Electrochemical device with crimp ring closure and method

{
  "publication_number": "US9601723B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Electrochemical device with crimp ring closure and method",
  "abstract": "Electrochemical device and method. The electrochemical device has an electrochemical module and an enclosure configured to enclose the electrochemical module. The enclosure has an electrically conductive first housing portion forming a first rim and an electrically conductive second housing portion forming a second rim, the first housing portion and the second housing portion, when the first rim of the first housing portion substantially abuts the second rim of the second housing portion, forming, at least in part, a volume configured to enclose the electrochemical device. The enclosure further has a substantially non-conductive grommet positioned between the first rim and the second rim, and a crimp ring engaging the first rim and the second rim, the crimp ring being configured to secure the first housing portion with respect to the second housing portion. The grommet is further positioned between the crimp ring and the first rim and the second rim.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An electrochemical device, comprising: an electrochemical module; and an enclosure configured to enclose said electrochemical module having a side wall, comprising: an electrically conductive first housing portion forming a first rim having a first curled lip creating a first contact surface around and orthogonal to said side wall and a first channel opposite said first contact surface; an electrically conductive second housing portion forming a second rim having a second curled lip creating a second contact surface around and orthogonal to said side wall and a second channel opposite said second contact surface, said first housing portion and said second housing portion, when said first contact surface of said first rim of said first housing portion substantially abuts said second contact surface of said second rim of said second housing portion, forming, at least in part, a volume configured to enclose said electrochemical device; a substantially non-conductive grommet positioned between said first contact surface of said first rim and said second contact surface of said second rim; a crimp ring engaging said first channel of said first rim and said second channel of said second rim with a compressive force, said crimp ring being configured to secure said first housing portion with respect to said second housing portion; and said grommet being further positioned between said crimp ring and said first curled lip of said first rim and second curled lip of said second rim.",
    "2. The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion are configured to contact said electrochemical module and provide electrical contacts for said electrochemical module in first and second locations, respectively.",
    "3. The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein said first housing portion and second housing portion are irregularly shaped.",
    "4. The electrochemical device of claim 3 wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion each have a major surface having an edge, wherein said edge comprises at least one linear portion.",
    "5. The electrochemical device of claim 3 wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion each have a major surface having an edge, wherein said edge comprises at least one linear portion and at least one non-linear portion.",
    "6. The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein said grommet comprises: a first grommet portion positioned between said first rim and said second rim; and a second grommet portion being positioned between said crimp ring and said first rim of said first housing portion and between said crimp ring and said second rim of said second housing portion.",
    "7. The electrochemical device of claim 6 wherein said second grommet portion comprises a first segment positioned between said crimp ring and said first rim of said first housing portion and a second segment positioned between said crimp ring and said second rim of said second housing portion.",
    "8. The electrochemical device of claim 6 wherein said first grommet portion has a first hardness having a value, wherein said second grommet portion has a second hardness having a value, and wherein said value of said first hardness of said first grommet portion is less than said value of said second hardness of said second grommet portion.",
    "9. The electrochemical device of claim 6: wherein said crimp ring comprises opposing longitudinal edges; and wherein at least one of said first rim of said first housing portion and said second rim of said second housing portion form a lip having a contact surface, said contact surface being configured to contact, at least in part, said first grommet portion; and wherein each of said lip of said at least one of said first rim of said first housing portion and said lip of said second rim of said second housing portion is configured to admit at least a portion of said second grommet portion and a respective one of said longitudinal edges of said crimp ring.",
    "10. The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein said crimp ring comprises a plurality of non-continuous segments.",
    "11. The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein said crimp ring engages around a periphery of said first rim of first housing portion and said second rim of second housing portion."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to electrochemical devices and, in particular, to electrochemical devices having multi-part housings having closures.\n\nElectrochemical modules or devices such as batteries, capacitors and the like are well known in the art. Conventionally, such electrochemical modules are housed in an enclosure. Such enclosures commonly function to substantially isolate the electrochemical module from a surrounding environment, both to maintain the integrity of the electrochemical module and to prevent the materials of the electrochemical module from interacting with environmental materials.\n\nOne type of electrochemical module contained within an enclosure is a so-called button cell battery. Button cell batteries conventionally incorporate metallic housing portions which contact the battery contained within. As a result of the contact, each housing portion functions as an electrical contact for the battery, with one housing portion functioning as an anode contact and the other housing portion a cathode contact. A user of the button cell battery may insert the battery into a circuit such that positive and negative terminals of the circuit contact the appropriate housing portion. Consequently, utilizing a metal housing provides both protection against environmental conditions and convenient electrical contacts.\n\nButton cell batteries, and other batteries constructed along similar lines, may further take advantage of the metallic housing to create relatively tight friction contacts between the housing portions.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01M 50/56",
    "H01M 10/0422",
    "H01M 10/0427",
    "H01M 2/0222",
    "H01M 2/0227",
    "H01M 2/0413",
    "H01M 2/046",
    "H01M 2/0465",
    "H01M 50/109",
    "H01M 50/152",
    "H01M 50/153",
    "H01M 50/167",
    "H01M 50/171",
    "H01M 50/184",
    "H01M 50/191",
    "Y02E 60/10",
    "Y02P 70/50",
    "Y10T 29/49002"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01G 9/08",
    "H01M 50/167",
    "H01M 50/184",
    "H05K 13/00",
    "H01M 10/04"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Medtronic Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Christian S. Nielsen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-10-31",
  "publication_date": "2017-03-21",
  "grant_date": "2017-03-21",
  "priority_date": "2012-10-31",
  "application_number": "US-201213665306-A",
  "family_id": "49667559",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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    "US4725515A",
    "JPH02112149A",
    "JPH06222366A",
    "JPH0869785A",
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    "US20040166406A1",
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  ]
}