Button Battery Soluble Gasket for Ingestion-Triggered Internal Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Button batteries pose a significant risk of severe injury or death upon accidental ingestion, particularly in children and individuals with mental limitations, due to the potential for short circuits and chemical reactions in the digestive tract.
Innovation Solution
A gasket for single cell cylindrical batteries is designed with a soluble dielectric material that forms a mechanical seal and incorporates a switchable electrical conductor, which remains passive until ingested and dissolves in bodily fluids, allowing the conductor to establish an internal short circuit to prevent external discharge and minimize harmful reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a button battery uses a traditional non-soluble gasket and electrical insulation, then it maintains electrical isolation between terminals during normal operation, but it causes severe external short circuit injuries when ingested due to inability to prevent current flow through digestive tract
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket material's solubility parameter is changed from non-soluble to soluble in bodily fluids. The patent specifies using water-soluble polymers like polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) that dissolve at body temperature (37°C), transforming the gasket from a permanent insulator to a temporary one that disappears when needed for safety
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is pre-configured with a soluble gasket and conductive bridge in a controlled state before ingestion. The soluble gasket is installed to provide normal electrical insulation, and the conductive bridge is pre-positioned but blocked. Upon ingestion, the gasket automatically dissolves to activate the safety mechanism without requiring any action from the victim
2Reliability
If a button battery incorporates a soluble gasket material, then it enables automatic safety activation upon ingestion through dissolution in bodily fluids, but it complicates the battery structure and manufacturing process
Solution Approach 1:
The soluble gasket performs multiple functions simultaneously: (1) provides electrical insulation between terminals during normal battery operation, (2) acts as a biodegradable carrier for the conductive bridge material, (3) serves as a trigger mechanism that dissolves in bodily fluids to activate safety, and (4) maintains mechanical seal integrity during manufacturing and storage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket is constructed as a composite material system combining water-soluble polymer matrices (PVA, CMC, or HPMC) with embedded conductive bridge materials (silver chloride, graphite, or conductive polymer). This composite structure integrates the insulation, carrier, and trigger functions into a single manufacturable component that dissolves uniformly to release the conductive bridge
3Reliability
If a button battery uses a conductive bridge that is always active, then it provides continuous electrical connection between terminals, but it causes constant self-discharge and reduces battery shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive bridge is pre-installed in the battery but its electrical connection function is preliminarily blocked by the soluble gasket. This preliminary blocking prevents the harmful effect of self-discharge during storage while maintaining the capability for future activation. The bridge is ready to function but restrained until the dissolution event removes the restriction
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents external short circuits and reduces the risk of injury by discharging the battery internally, minimizing harmful reactions and reducing the likelihood of serious consequences.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one first dielectric material 41 is soluble in water at 37 °C and 100 kPa
Data Source
Figure 1a~4
Figure 5a~5c
Figure 6a~9a
AI summary
The present invention relates to a single cell cylindrical battery, such as a button cell or a button battery, that can be regarded to have the shape of a slice of a cylinder, and to a method preventing upper digestive and upper respiratory tract injury after accidental ingestion of the single cell cylindrical battery. It is noted that in some case ingestion has even led to the death in particular of children or small size adults, or people with a mental limitation, or people with a prior narrowing of structures in which the battery can be lodged. The structures in which the battery can be lodged are both the pharyngeal, upper digestive and upper respiratory tracts. As ingestion itself can not always be prevented, a relatively safe battery has been developed, which mitigates problems associated with ingestion.