High discharge rate multicell battery

Claim 2

The multicell battery of claim 1 in which the thickness of each cell together with an intercell connector layer does not exceed five hundreths of an inch.

Claim 3

The multicell battery of claim 1 in which each electrode layer comprises a binder matrix containing electrochemically active material.

Claim 4

The multicell battery of claim 1 in which the positive electrode comprises manganese dioxide, the negative electrode comprises zinc, and the electrolyte comprises an acidic solution of ammonium chloride and/or zinc chloride.

Claim 5

The multicell battery of claim 1 wherein each electrode layer comprises a binder matrix containing electrochemically active material and each intercell connector layer comprises a non-conductive matrix containing electrically conductive material, and means including said matrices for adhering together the confronting faces of each pair of adjacent layers formed by said matrices, and bonding means for adhering together the confronting faces of each said electrolyte containing layer and each adjacent electrode layer, for establishing throughout said battery adherence between said faces with said electrical bonds therebetween.

Claim 6

The multicell battery of claim 1 in which the thickness of each positive electrode layer dos not exceed 0.025 inch.

Claim 7

A thin, high discharge rate battery of the LeClanche type including a multiplicity of electrically conductive layers arranged in cooperative electrical association with one another for establishing a multicell battery which, in the absence of external pressure applied to said conductive layers, is characterized by a cathode efficiency of at least 5 percent on a continuous current drain of 200 milliamperes per square inch of anode, the voltage per cell during the entire time of applying said current drain being at least 1 volt, said electrically conductive layers comprising a plurality of series-connected cells each of which includes a positive electrode Layer separated from a negative electrode layer by an adhesive, ionically conductive aqueous electrolyte-containing separator layer with its opposite faces adhering to the confronting faces of said electrode layers and providing ionic conductivity between them, said adherence of said confronting faces rendering the conductivity therebetween substantially independent of compressive forces developed by external application of pressure, an electrolyte impervious intercell connector layer disposed between each pair of adjacent cells, with its opposite faces adhered to the confronting faces of the electrodes of said adjacent cells, a pair of current collector layers one face of one of them being adherent to the confronting face of a positive electrode layer of one terminal cell and one face of the other of them being adherent to the confronting face of the negative electrode layer of the other terminal cell, said adherence between said intercell connector layers and between said current collector layers with their associated electrode layers rendering the conductivity therebetween substantially independent of compressive forces developed by external application of pressure, the peripheral faces of each intercell connector layer and each said current collector layer extending beyond the periphery of said positive and negative electrode layers, and means including said peripheral faces of said intercell connector layers and of said current collector layers for providing an electrolyte impervious border seal around each cell without development of compressive forces against the electrically conductive layers of each cell.

Claim 8

The multicell battery of claim 8 wherein the thickness of each positive electrode layer is less than 0.022 inch for establishing a cathode efficiency of at least 10 percent on current drains of 100 milliamperes per square inch of anode, the voltage per cell during the entire time of applying the current drain being at least 0.75 volt.

Claim 9

The multicell battery of claim 8 wherein the thickness of each positive electrode layer is less than 0.015 inch for establishing a cathode efficiency of at least 10 percent on current drains of 500 milliamperes per square inch of anode, the voltage per cell during the entire time of applying current drain being at least 0.75 volt.

Claim 10

The multicell battery of claim 8 including four cells cooperatively associated for producing at least 11 pulses of 1.1 seconds duration with a load of 3.33 ohms at a voltage of at least 4 volts, the rest interval between pulses being 3 seconds.

Claim 11

The multicell battery of claim 8 wherein each electrode layer comprises a binder matrix containing electrochemically active material and each intercell connector layer comprises a non-conductive matrix containing electrically conductive material, and means including said matrices for adhering together the confronting faces of each pair of adjacent layers formed by said matrices, and bonding means for adhering together the confronting faces of each said electrolyte-containing layer and each adjacent electrode layer, for establishing throughout said battery adherence between said faces with electrical bonds therebetween.

Claim 12

The multicell battery of claim 12 including four cells cooperatively associated for producing at least 11 pulses of 1.1 seconds duration with a load of 3.33 ohms at a voltage of at least 4 volts, the rest interval between pulses being 3 seconds.