In situ rechargeable battery and charging stand

Abstract

A secondary button cell battery that is particularly suited for use in hearing aid appliances, and an associated charging station. Recharging is accomplished without direct conductive connection between the source of the energy and either the battery or its appliance. Radio frequency energy is harvested in an enclosed chamber in a charging station and applied to the recharging of the button cell. Such energy is harvested by the use of one or more energy harvesting diodes connected in parallel with the battery. Multiple diodes connected in parallel or serial may be used to adjust charging current or voltage or both. Charge control is provided by directly or indirectly detecting the level of charge on the cell. Where the associated appliance is a hearing aid, the charge level detection may be accomplished acoustically by determining the characteristics of the sound emitted by the hearing aid, and charging is accomplished with the cell within the hearing aid appliance.

1 . A secondary battery in the form of a button cell, said secondary battery comprising:
 a positive case element;   a negative case element, said positive and negative case elements being spaced from one another by a gasket cleft;   a dielectric gasket element sealingly and electrically insulatively positioned in said gasket cleft;   a substantially sealed battery chamber bounded by said positive and negative case elements and substantially sealed by said dielectric gasket element; and   a diode chargingly associated with said secondary battery, said diode being adapted to harvesting at least radio frequency energy and chargingly supplying such harvested energy to said secondary battery.   
     
     
         2 . A secondary battery of  claim 1  wherein said diode is positioned in said gasket cleft. 
     
     
         3 . A secondary battery of  claim 1  including a plurality of said diodes. 
     
     
         4 . A secondary battery of  claim 1  wherein said diode is connected in parallel with said secondary battery. 
     
     
         5 . A secondary battery of  claim 1  wherein said diode is also adapted to harvesting photo energy. 
     
     
         6 . A secondary battery in the form of a button cell, said secondary battery comprising:
 a positive case element;   a negative case element, said positive and negative case elements being spaced from one another and defining a gasket cleft therebetween;   a dielectric gasket element sealingly and electrically insulatively positioned in said gasket cleft;   a substantially sealed battery chamber bounded by said positive and negative case elements and substantially sealed by said dielectric gasket element; and   secondary battery chemistry compressively confined in said battery chamber and adapted to undergoing a plurality of discharge-recharge cycles, said secondary battery chemistry being adapted to inherently undergoing volumetric change during a said discharge-recharge cycle, said secondary battery being adapted to maintaining said secondary battery chemistry compressively confined in said battery chamber substantially throughout a plurality of said discharge-recharge cycles.   
     
     
         7 . A secondary battery of  claim 6  wherein said positive and negative case elements are sufficiently resilient to accommodate said volumetric change without suffering permanent deformation. 
     
     
         8 . A secondary battery of  claim 6  wherein said secondary battery chemistry includes at least two reactants separated by a flexibly configured separator, said flexibly configured separator being adapted to flexibly accommodate said volumetric change. 
     
     
         9 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A secondary battery in the form of a button cell, said secondary battery comprising:
 a positive case element;   a negative case element, said positive and negative case elements being spaced from one another to define a gasket cleft therebetween;   a dielectric gasket element sealingly and electrically insulatively positioned in said gasket cleft to form a substantially sealed battery chamber bounded by said positive and negative case elements and substantially sealed by said dielectric gasket element;   a diode chargingly associated with said secondary battery, said diode being adapted to harvesting at least radio frequency energy and chargingly supplying such harvested energy to said secondary battery; and   secondary battery chemistry compressively confined in said battery chamber and adapted to undergoing a plurality of discharge-recharge cycles, said secondary battery chemistry being adapted to inherently undergoing volumetric change during a said discharge-recharge cycle, said secondary battery being adapted to maintaining said secondary battery chemistry compressively confined in said battery chamber substantially throughout a plurality of said discharge-recharge cycles.   
     
     
         13 .- 15 . (canceled)