Abstract: An electrochemical cell and an electrode for use in an electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell has a container, a positive electrode disposed in the container and having a wall defining an interface surface, a negative electrode disposed in the container, a separator located between the positive and negative electrodes, and an electrolyte. The second electrode has a unitary piece of electrochemically active material having multiple openings formed in a circumferential surface. The unitary piece may include a slotted tube, first and second members, or a coiled strip.

Abstract: A flat, flexible electrochemical cell is provided. The within invention describes various aspects of the flat, flexible electrochemical cell. A printed anode is provided that obviates the need for a discrete anode current collector, thereby reducing the size of the battery. An advantageous electrolyte is provided that enables the use of a metallic cathode current collector, thereby improving the performance of the battery. Printable gelled electrolytes and separators are provided, enabling the construction of both co-facial and co-planar batteries. Cell contacts are provided that reduce the potential for electrolyte creepage in the flat, flexible electrochemical cells of the within invention.

Abstract: An energy system for delivering current to a load is provided. The energy system comprises a first energy source and a second energy source electrically connected in parallel. The first energy source comprises an electrochemical capacitor, and the second energy source comprises an electrochemical cell. The cell comprises a container, a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the ratio of the electrode interfacial area of said cell, in square centimeters, to the container volume of said cell in cubic centimeters, is not more than about 27 cm−1.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell and an electrode for use in an electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell has a container, a positive electrode disposed in the container and having a wall defining an interface surface, a negative electrode disposed in the container, a separator located between the positive and negative electrodes, and an electrolyte. The second electrode has a unitary piece of electrochemically active material having multiple openings formed in a circumferential surface. The unitary piece may include a slotted tube, first and second members, or a coiled strip.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display of the present invention includes a first electrode provided on a substrate, a first liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the first electrode, a second electrode provided on and in contact with the first liquid crystal layer, a second liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the second electrode, and a third electrode provided on and in contact with the second liquid crystal layer. The display may further include a third liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the third electrode, and a fourth electrode provided on and in contact with a third liquid crystal layer. By reducing the thickness of the liquid crystal layers relative to a conventional liquid crystal display, and by providing a plurality of liquid crystal layers, the voltage level required to cause the liquid crystal display to change visual states is substantially reduced without affecting the degree of visual change exhibited by the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A battery construction is disclosed that includes a housing and a spiral-wound electrode assembly disposed in the housing and defining at least two electrochemical cells that are electrically connected in series. Both of the cells include wound layers of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a polymer electrolyte provided between the positive and negative electrode layers. The layers of each successive electrochemical cell are wound around the layers of the previous cell and are preferably separated therefrom by an insulating layer. By utilizing a polymer electrolyte, the need for expensive microporous separator layers is eliminated as is the need for providing separate sealed containers to construct a multi-cell battery. Thus, a less-expensive and space-efficient multi-cell spiral-wound electrode construction may be obtained.

Abstract: The battery testing circuit of the present invention preferably includes a substrate, a display printed on the substrate for displaying a level of discharge of a battery, a display driver circuit coupled to the display and to the battery for receiving power from the battery to drive the display, and a battery discharge level sensing circuit coupled to the display and to the battery for sensing a discharge level of the battery and for supplying a display signal representing the sensed discharge level to the display. At least one of the circuits is printed on the substrate using processable conductive polymer materials as ink layers. Preferably, the battery discharge level sensing circuit component continuously senses the discharge level and the display continuously displays the discharge level. The display is preferably a field-responsive liquid crystal display made of either polymer liquid crystal or polymer dispersed liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display of the present invention includes a first electrode provided on a substrate, a first liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the first electrode, a second electrode provided on and in contact with the first liquid crystal layer, a second liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the second electrode, and a third electrode provided on and in contact with the second liquid crystal layer. The display may further include a third liquid crystal layer provided on and in contact with the third electrode, and a fourth electrode provided on and in contact with a third liquid crystal layer. By reducing the thickness of the liquid crystal layers relative to a conventional liquid crystal display, and by providing a plurality of liquid crystal layers, the voltage level required to cause the liquid crystal display to change visual states is substantially reduced without affecting the degree of visual change exhibited by the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: The battery tester of the present invention includes a heating element for generating heat in response to current supplied from a battery, and an indicator provided in proximity to the heating element for providing a visual indication of the remaining capacity of the battery in response to the heat generated by the heating element. The heating element has a display portion and first and second connecting portions on either side of the display portion that are selectively coupled to opposite terminals of the battery. The connecting portions of the heating elements have a lower resistivity than the display portion thereby reducing the heat generated at the switch contacts that are pressed by the user to activate the tester.

Abstract: A cathode is comprised of a major amount of active cathode material and a binding amount of an ionically nonconductive prepolymeric composition. Polymer electrolyte electrochemical cells can be made using these cathodes.

Abstract: A tester for use in determining the voltage and state-of-charge of a battery. The tester can be permanently mounted on the battery and employs an electrochromic cell which changes visual appearance, for example, color or intensity of color when electrically connected across the terminals of a battery. The electrochromic cell undergoes an oxidation/reduction reaction on direct application of the DC potential of the battery. The color of the electrochromic cell can be compared with a color comparison chart to determine the condition of the battery. The tester can be permanently electrically connected to the battery or, preferably, can be connected momentarily to determine the state of the battery.

Abstract: The battery tester of the present invention includes a heating element coupled to opposite terminals of a battery for generating heat in response to current supplied from the battery, and an indicator provided in proximity to the heating element. The indicator has a visual property that changes in response to the heat generated by the heating element. According to the present invention, at least a portion of the heating element is made of a variable resistivity material having a resistivity that changes in response to ambient temperature. By using a variable resistivity material that has a resistivity that increases as ambient temperature increases, a thermochromic on-label battery tester may be provided that is automatically calibrated to provide an accurate indication of the remaining battery capacity regardless of the ambient temperatures at which the battery tester may be used.

Abstract: The thermochromic battery tester comprises a conductive heating element having one end including at least two switch pads for selective coupling of the conductive heating element to a second terminal of the battery. Each of the switch pads provides a different resistivity for the heating element when pressed, to thereby change the calibration of the tester for different discharge rates. The battery tester further includes discharge rate calibration indicia associated with each of the switch pads for indicating which switch pad to press for proper calibration at a relative rate of discharge. The conductive heating element may have at least a portion thereof made of a variable resistivity material having a resistivity that changes in response to ambient temperature so as to compensate for varying ambient temperatures. Preferably, the variable resistivity material has a resistivity that increases as ambient temperature increases.

Abstract: A label for electrochemical cell employs an electrochromic material so that when the material is connected to power provided by the electrochemical cell, the material will undergo a visible change as a result of a chemical reaction.

Abstract: A tester label for electrochemical cells employing two spaced apart electrically conductive electrochromic electrodes in which an ionically conductive electrolyte is disposed on the electrodes and in the space between the electrodes to produce a two-layer tester for batteries so that when the electrodes are applied to a power source, the electrochromic electrodes will undergo a chemical reaction and exhibit a change of color thereby producing a color contrast between them.

Abstract: A cell tester device for use on an electrochemical cell which comprises an electrolyte containing a cathodically reducible metal ion that changes its visible appearance when it is reduced upon application of a power source.

Abstract: A tester for use in determining the voltage and state-of-charge of a battery. The tester can be permanently mounted on the battery and employs an electrochromic cell which changes visual appearance, for example, color or intensity of color when electrically connected across the terminals of a battery. The electrochromic cell undergoes an oxidation/reduction reaction on direct application of the DC potential of the battery. The color of the electrochromic cell can be compared with a color comparison chart to determine the condition of the battery.The tester can be permanently electrically connected to the battery or, preferably, can be connected momentarily to determine the state of the battery.

Abstract: An ionically nonconductive cathode for an electrochemical cell having a polymeric electrolyte which is plasticizable or swellable with addition of an electrolyte salt solution, the cathode comprising an active cathode material of at least about 50% by volume of the cathode.

Abstract: A cell tester device for use on an electrochemical cell which comprises a printed transparent electrically conductive electrode disposed on a plastic film, an ionically conductive electrochromic electrolyte printed on the electrode, and a conductive layer printed on the electrolyte.

Abstract: A battery is provided with an end-of-cell voltage indicating device which can be used to indicate the state-of-charge of the battery. The indicating device has a flexible substrate of the same peripheral configuration as the battery. The substrate has an indicating coating on one surface which is in thermal or electrical contact with a conductive circuit pattern which can be temporarily connected between the terminals of the battery on application of pressure to an indicated spot on the surface of the substrate. The conductive circuit means causes the indicating coating to undergo a visible change which is representative of the state-of-charge or voltage of the battery. A dual end-switched, integral battery and state-of-charge indicating device having two switches disposed on one end of the battery is also disclosed.