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BatteryRelated Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical Current Producing Apparatus, Product, And Process, Current Producing Cell, Elements, Subcombinations And Compositions For Use Therewith And Adjuncts, Include Electrolyte Chemically Specified And MethodBattery description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060172194, Battery. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to batteries. BACKGROUND [0002] Batteries, such as alkaline batteries, are commonly used as electrical energy sources. Generally, a battery contains a negative electrode and a positive electrode. The negative electrode contains an active material (e.g., zinc particles) that can be oxidized; and the positive electrode contains an active material (e.g., manganese dioxide) that can be reduced. The active material of the negative electrode is capable of reducing the active material of the positive electrode. In order to prevent direct reaction of the active material of the negative electrode and the active material of the positive electrode, the electrodes are electrically isolated from each other by a separator. [0003] When a battery is used as an electrical energy source in a device, such as a cellular telephone, electrical contact is made to the electrodes, allowing electrons to flow through the device and permitting the respective oxidation and reduction reactions to occur to provide electrical power. An electrolyte in contact with the electrodes contains ions that flow through the separator between the electrodes to maintain charge balance throughout the battery during discharge. SUMMARY [0004] In one aspect, the invention features an alkaline battery including a positive electrode having a copper material (such as, for example, copper oxide), and an alkaline electrolyte having a dissolved aluminum material (such as, for example, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, Al(OH).sub.3, aluminum metal, or an alkali metal aluminum oxide). In some cases, the copper material can dissolve in the alkaline electrolyte, which can lower the capacity and/or shelf life of the battery. The presence of aluminum ions can reduce, e.g., suppress, the solubility of the copper material in the alkaline electrolyte, thereby enhancing the storage life and/or capacity of the battery. [0005] In another aspect, the invention features a battery including a housing, a positive electrode in the housing, the positive electrode including a copper material, a negative electrode in the housing, a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution in the housing, the electrolytic solution including dissolved aluminum material. [0006] Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The copper material includes copper oxide. The copper material includes cupric oxide. The positive electrode includes greater than about 86 weight percent of copper oxide. The positive electrode further includes a binder and a conductive aid. The negative electrode includes zinc. The electrolytic solution is alkaline. The electrolytic solution includes a material selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. The electrolytic solution is saturated with aluminum material. The electrolytic solution includes greater than about one percent by weight of aluminum. [0007] In another aspect, the invention features a primary alkaline battery including a housing, a positive electrode in the housing, the positive electrode including greater than about 86 weight percent of copper oxide, a negative electrode in the housing, the negative electrode including zinc, a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an alkaline electrolytic solution in the housing, the electrolytic solution including a hydroxide material and dissolved aluminum. The electrolytic solution can include between about one and about eight weight percent of aluminum. [0008] In another aspect, the invention features a battery including a housing, a positive electrode in the housing, the positive electrode including a copper material, a negative electrode in the housing, a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and an electrolytic solution in the housing, the electrolytic solution including a first material capable of reducing the amount of the copper material dissolved in the electrolytic solution relative to the amount of the copper material dissolved in a substantially identical electrolytic solution substantially free of the first material. [0009] The copper material can include copper oxide. The first material can include soluble aluminum. [0010] The invention also features methods of making a battery. [0011] In another aspect, the invention features a method of making a battery including providing a positive electrode including a copper material into a housing, dissolving a material including aluminum to an electrolytic solution, and adding the electrolytic solution into the housing. [0012] Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The positive electrode includes copper oxide. The method includes saturating the electrolytic solution with the soluble material including aluminum. The soluble material including aluminum is selected from the group consisting of aluminum metal, aluminum oxide, aluminum hydroxide, and an alkali metal aluminum oxide. The method further includes adding a negative electrode comprising zinc into the housing. [0013] In another aspect, the invention features a method of making a battery including providing a positive electrode including a copper material, providing a first electrolytic solution, adding a first material to the first electrolytic solution, the first material being capable of reducing the amount of copper material dissolved in the first electrolytic solution relative to an amount of copper material dissolved in a substantially identical electrolytic solution substantially free of the first material, and incorporating the positive electrode and the electrolytic solution into the battery. The first material can include soluble aluminum. [0014] In another aspect, the invention features a method including providing an electrode comprising an active material, and reducing the solubility of the active material in an electrolytic solution. The electrode can be a positive electrode, and the active material can include copper. Reducing the solubility can include dissolving aluminum material into the electrolytic solution. Alternatively or in addition, the aluminum can be dissolved during discharge of the battery. [0015] In another aspect, the invention features a method of operating a battery including providing the battery including a positive electrode including a copper material, an electrolytic solution, and a negative electrode, and dissolving the negative electrode into the electrolytic solution during discharge of the battery, wherein the solubility of the copper material in the electrolytic solution is reduced. The negative electrode can include an aluminum material. [0016] The battery can be a primary battery or a secondary battery. Primary batteries are meant to be discharged, e.g., to exhaustion, only once, and then discarded. Primary batteries are not intended to be recharged. Secondary batteries can be recharged for many times, e.g., more than fifty times, more than a hundred times, or more. In some cases, secondary batteries can include relatively robust separators, such as those having many layers and/or that are relatively thick. Secondary batteries can also be designed to accommodate for changes, such as swelling, that can occur in the batteries. Secondary batteries are described, e.g., in Falk & Salkind, "Alkaline Storage Batteries", John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 345,124; and French Patent No. 164,681, all hereby incorporated by reference. [0017] Other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawing, description, and claims. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0018] The FIGURE is a cross-sectional view of a battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] Referring to the FIGURE, a battery or electrochemical cell 10 includes a cylindrical housing 18 containing a positive electrode 12, a negative electrode 14, and a separator 16 between the electrodes. Positive electrode 12 includes an active copper material, such as copper oxide, and negative electrode 14 includes an active zinc material. Battery 10 also includes a current collector 20, a seal 22, and a metal top cap 24, which serve as the negative terminal for the battery. Positive electrode 12 is in contact with housing 18, and the positive terminal of battery 10 is at the end of the battery opposite from the negative terminal. An electrolytic solution is dispersed throughout battery 10. Continue reading about Battery... Full patent description for Battery Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Battery patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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