CN101641969A

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: CN101641969A
Application number: CN200880009729A
Authority: CN
Inventors: L·J·平内尔; K·S·南琼达斯瓦迈; A·卡普兰
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 2007-03-26
Filing date: 2008-03-26
Publication date: 2010-02-03
Also published as: EP2140513A1; BRPI0809340A2; CN101641822A

Abstract

The invention provides secondary cell, these battery charge can be need not from device, to take out.In some concrete enforcements, the negative electrode of battery comprises the LiFePO as active material₄In some concrete enforcements, these batteries comprise carbon anode.The present invention also provides hearing aids that comprises this type of battery and the charger that is used for the battery recharge in the hearing aids.

Description

Have secondary cell and the hearing aids that is used for the electric contact of battery charge

Technical field

The present invention relates to be used for hearing aids secondary cell, be used for the negative electrode of this type of battery and be used for charger this type of battery recharge.

Background of invention

Battery is normally used energy source.Battery comprises negative pole that generally is called anode and the positive pole that generally is called negative electrode.Anode comprise can be oxidized active material; Negative electrode comprises or consumes the active material that can be reduced.Active material of positive electrode can reduce active material of cathode.

When using battery as energy source in device, anode and electrically contact with negative electrode makes electronics flow through device, generation separately oxidation and reduction reaction so that electric energy to be provided.And the contacted electrolyte of anode and negative electrode comprises the ion that flows through the dividing plate between electrode to keep cell integrated charge balance at interdischarge interval.

Rechargeable battery is also referred to as secondary cell, and comprising can be by the active material of charging regeneration.The structure that depends on them, when energy that these batteries produced is reduced to optimum efficiency when following, can be with they any recharging in many ways.Based on the chemical composition of battery, rechargeable battery can be subdivided into two primary categories.These two classifications, i.e. alkaline secondary cell and lithium secondary battery all comprise the battery pattern of many types.

Be that primary electrochemical cells is intended to only discharge (for example, be discharged to exhaust) once, and is promptly discarded then with secondary cell forms contrast.Primary cell does not plan to recharge.Primary cell for example is described among the Handbook of Batteries of David Linden (McGraw-Hill, the 2nd edition, 1995).Making active materials for use in secondary electrochemical cells can be recharged many times, for example, surpasses 50 times, surpass 100 times, or more times.In some cases, secondary cell can comprise firm relatively dividing plate, for example has those and/or thicker relatively those of many layers.Secondary cell also can be designed to adapt to the variation that may take place in battery, such as swelling.Secondary cell is described in for example Falk﹠amp; " Alkaline Storage Batteries " (JohnWiley﹠amp of Salkind; Sons, Inc.1969); United States Patent (USP) 345,124; In French Patent (FRP) 164,681, these patents are all incorporated this paper into way of reference in view of the above.

The standard hearing aids uses based on the button cell of zinc-aerochemistry effect (not chargeable) battery pack once.Zinc-aerochemistry effect is widely adopted owing to producing high-energy-density in small size.But regrettably, zinc-air battery has some restrictions that can be tending towards hindering user satisfaction.Because the performance time limit and storage life this two aspect, these batteries must every month be changed one to twice.Zinc-air battery communicates with air, and therefore there are the following problems: electrolyte can become dry and carbonization can accumulate on the cathodic coating, advances in the anode thoroughly thereby block air.Button cell is tending towards being difficult to allow the elderly change continually, because their sizes are little, thereby makes them be difficult to see and handle.

Summary of the invention

The inventor has developed button cell type lithium rechargeable battery, and wherein negative electrode comprises LiFePO₄These batteries have the desired characteristic that can be used for hearing aids and other application.For example, when being used for hearing aids, can be with these battery charge, and need not they are taken out from hearing aids.

In some concrete enforcements, lithium rechargeable battery as herein described is used for hearing aids, thereby can produces hearing aids cheaply.In some cases, battery as herein described is the rechargeable battery of quickly-chargeable.Before described battery need be replaced, they can provide and surpass 100 times circulation, usually hundreds of times or thousands of inferior circulation.Some preferred batteries have the capacity greater than about 5mAh, thereby allow with power dissipation service every day above 12 hours.

This LiFePO₄The base rechargeable battery has enough capacity, thereby every charging once can provide at least one day service time, and can be provided the daily service life in 1 to 3 year.These batteries also had 15 minutes or shorter time, the charging ability of preferred 5 minutes or shorter time.In addition, use LiFePO₄The preferred battery of negative electrode manufacturing generally can show good fail safe, quick charge capability (for example, 5 minutes or shorter time), good power density, consistent performance and environment receptivity.The quick charge capability of 5 minutes or shorter time can minimize user's inconvenient part (for example, in the application of hearing aids, hearing aids possibly can't use) between charge period.The ability of in device battery being charged can be eliminated the necessity for frequent taking-up and insertion battery.Preferred battery also provides excellent cycle life (＞1000 times) and storage life (3 years).

In some concrete enforcements, negative electrode and anode are folding electrode assembly form, or alternatively, are banded electrode form of reeling.The button-type shell can have less than about 0.5cm³Volume, 0.25cm for example³Or littler volume.The button-type shell has greater than 1 the diameter ratio to height.

In order to allow negative electrode and anode to fit in the button-type shell, at folding (for the folding electrode sub-assembly) before, negative electrode and anode are preferably extremely thin.In some concrete enforcements, negative electrode had the gross thickness less than 100 microns before folding, and anode had the gross thickness less than 75 microns before folding.

In one aspect, the invention is characterized in a kind of hearing aids, described hearing aids comprises: the hearing aids main body; Be arranged on the Hearing aid assembly in the main body; And with the secondary cell that is the button cell form of Hearing aid assembly electrical communication, this secondary cell is configured to rechargeable and need not to take out from the hearing aids main body.The hearing aids main body comprises electric contact, described electric contact be configured for battery charger on corresponding electric contact be electrically connected.

In some concrete enforcements, secondary cell comprises anode, comprises Li_(1-x)FePO₄Negative electrode (wherein 0≤x≤1) and the dividing plate between anode and the negative electrode.The hearing aids main body also can comprise covering, described covering be configured to covering therein cover first normal position of the electric contact on the hearing aids main body and wherein electric contact be exposed to move between second inflection point that is used to contact.

On the other hand, the invention is characterized in a kind of hearing aid device system, described system comprises: (a) hearing aids, and described hearing aids comprises: the hearing aids main body that (i) comprises electric contact; (ii) be arranged on the Hearing aid assembly in the main body; (iii) with the secondary cell that is the button cell form of Hearing aid assembly electrical communication, this secondary cell is configured to rechargeable and need not to take out from the hearing aids main body; (b) comprise the battery charger of contact, described contact be configured for the hearing aids main body on the contact be electrically connected.

On the other hand, the invention is characterized in a kind of hearing aids, described hearing aids comprises (a) Hearing aid assembly; (b) with the secondary cell that is the button cell form of Hearing aid assembly electrical communication, described battery comprises anode, negative electrode and the dividing plate between anode and negative electrode, and described negative electrode comprises Li_(1-x)FePO₄, 0≤x≤1 wherein.

Feature of the present invention also is to be used for the negative electrode of secondary cell, this negative electrode comprises substrate, described substrate comprises the arcuate section of two or more connections, makes when substrate folds negative electrode will have the shape of circular, and wherein substrate is coated with the active material that comprises lithium on two-sided.In some concrete enforcements, active material comprises LiFePO₄Feature of the present invention also is the folding electrode sub-assembly, and described sub-assembly comprises anode, negative electrode and the dividing plate that piles up and be folded to form the folding electrode sub-assembly of circular; And the button cell and the hearing aids that comprise this type of electrode assembly.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention is set forth in accompanying drawing and the following explanation.Also pass through described claims by this specification and accompanying drawing, other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent.

Summary of drawings

Fig. 1 is the diagrammatic view of the layered product that is used for the folding electrode sub-assembly before folding layered product.

Fig. 2 and 2A are the perspective view of hearing aids, and described hearing aids is configured to allow battery charge be need not it is taken out from hearing aids.

Fig. 3,3A and 3B are respectively perspective view, top view and the end view of charger, and described charger can be used to the battery recharge with the hearing aids shown in Fig. 2 and the 2A.

Fig. 4 is the perspective view that is inserted into a pair of hearing aids in the charger shown in Fig. 3 to 3B.

Fig. 4 A is the profile that the height of a wellhole of battery charger shown in Figure 4 amplifies.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

Described battery comprises the LiFePO that nominal forms₄Negative electrode, carbon anode, dividing plate and electrolyte as its active material. Some preferred batteries are the form of button cell. Described battery is secondary cell, that is, they are chargeable.

Negative electrode also can comprise adhesive. The thickness of negative electrode will depend on battery design and required performance characteristic.

Anode is generally carbon anode. Other suitable anode material can comprise the alloy-based anode lithium metal of aluminium, silicon or ashbury metal (for example, with) and various metal oxide.

This battery also will comprise dividing plate and electrolyte, as field of batteries is known. In battery as herein described, electrolyte does not generally consume during charging and discharging. Therefore, electrolytical amount is determined by pore volume available in the electrode.

This battery uses the folding electrode design with isolated negative electrode and anode to increase surface area, as shown in Figure 1. In the case,negative electrode 9 is laminated on theanode 11, and its median septum (not shown) is sprayed on anode and the negative electrode or is laminated between them. As shown in Figure 1, gained folding electrode sub-assembly had desired shape when electrode cutting was folded up with convenient layered product, and described shape is used for being included in the battery (situation at Fig. 1 is button cell) of particular type. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, each electrode all can comprise a plurality ofarcuate sections 10, and described part connects byfleece 12. Therefore, when arcuate section is folded in when going up each other, the gained folding electrode be circular and can be fitted in the button-type shell.

Each electrode (negative electrode and anode) all can be made in the following way: suitable material on substrate and the dual coating with substrate is provided, but for example for the anode carbon coating, but and for the mixture of negative electrode application of adhesive, conductive carbon and active material. Preferably, for negative electrode, the coating on each side be about 30 microns to 45 micron thickness, so that total cathode thickness was about 70 microns to 90 microns before folding. For anode, preferably the coating on each side be about 15 microns to 20 micron thickness, so that total anode thickness was about 45 microns to 55 microns before folding. The substrate that is used for negative electrode can be for example aluminium foil, and can have about 8 microns to about 35 microns thickness. The substrate that is used for anode can be for example aluminium foil, and can have about 4 microns to about 35 microns thickness.

Folding they with before stacking by cylindrical volume, can with electrode (negative electrode and anode) individually punching become required shape and lamination or be assembled together. Top parts and the bottommost parts of stacking electrode assembly have opposite polarity, and have non-material area to be used for electrical connection and suitable battery equilibrium at their outer surface. Non-material area can form with any required technology, for example by the intermittent application substrate, form by mask or by the part that removes coating from required position for non-material area. Dividing plate can be sprayed to both the upper so that assemblings of any or its in the electrode, or it can be the stand-alone assembly that is laminated between negative electrode and the anode.

Alternatively, can substitute stacking folding electrode design with the banding pattern winding battery. In some cases, because the cause of tolerance limit may be difficult to utilize this design in the battery of height less than 3mm. Yet an advantage of strip-cell is, can use high-speed winding and do not require that electrode assembly has special shape. Strip-cell is different from other winding battery part and is that their aspect ratio is lower, usually less than about 2.3, and in some implementations less than 1.0, for example 0.4 to 0.8. Aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of the diameter of the height of battery and winding battery. Strip-cell has low aspect ratio owing to their height is very little. Strip-cell can provide good heat dissipation, because the high surface area of electrode can be near the tank surface.

The performance characteristic of these batteries can advantageously allow with they be in device for example the mode in the audiphone charge. Be applicable to be shown among Fig. 2 and the 2A with an example of the audiphone 100 that charges of mode in device. Audiphone 100 comprisesmain body 102, and described main body comprises thepart 104 that is configured to be placed in user's ear. Battery compartment door 106 (Fig. 2 A) is arranged onpedestal 108 places of main body. The adjacent cells compartment door be pair of slidingcontact door 110, described sliding-contact door covers also protects a pair of electric contact (not shown). Sliding-contact door 110 is designed to partly come deflection by the co-operating of battery charger, thereby exposes electric contact in order to connect with the corresponding contact of charger.

Fig. 3 and 3A show theaudiphone charger 120 of two audiphone such as theaudiphones 100 that can charge simultaneously.Audiphone charger 120 comprises twowellholes 122, thepedestal 108 of two audiphones can be placed in the described wellhole. Shown in Fig. 4 A the best, each wellhole includessidewall 124, and described sidewall comprises top 121, the straightsided shapemiddle part 123 of inclination and the bottom 125 that ends at the inclination oflower surface 127. The geometry on top 121 can help audiphone is directed in thewellhole 122, and the geometry ofmiddle part 123 and bottom 125 is then corresponding to the shape of audiphone main body. Eachwellhole 122 includes a pair ofelectric contact 126, and described electric contact is arranged on the pedestal of wellhole and sentences the electric contact that just contacts audiphone. As shown in Figure 4,electric contact 126 protrudes from thebottom 125 ofsidewall 124, and is configured to the sliding-contact door 110 of audiphone is pushed open to the next door, thereby exposes the contact of following audiphone in order to engage with theelectric contact 126 of charger.

Can be in the short time (for example, 5 minutes or shorter time) battery charge be need not to make the user of hearing aids be easier to keep the normal operation of their hearing aids significantly its ability of from hearing aids, taking out.

Embodiment

LiFePO₄Chemical substance is evaluated and tested by using it for three kinds of button cell big envelopes (being derived from #312, #13 and the #675 of Duracell zinc-air battery product line).At first in AA type and AAA type cylindrical battery, measured LiFePO₄Cathode capacities, charge rate and the cycle life of/C base chemical substance, the result is as shown in table 1 below.

Table 1:LiFePO₄The cathode performance of/C base chemical substance

Battery types and design	Cathode thickness (cm)	The cathode capacities mAh/cm that shows²	The charge rate that shows (5 minutes)	The cycle life that in the AA/AAA pattern, shows
Battery types and design	Cathode thickness (cm)	The cathode capacities mAh/cm that shows²	The charge rate that shows (5 minutes)	The cycle life that in the AA/AAA pattern, shows	AA reels	??0.0180	??1.35	Charged in 5 minutes＞90% charging	＞100 times
AAA reels	??0.0090	??0.59	Charged to 10% charging in 10 seconds	＞2000 times	AA reels	??0.0180	??1.35	Charged in 5 minutes＞90% charging	＞100 times

Based on these data, estimated the performance of this chemical substance in the button cell of various sizes, as shown in table 2 below.

Table 2: the LiFePO of button cell yardstick and expectation₄The performance of/C chemical substance

Hours of service in the estimation hearing aid device:

LiFePO₄The hours of service of/C rechargeable battery is based on power dissipation and reduces to that the hypothesis of 2.5V estimates.The hours of service of the various battery types that estimated and charging interval are shown in the following table 3.

Table 3: hours of service and charging interval

Estimated value in the table 3 clearly illustrates that the rechargeable battery of all three kinds of patterns all can satisfy the needs of the discharge time of 12 hours every days by firm power.In addition, these rechargeable batteries can use hundreds of to thousands of times, and the charging interval between the circulation is very short.

Embodiments more of the present invention have now been described.But should be appreciated that under the condition that does not deviate from spirit and scope of the invention and can carry out various modifications.

For example, although above described battery disclosed herein in conjunction with the application of hearing aids, but these batteries also can be used for many other application, such as but not limited to: the low energy system that is used for monitor temperature, pressure and other parameter, safety device, lock, reflector, remote controller, and the mechanical crank flashlight of LED base.

Battery as herein described can comprise LiFePO₄Negative electrode and lithium titanate anode, and can be the form of low-voltage button cell, they can be compatible with the used voltage of most of present hearing aidss.

Therefore, other embodiment is also within the scope of following claim.

Claims

1。A kind of hearing aids, described hearing aids comprises:

The hearing aids main body;

Be arranged on the Hearing aid assembly in the described main body; With

With the secondary cell of the button cell form of described Hearing aid assembly electrical communication, described secondary cell is configured to rechargeable and need not to take out from described hearing aids main body;

Wherein said hearing aids main body comprises electric contact, described electric contact be configured for battery charger on corresponding electric contact be electrically connected.

2. hearing aids as claimed in claim 1, wherein said secondary cell comprise anode, negative electrode and the dividing plate between described anode and described negative electrode, and described negative electrode comprises Li_(1-x)FePO₄, 0≤x≤1 wherein.

3. as claim 1 or the described hearing aids of claim 2, wherein said hearing aids main body also comprises covering, and first normal position and wherein said electric contact that described covering is configured to can described therein covering to cover the electric contact on the described hearing aids main body are exposed to move between second inflection point that is used to contact.

4. the described hearing aids of each claim as described above, wherein said battery has the capacity greater than about 0.5mAh.

5. the described hearing aids of each claim as described above, wherein said battery had five minutes or the charging ability of shorter time.

6. hearing aids as claimed in claim 2, wherein said anode comprises carbon.

7. hearing aids as claimed in claim 2, wherein said negative electrode and anode are folding electrode assembly form.

8. hearing aids as claimed in claim 2, wherein said negative electrode and anode are banded electrode form of reeling.

9. the described hearing aids of each claim as described above, wherein said button-type shell has less than about 5cm³Volume.

10. hearing aid device system, described system comprises:

(a) hearing aids, described hearing aids comprises:

(i) comprise the hearing aids main body of electric contact;

(ii) be arranged on the Hearing aid assembly in the described main body; With

(iii) with the secondary cell of the button cell form of described Hearing aid assembly electrical communication, described secondary cell is configured to rechargeable and need not to take out from described hearing aids main body; With

(b) comprise the battery charger of contact, described contact be configured for described hearing aids main body on the contact be electrically connected.

11. hearing aid device system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said battery charger comprises the main body that limits wellhole, and described hearing aids can be arranged in the described wellhole so that charging.

12. hearing aid device system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said battery charger are configured to simultaneously with two hearing aids chargings.

13. hearing aid device system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said secondary cell comprise the dividing plate between anode, negative electrode and described anode and the described negative electrode, described negative electrode comprises Li_(1-x)FePO₄, 0≤x≤1 wherein.

14. hearing aid device system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said hearing aids main body also comprises covering, and first normal position and wherein said electric contact that described covering is configured to can described therein covering to cover the electric contact on the described hearing aids main body are exposed to move between second inflection point that is used to contact.

15. hearing aid device system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said battery charger comprise as the lower part: as described in part be configured to when as described in the hearing aids main body be inserted into as described in the battery charger time can with as described in covering from as described in primary importance deflect to as described in the second place.