Methods to form biocompatible energization elements for biomedical devices comprising laminates and deposited separators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9899700-B2
Application number	US-201514687351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to form biocompatible energization elements are described. In some examples, the methods and apparatus to form the biocompatible energization elements involve forming cavities comprising active cathode chemistry and depositing separators within a laminate structure of the battery. The active elements of the cathode and anode are sealed with a laminate stack of biocompatible material. In some examples, a field of use for the methods and apparatus may include any biocompatible device or product that requires energization elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a biocompatible energization element, the method comprising:
receiving a first substrate film of a first insulating material;
cutting a cavity in the first substrate film to form a cathode spacer layer, wherein an edge of the cavity defines a sidewall of the cavity;
receiving an anode film;
adhering a first surface of the cathode spacer layer to a first surface of the anode film;
depositing a separator into the cavity in the cathode spacer layer;
receiving a cathode slurry; and
placing the cathode slurry into the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, wherein the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer and a surface of the deposited separator contain the cathode slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a cathode contact film; and
adhering a second surface of the cathode spacer layer to at least a portion of a first surface of the cathode contact film.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
receiving a first packaging film comprising a film stack wherein one layer is a metallic moisture barrier; and
adhering the first packaging film to at least a portion of a second surface of the cathode contact film.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:
receiving a second packaging film comprising a film stack wherein one film layer is a metallic moisture barrier; and
adhering the second packaging film to at least a portion of a second surface of the anode film.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
adhering the biocompatible energization element to a portion of a biomedical device, wherein the cathode slurry is contained at least partially by the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, by the first packaging film and by the second packaging film.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the biocompatible energization element is added to an insert of a biomedical device, wherein the biocompatible energization element is sealed within the insert, wherein the cathode slurry is contained at least partially by the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer and by the insert.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding an electrolyte formulation upon the separator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the adding of the electrolyte formulation upon the separator is performed before the placing of the cathode slurry.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the cathode slurry comprises manganese dioxide.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the manganese dioxide comprises electrolytic manganese dioxide.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising processing of the cathode slurry to remove large particulates.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein particle sizes are less than approximately 70 microns.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the particle sizes are less than approximately 25 microns.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the processing to remove large particulates comprises ball milling.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the processing to remove large particulates comprises jet milling.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first substrate film is polyethylene terephthalate.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the cutting of the cavity in the first substrate film utilizes a laser.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the method of adhering comprises activating a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple cavities are cut into the cathode spacer layer, and the separator is deposited into at least two of the multiple cavities.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
electroplating a zinc layer upon the anode film before adhering the first surface of the anode to the first surface of the cathode spacer layer, wherein the surface of the electroplated zinc layer subsequently becomes the first surface of the anode film.

22. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:
electrically contacting the biocompatible energization element to an electronic circuit; and
electrically contacting the electronic circuit to an electroactive element of a biomedical device.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising bending the device resulting from claim 22 to form a conical-shaped piece by joining two ends of the device resulting from claim 22 .

24. A method of forming a biocompatible energization element, the method comprising:
receiving a first substrate film of a first insulating material;
cutting a cavity in the first substrate film to form a cathode spacer layer, wherein an edge of the cavity defines a sidewall of the cavity;
receiving an anode film;
depositing a separator onto a first surface of the anode film;
adhering a first surface of the cathode spacer layer to a first surface of the deposited separator;
receiving a cathode slurry; and
placing the cathode slurry into the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, wherein the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer and the first surface of the deposited separator contain the cathode slurry.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:
receiving a cathode contact film; and
adhering a second surface of the cathode spacer layer to at least a portion of a first surface of the cathode contact film.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:
receiving a first packaging film comprising a film stack wherein one layer is a metallic moisture barrier; and
adhering the first packaging film to at least a portion of a second surface of the cathode contact film.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:
receiving a second packaging film comprising a film stack wherein one film layer is a metallic moisture barrier; and
adhering the second packaging film to at least a portion of a second surface of the anode film.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
adhering the biocompatible energization element to a portion of a biomedical device, wherein the cathode slurry is contained at least partially by the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer, by the first packaging film and by the second packaging film.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the biocompatible energization element is added to an insert of a biomedical device, wherein the biocompatible energization element is sealed within the insert, wherein the cathode slurry is contained at least partially by the sidewall of the cavity in the cathode spacer layer and by the insert.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the biomedical device is a contact lens.

Assignees

• Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

Inventors

• Otts Daniel B
• Pugh Randall B
• Riall James Daniel
• Toner Adam
• Flitsch Frederick A
• Mahadevan Shivkumar

Classifications

• H01M50/477

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H01M50/133

  Thickness · CPC title

• H01M50/141

  for protecting against humidity · CPC title

• H01M50/124

  having a layered structure · CPC title

• H01M50/121

  Organic material · CPC title