Lithium-iodine battery

Claim 2

A LITHIUM-IODINE CELL COMPRISING: A. A CASING OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING MATERIAL; B. ANODE MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CASING AND COMPRISING AN ELEMENT OF LITHIUM HAVING AN EXPOSED SURFACE PORTION AND ANOTHER SURFACE PORRTION; C. ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID OTHER SURFACE PORTION AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CASING; D. MEANS FOR SEALING SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS FROM THE REMAINDER OF SAID CELL SAID SEALING MEANS COMPRISING A FERRULE SURROUNDING SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS IN SPACED, GENERALLY CONCENTRIC RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH AND A SEAL OF A MATERIAL WHICH IS NON-REACTIVE WITH IODINE BETWEEN SAID FERRULE AND SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS, SAID FERRULE BEING SEALED AT ONE END TO SAID ANODE MEANS AND EXTENDING ALONG THE PORTION OF SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS WITHIN SAID CASING; E. CATHODE MEANS COMPRISING IODINE-CONTAINING MATERIAL WITHIN SAID CASING AND IN OPERATIVE CONTACT WITH SAID EXPOSED SURFACE PORTION OF SAID LITHIUM ELEMENT AND WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF THE SURFACE OF SAID CASING IN A MANNER SUCH THAT SAID CASING SERVES AS A CATHODE CURRENT COLLECTOR; AND F. SAID SEALING MEANS SHIELDING SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS FROM SAID IODINE-CONTAINING MATERIAL AND ELECTRICALLY INSULATING SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS FROM SAID CASING; G. WHEREBY AN ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE EXISTS BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTOR MEANS AND SAID CASING DURING OPERATION OF SAID CELL.

Claim 3

A cell according to claim 1, wherein said electrical conductor means comprises an anode current collector in contact with said other surface portion of said lithium element and an electrical lead connected to said current collector and wherein said sealing means comprises: a. means covering the remainder of said current collector which is not in contact with said lithium element; and b. means enclosing said electrical lead.

Claim 4

A lithium-iodine cell comprising: a. a casing of electrically conducting material; b. anode means positioned within said casing and comprising an element of lithium having an exposed surface portion and another surface portion; c. electrical conductor means operatively connected to said other surface portion and extending from said casing, said conductor means comprising an anode current collector in contact with said other surface portion of said lithium element and an electrical lead connected to said current collector; d. means for sealing said conductor means from the remainder of said cell, said sealing means comprising means covering the remainder of said current collector which is not in contact with said lithium element and means enclosing said electrical lead, said enclosing means comprising a ferrule surrounding Said lead, said ferrule having one end adjacent said anode current collector, said ferrule having sufficient length so as to extend along the portion of said lead within said casing, a seal between said ferrule and said lead at said end of said ferrule adjacent said current collector, said seal being of a material which is non-reactive with iodine, and an hermetic seal between said ferrule and said lead at the other end of said ferrule; and e. cathode means comprising iodine-containing material within said casing and in operative contact with said exposed surface portion of said lithium element and with said casing; f. whereby an electrical potential difference exists between said conductor means and said casing during operation of said cell.

Claim 5

A lithium-iodine cell comprising: a. a casing of electrically conducting material; b. anode means positioned within said casing and comprising an element of lithium having an exposed surface portion and another surface portion; c. electrical conductor means operatively connected to said other surface portion and extending from said casing, said conductor means comprising an anode current collector in contact with said other surface portion of said lithium element and an electrical lead connected to said current collector; d. means for sealing said conductor means from the remainder of said cell, said sealing means comprising means covering the remainder of said current collector which is not in contact with said lithium element and means enclosing said electrical lead, said enclosing means comprising a ferrule surrounding Said lead, said ferrule having one end adjacent said anode current collector, said ferrule having sufficient length so as to extend along the portion of said lead within said casing, a seal between said ferrule and said lead at said end of said ferrule adjacent said current collector, said seal being of a material which is non-reactive with iodine, and an hermetic seal between said ferrule and said lead at the other end of said ferrule; and e. cathode means comprising iodine-containing material within said casing and in operative contact with said exposed surface portion of said lithium element and with said casing; f. whereby an electrical potential difference exists between said conductor means and said casing during operation of said cell.

Claim 6

A cell according to claim 3, wherein said first-named seal extends along the inside of said ferrule and meets said hermetic seal.

Claim 7

A cell according to claim 3, wherein said first-named seal is molded in said ferrule.

Claim 8

A cell according to claim 3, wherein said first-named seal comprises a plug threaded into said ferrule.

Claim 9

A lithium-iodine cell comprising: a. a casing of electrically conducting material; b. anode means positioned within said casing and comprising a pair of lithium elements each having an exposed surface portion and another surface portion; c. electrical conductor means operatively connected to said other surface portion of each of said lithium elements and extending from said casing, said conductor means comprising an anode current collector and an electrical lead connected to said current collector, said lithium elements being bonded together and against said current collector in a manner sealing said current collector between said elements; d. means for sealing said conductor means from the remainder of said cell; and e. cathode means comprising iodine-containing material within said casing and in operative contact with said exposed surface portion of said lithium element and with said casing; f. whereby an electrical potential difference exists between said conductor means and said casing during operation of said cell.

Claim 10

A lithium-iodine cell comprising: a. a casing of electrically conducting material; b. anode means positioned within said casing and comprising a pair of lithium elements each having an exposed surface portion and another surface portion; c. electrical conductor means operatively connected to said other surface portion of each of said lithium elements and extending from said casing, said conductor means comprising an anode current collector and an electrical lead connected to said current collector, said lithium elements being bonded together and against said current collector in a manner sealing said current collector between said elements; d. means for sealing said conductor means from the remainder of said cell; and e. cathode means comprising iodine-containing material within said casing and in operative contact with said exposed surface portion of said lithium element and with said casing; f. whereby an electrical potential difference exists between said conductor means and said casing during operation of said cell.

Claim 11

A cell according to claim 7, wherein said anode means further comprises a frame member continuously surrounding the peripheral edges of said lithium members in a manner sealing said edges, said electrical lead extending through said frame member.

Claim 12

A cell according to claim 7, wherein said sealing means comprises means enclosing said electrical lead.

Claim 13

A cell according to claim 8, wherein said sealing means comprises: a. a ferrule surrounding said lead, said ferrule having one end in sealing engagement with said frame, said ferrule having sufficient length so as to extend along the portion of said lead within said casing; b. a seal between said ferrule and said lead at said end of said ferrule adjacent said current collector, said seal being of a material which is non-reactive with iodine; and c. an hermetic seal between said ferrule and said lead at the other end of said ferrule.

Claim 14

A cell according to claim 10, wherein said first-named seal extends along the inside of said ferrule and meets said hermetic seal.

Claim 15

A cell according to claim 10, wherein said first-named seal is molded in said ferrule.

Claim 16

A cell according to claim 10, wherein said first-named seal comprises a plug threaded into said ferrule.

Claim 17

In a lithium-iodine cell including a casing and iodinecontaining cathode material in said casing: a lithium anode element in said casing and having a surface contacting said cathode material; and a frame member embracing said lithium element and having at least one surface portion thereof in firm contact with a portion of the inner surface of said casing so that substantially no iodine-containing cathode material is between the contacting surface portions of said frame member and said casing.

Claim 18

In a lithium-iodine cell including a casing and iodinecontaining cathode material in said casing: a lithium anode element in said casing and having a surface contacting said cathode material; and a frame member embracing said lithium element and having at least one surface portion thereof in firm contact with a portion of the inner surface of said casing so that substantially no iodine-containing cathode material is between the contacting surface portions of said frame member and said casing.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said casing is hollow rectangular in shape and sAid frame has a rectangular peripheral shape and wherein three peripheral surface portions of said frame are in contact with three inner surfaces of said casing.