the releasable web to the inside surface of the heat shrinkable base film. A partition coating may be applied over the transferred conductive material. Preferably, a sheet of paper or plastic film having a large window opening therein for entrapping air is applied over the partition coating and aligned over the heat generating portion of the conductive material. The label/tester composite is applied to the cell housing with the insulating paper or plastic film with window opening against the cell housing.

Abstract: A smart battery which provides electrical power and which reports predefined battery parameters to an external device having a power management system, includes: at least one rechargeable cell connected to a pair of terminals to provide electrical power to an external device during a discharge mode and to receive electrical power during a charge mode, as provided or determined by the remote device; a data bus for reporting predefined battery identification and charge parameters to the external device; analog devices for generating analog signals representative of battery voltage and current at said terminals, and an analog signal representative of battery temperature at said cell; a hybrid integrated circuit (IC) having a microprocessor for receiving the analog signals and converting them to digital signals representative of battery voltage, current and temperature, and calculating actual charge parameters over time from the digital signals, the calculations including one calculation according to the followin

Abstract: A condition indicator assembly (tester) for determining the condition of a main cell, e.g. a battery, is disclosed. The condition indicator assembly may comprise an electrochemical indicator cell connected in series to a auxiliary cell. The indicator cell and auxiliary cell each have an anode, cathode and electromotive force (e.m.f.) of its own. The condition indicator assembly may be permanently connected in parallel to the terminals of a main cell being tested. The condition indicator assembly is thin enough that it may be interated into a label for the main cell. As the main cell discharges, the indicator cell anode clears proportionally to the discharge of one of the electrodes of the main cell to provide a continuous visually discernible indication of the state of charge of the main cell.

Abstract: A package for a battery or other article, comprising a sheet of material bent or folded along a plurality of substantially parallel fold lines 21, 22, 25, 26 to define an upwardly extending substantially flat panel region 15, an upper end locating region 11 extending forwardly from the lower extremity of the said panel region, a first limb 3 extending obliquely downwardly and rearwardly from the forward extremity of the end locating region, a second limb 5 extending obliquely forwardly and downwardly and defining with the first limb a V-section channel region, a lower end locating region 13 extending rearwardly from the lower limb, and a rear panel region 17 extending upwardly from the rear extremity of the lower end locating region and secured to the first mentioned panel region 15.

Abstract: A light transparent moisture barrier useful for preventing moisture from destroying the effectiveness of a moisture sensitive cell condition tester on an electrochemical cell, comprises a plurality of very thin layers of amorphous silicon nitride and a hydrophobic fluorocarbon polymer on a flexible, polymeric substrate. The layers are formed on the substrate by a deposition process such as sputtering. The thickness of any individual layer is less than one micron.

Abstract: A sealing and insulating member for a cylindrical galvanic cell wherein said member comprises a plurality of vent membranes of non-circular configuration. The seal can readily be made from mineral filled polyolefin material by injection molding.

Abstract: A label for an electrochemical cell with a condition tester for the cell integrated with the label to form a label/tester composite is disclosed. The label/tester composite comprises a thermochromic coating in thermal contact with an electrically conductive coating. The label/tester composite is preferably constructed by applying an adhesive to the inside surface of a heat shrinkable base film forming part of the label. A substructure containing a cured conductive coating and preferably also a thermochromic coating is formed on a releasable web. The substructure is transferred from the releasable web to the inside surface of the heat shrinkable base film and in contact with a portion of the adhesive on the base film. A patterned partition insulating coating is then applied over the transferred conductive coating. The label/tester composite is applied to the cell housing. The integrated tester may be manually activated by depressing one or two regions on the surface of the composite.

Abstract: A thermochromic apparatus for testing dc voltage sources, particularly small, low voltage disposable batteries, employs a very thin resistive heater layer deposited onto a flexible dielectric substrate. A series of thermochromic elements are "stacked" (mounted on top of one another) at a single thermochromic site proximate the resistive heater. During testing current from the battery flows through the resistive layer heats the substrate, causing a series of thermochromic elements mounted on the substrate to undergo visual "temperature events" (such as color changes) at progressively higher temperatures. The thermochromics may be stacked in a series of discrete films, each film containing a dye for one temperature event. Alternatively, the thermochromics may be contained in microcapsules in a common film.

Abstract: A package for a battery or other article, comprising a sheet of material bent or folded along a plurality of substantially parallel fold lines (21, 22, 25, 26) to define an upwardly extending substantially flat panel region (15), an upper end locating region (11) extending forwardly from the lower extremity of the said panel region, a first limb (3) extending obliquely downwardly and rearwardly from the forward extremity of the end locating region, a second limb (5) extending obliquely forwardly and downwardly and defining with the first limb a V-section channel region, a lower end locating region (13) extending rearwardly from the lower limb, and a rear panel region (17) extending upwardly from the rear extremity of the lower end locating region and secured to the first mentioned panel region (15).

Abstract: A system for bonding a condition indicator to an electrochemical cell is disclosed. The system employs an electrically conductive adhesive which bonds the indicator to a terminal of the cell. The terminal contact surface for the adhesive is desirably of tin. The adhesive contains metallic flakes and is preferably a thermally activated polyesterpolyurethane adhesive or a thermosetting adhesive containing acrylate monomers.

Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of manganese dioxide by a chemical process. The resulting product takes the form of gamma manganese dioxide particles characterized by filament-like protrusions of ramsdellite manganese dioxide jutting out from the surface of the particles. The manganese dioxide particles having such features can be manufactured by reacting manganese sulfate with sodium peroxodisulfate in an aqueous solution. The process can be controlled to yield high density manganese dioxide. The manganese dioxide formed in the process can be deposited directly onto the surface of electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD). The manganese dioxide product is particularly suitable for use as a cathode active material in electrochemical cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to alkaline cells containing manganese dioxide cathode active material. A substance selected from the group of compounds CaWO.sub.4, MgTiO.sub.3, BaTiO.sub.3, CaTiO.sub.3, ZnMn.sub.2 O.sub.4, and Bi.sub.12 TiO.sub.20 is added to the cathode of conventional alkaline cells typically having an anode comprising zinc and cathode comprising manganese dioxide and an alkaline electrolyte. The additive increases the service life of the cell.

Abstract: A metal support disk for an electrochemical cell seal exerts a resilient outward radial force against the seal to maintain seal integrity over a wide range of operating temperature and, at the same time, exerts an upward force against the bottom of the metal end cap terminal of the cell to assure electrical contact between the anode inside the cell and the terminal. The disk includes a central, circular platform connected to an outer, sealing edge sealing flange by an annular flexure means which permits radially inward and outward movement of the sealing edge when the end of the cell is radially crimped during the sealing process. The crimping also moves the central portion of the disk up which results in the upward force being exerted against the end terminal. The flexure means is a sequential series of three annular, curved fibs with the first and third curved downward and the second curved upward.

Abstract: The invention relates to alkaline cells containing manganese dioxide cathode active material. A substance selected from the group of compounds Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, PbO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2, Co.sub.3 O.sub.4, CoO, Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3.3ZrO.sub.3 and K.sub.2 Cr.sub.2 O.sub.7 is added to the cathode of conventional alkaline cells typically having an anode comprising zinc and cathode comprising manganese dioxide and an alkaline electrolyte. The additive increases the specific capacity (amp-hr/g) of the manganese dioxide in the cathode.

Abstract: Goods which come in different sizes, shapes, numbers, etc. are packed in assemblies which comprise a tray and a plurality of open-top box-like modules which sit snugly side-by-side in the tray. Each module is prepacked and contains only one size, shape etc. goods. At its destination the loaded assembly, usually along with other loaded assemblies, becomes the display package for the different size, shape, etc. goods. The method of the invention utilizes a lap-top computer working with a mainframe by which the order is placed and immediately gives pricing information. In the case of a custom or tailored order of different numbers of various sizes of goods, the computer is able to indicate whether the order will make up a complete shipment of packing assemblies, with the correct number of pre-filled modules to fill the trays with none left over.

Abstract: A thermochromic apparatus for testing dc voltage sources, particularly small, low voltage disposable batteries, employs a very thin resistive heater layer deposited onto a flexible dielectric substrate. A series of thermochromic elements are "stacked" (mounted on top of one another) at a single thermochromic site proximate the resistive heater. During testing current from the battery flows through the resistive layer heats the substrate, causing a series of thermochromic elements mounted on the substrate to undergo visual "temperature events" (such as color changes) at progressively higher temperatures. The thermochromics may be stacked in a series of discrete films, each film containing a dye for one temperature event. Alternatively, the thermochromics may be contained in microcapsules in a common film.