Patent Application
20240014483
The disclosed subject matter relates to batteries, and methods of use and manufacture thereof. More particularly, the disclosed subject matter relates to terminal assemblies.
Battery technology is used in a wide variety of industries and applications, such as automotive, military, and renewable energy industries. Safe and efficient electrical connections between batteries and devices to be powered is an important aspect of battery technologies. In high power applications, it can be challenging to design terminals that are capable of high power transmission and are suitably compact. In particular, for aerospace applications, there remains a need for terminals that provide high power capability and have properties suitable for aerospace application.
An embodiment of a cell terminal assembly includes an outer terminal configured to be disposed at an external location of a cell, the outer terminal including a feedthrough passage, the feedthrough passage including a recess having a seating surface. The assembly also includes an inner terminal including an electrically conductive body configured to be disposed within a housing of the cell, the inner terminal including a feedthrough member electrically connecting the conductive body to the outer terminal, the feedthrough member including a head portion having a shape that conforms to a shape of the recess and the seating portion and secures the feedthrough member thereto.
An embodiment of a cell terminal assembly includes an outer terminal configured to be disposed at an external location of a cell, the outer terminal including a feedthrough passage, the feedthrough passage including a recess having a seating surface, and an inner terminal including an electrically conductive body configured to be disposed within a housing of the cell. The inner terminal includes a feedthrough member configured to electrically connect the conductive body to the outer terminal, and the feedthrough member includes a head portion configured to be shaped to conform to a shape of the seating portion and secure the feedthrough member thereto.
An embodiment of a method of manufacturing a cell terminal assembly includes providing an inner terminal including an electrically conductive body configured to be disposed within a housing of the cell, the inner terminal including a feedthrough member, and electrically connecting the inner terminal to an outer terminal configured to be disposed at an external location of a cell, the outer terminal including a feedthrough passage that includes a recess having a seating surface. The connecting includes inserting the feedthrough member into the feedthrough passage, and deforming a head portion of the feedthrough member to conform the head portion to a shape of the recess, the deformed head portion providing an electrical connection between the inner terminal and the outer terminal and providing a fluid tight seal between the head portion and the seating surface.
Various further aspects, embodiments, and features of the disclosure are described herein.
The disclosed subject matter will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments of apparatuses and methods, given by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Aspects of the disclosed embodiments are explained in detail below with reference to the various drawing figures. Exemplary embodiments are described to illustrate the disclosed subject matter, not to limit its scope, which is defined by the claims. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a number of equivalent variations of the various features provided in the description that follows.
Embodiments described herein relate to energy storage devices, terminal assemblies for electrically connecting energy storage devices, methods of providing electrical power and methods of manufacture. The energy storage device may be an electrochemical cell, i.e., a cell, such as a lithium ion (Li-ion) cell. A battery comprises a plurality of cells connected in any suitable combination of series and parallel connections. Although a battery comprises a plurality of cells, for convenience and as the term “battery” is used in commerce, a cell may be referred to as a battery.
An embodiment of a terminal assembly includes at least one inner terminal electrically connected to internal components of the cell (e.g., a Li-ion cell), at least one outer terminal, and one or more conductive members configured to electrically connect the inner terminal(s) and the outer terminal(s).
The conductive members are referred to herein as “feedthrough members,” which may include a positive feedthrough member and a negative feedthrough member for the positive and negative terminals of the cell, respectively. The feedthrough members may comprise any suitable conductive material. For the positive feedthrough member, representative materials include aluminum, molybdenum, titanium, stainless steel, gold, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof. For the negative feedthrough member, representative materials include copper, titanium, aluminum, molybdenum, nickel, stainless steel, gold, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof. The feedthrough members may be configured as rigid cylindrical members or bars, or have any suitable size or shape.
In an embodiment, each feedthrough member is shaped to provide a secure electrical connection between the inner and outer terminals, and to seal an internal volume of the cell. In an aspect, the feedthrough member is shaped by deformation. For example, during manufacture, a feedthrough member is inserted into a feedthrough passage in the outer terminal, and a portion of the feedthrough member is deformed to conform the portion of the feedthrough member to an upper portion of the feedthrough passage. Deformation of the feedthrough member creates mechanical compression for both sealing and ensuring an electrical connection between components of the battery. The feedthrough members may be rivets or any other suitable conductive body, and may be formed so that they are integral with an inner terminal, outer terminal, or attached to an inner terminal as a separate part via an adhesive or mechanical attachment (e.g., a weld or solder). The size, shape and number of feedthrough members can be determined based the electrical current demands of powered device without undue experimentation.
In an aspect, each feedthrough member is configured as or includes a rivet that can be punched or otherwise deformed to form a head portion that conforms to the shape of a recess or cavity in an outer terminal. The head portion may be both radially deformed to seal against radial (side) surfaces of the recess, and axially deformed to seal against a seating face of the recess. The head portion can thus be deformed to fill a volume in the recess without any gaps, and thereby secure the inner terminal to the outer terminal and seal the recess. The deformed head portion may include an axially facing head surface that can be connected to an external device or component for providing power thereto.
Embodiments described herein present a number of advantages and technical effects. The terminal assemblies described herein are capable of handling very high electrical current while also allowing for traditional, mechanical, intercell connections or welded intercell connections. Electrical connection from the inside to the outside of the cell can be made through the deformation of a rivet (feedthrough pin) in such a way that the feedthrough makes or affects effective contact with an outside part, mechanism, or structure. In addition, deformation of the feedthrough pins also acts to minimize or reduce the height and maximize the diameter to provide an effective seal. The relatively large diameter and short length of the feedthrough pins also provides an improved form factor as compared to glass-to-metal seals.
The deformation process provides a high degree of contact between the feedthrough pin and an outer terminal, which results in a feedthrough with a resistance that is less than that of commercially available terminals. The resistance of the disclosed feedthrough may be 0.1 microohms (μΩ) to 1 Ω, 1 μΩ to 100 μΩ, or 5 μΩ to 50 μΩ. The reduced resistance reduces the need for cooling and allows for integral cell cooling features and functionality through the terminal assembly due to reduced resistive heating of the cell, resulting in an improved thermal design that is a result of reducing electrical resistance.
The feedthrough pins described herein are also capable of supporting high electrical current (e.g., 2000 amperes), while maintaining a compact design. Current densities over 20 kA/in2 have been demonstrated for continuous operation, and over 200 kA/in2 in pulse operation without adverse effects, such as deformation or leakage. In an aspect, the disclosed feedthrough provides 1 kiloampere per square inch (kA/in2) to 500 kA/in2, 5 kA/in2 to 100 kA/in2, or 10 kA/in2 to 50 kA/in2 without adverse effects, such as deformation.
Furthermore, the terminals described herein provides for improved leak rates and extended temperature operating range as compared to prior art terminal systems. For example, at least some embodiments are capable of providing a leak rate of less than 10−6 ccHe/s (cubic centimeters of Helium per second), 10−6 to 10−10 ccHe/s, 5·10−7 to 5·10−9, or 5·10−7 to 5·10−8 ccHe/s, while also providing suitable electrical current carrying rate capability. At least some embodiments are capable of operating and maintaining a seal having the above leak rate at a temperature of, for example, −60 degrees Celsius (° C.), −50° C., −40° C., to 65° C., 75° C., or 85° C. Providing a leak rate of less than 10−6 ccHe/s, e.g., less than 10−7 ccHe/s, or less than 10−8 ccHe/s over the temperature range of −60° C. to 85° C. is mentioned. In comparison, prior art terminals develop a leak or become inoperable after excursion to a temperatures above 60° C., or when thermally cycled between −60° C. and 85° C.
The sealing capability and low leak rates of the terminals described herein permit the terminals to be used in batteries for aerospace applications (e.g., aviation and/or space exploration). For example, the terminals have leak rates that satisfy the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Technical Standard NASA-STD-7012, Approved on Mar. 3, 2005, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
He leak rates can be determined according to ASTM D4991-07, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, the He leak rate can be determined as disclosed in Wetzig, D. and Reismann, M., “Methods for Leak Testing Lithium-Ion Batteries to Assure Quality with Proposed Rejection Limit Standards,” SAE Technical Paper 2020-01-0448, 2020, https://doi.org/10.4271/2020-01-0448, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
The cell 10 includes a body or case 12 (also referred to as a can) that houses internal battery components, and a terminal system 14. Although not shown, the cell 10 may be part of an insulated cell assembly that is assembled with other cells to provide a battery. The cell 10 and/or the battery may be used to provide power to any suitable system or device, such as an aircraft system. The terminal system 14 includes positive and negative terminal assemblies configured as a positive terminal 30A and a negative terminal 30B. It is noted that the terminal system 14 may have two terminals as shown, or a single terminal (e.g., only the positive terminal 30A if the case 12 serves as the negative terminal).
Cell cooling can be enhanced by providing a thermally conductive member on the cell terminal or intercell connector. The thermally conductive member may comprise any suitable material having suitable thermal conductivity and having suitable electrical insulating properties. Representative materials include aluminum nitride, boron nitride, or a combination thereof. Additionally, an electrically insulating gap pad may be utilized to allow for the use of a materials that is electrically conductive (e.g., copper, or aluminum). On the thermally conductive member, a cooling plate may be provided. Aluminum nitride and boron nitride are representative materials that have suitable thermal conductivity and are suitable electrical insulators for the thermally conductive member. Examples of cooling features are shown and discussed in conjunction with
The terminal assembly 30 includes an optional inner terminal 32 having a terminal body 34 and a plurality of deformable feedthrough members, referred to as feedthrough pins 36. The feedthrough pins 36 extend axially from an interior of a cell housing (e.g., the case 12) to an exterior thereof to connect the inner terminal 32 to an outer terminal 38. As discussed further below, the feedthrough pins 36 are deformable and/or are shaped to provide a sealed connection and an electrical connection between the inner terminal 32 and the outer terminal 38.
In an aspect, the inner terminal body 34 may be a solid copper body (e.g., for a negative terminal assembly) or a solid aluminum body (e.g., for a positive terminal assembly) that forms a post plate 40 to support the feedthrough pins 36, and a flat vertical plate or flag 42 that acts as a current collector. For example, as shown in
In an embodiment, the terminal flag 42 is offset from being symmetrical to the centerline of a cover (e.g., a cover 44 as discussed below) so that one side of the terminal flag 42 is on the centerline of the cover. The centerline, for example, extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis A and the axis R, and is illustrated in
The offset direction can the same or opposite for the positive and negative electrodes. The purpose of the offset is so that when electrode tabs are gathered for weld attachment to the terminal flag 42, a symmetrical arrangement of the electrode tabs is achieved. In other words, by having the connection point offset, the tabs are gathered to the center, along the centerline. Having the tabs gathered along the centerline provides for improved uniformity of the tab length and their electrical resistance, e.g., the tabs of the outer electrodes are the same length, gradually decreasing in length to the center of a cell stack. The offset configuration of the flag 42 also creates a location for the feedthrough pins 36 or other feedthrough members to make electrical connection to the flag 42 without interference. In the case where tabs are welded to both sides of the flag 42, the flag 42 should remain along the cell centerline.
The inner terminal body 34 is not so limited and can have any suitable size and shape. In an aspect, the feedthrough pins 36 are integrally formed with the inner terminal body 34. However, the feedthrough pins 36 can be separate components that are welded, soldered or otherwise attached to the internal terminal body 34.
It is noted that, although the feedthrough pins 36 are part of the inner terminal 32, the feedthrough pins 36 may be part of the outer terminal 38. For example, the feedthrough pins 36 may be integral with or attached to the outer terminal 38, and may be inserted into passages in the inner terminal 32 and deformed or shaped to conform portions of the feedthrough pins 36 to a passage, recess or cavity in the inner terminal 32.
The inner terminal 32 and the outer terminal 38, or components thereof, are made from a conductive material such as aluminum or copper, or any other electrochemically stable metal, alloy, or other suitable material. In an aspect, the inner terminal body 34 and the outer terminal 38 comprise a solid metallic material. The outer terminal 38 and/or other external components may or may not be electroplated.
When assembled, each feedthrough pin 36 extends through a cover 44 of the case 12 (or other housing) into a feedthrough passage 46 in the outer terminal 38. The feedthrough passage 46 includes a cylindrical lower portion 47 and upper portion 48 that is shaped and sized to secure a feedthrough pin 36. The upper portion 48 may be formed as a counterbore or other recess that forms a seat having radial and axially facing portions. An “axial” direction is a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of a feedthrough pin 36, and a “radial” direction is a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
For example, as shown in
The feedthrough pin 36 is secured within the feedthrough passage 46 by deforming a head portion 54 of the feedthrough pin 36 to conform the head portion 54 to the shape of the recess 48. As a result, the head portion 54 is in contact with both the seating surface 52 and the side surface 50. This configuration provides a high surface area electrical connection between the inner and outer terminals, and a fluid tight seal. A fluid tight seal is provided, in an embodiment, by radial and axial compression of an internal insulator 70, an external insulator 60 and bushings 80.
In an embodiment, the deformed head portion 54 has a flat axially facing surface 56 that can be connected to an external device. It is noted that the head portion 54 can have any desired shape or profile. For example, the head portion can be curved, convex, concave or flat, or can have integral features such as internal threads or a shape corresponding to an external connection.
The feedthrough pins can be of varying height relative to the outer terminal 38. For example, the facing surface 56 can be positioned below an outer surface 57 of the outer terminal 38 as shown in
The outer terminal 38 may include connection mechanisms or features to facilitate connecting the feedthrough pin 36 to a device to be powered. For example, as shown in
Alternatively, referring to
The terminal assembly 30 may include additional components to facilitate power transmission and battery operation. For example, the terminal assembly 30 may have an integral voltage tap or thermocouple tap. The voltage tap may include an additional screw, landing area for a spring connection, or other suitable connection that is not directly part of power transmission path of the cell 10. An example of a voltage tap 59 is shown in
In an embodiment, the terminal assembly 30 includes one or more insulating components that electrically insulate the inner and outer terminals. For example, as shown in
The terminal assembly 30, as shown in
The terminal assembly 30 may include additional insulating components, such as sleeves, bushings and/or injected insulating material. For example, the terminal assembly of
Referring to
The pouch 112 may comprise any suitable metallized film (e.g., an aluminum coated polyethylene film). In some configurations that use non-metallic materials, the assembled cell 110 may be sealed within a hermetic cell housing. The periphery 118 and the ends of the sides 120, 122 can be joined through folding of the material of the pouch 112 itself. Such folds can provide high strength while minimizing assembly steps, costs, and processes.
Because the cell 110 is formed by folding the two sides 120, 122 about the sheets of material, bends or creases in material may form during assembly. To avoid such creases and bends, which can be detrimental and form weak spots in the assembled cell, optional spacers may be arranged within the pouch. Such spacers may also operate as insulators, or alternatively, additional insulators may be arranged within the pouch. The insulators and/or spaces can have rounded corners, thus minimizing the chance of piercing or damaging the material of the pouch 112. The insulators or spacers may also be configured to keep metalized layer(s) from becoming polarized, which can lead to shorts or corrosion.
For example, the positive terminal assembly 30A includes an inner terminal 32A and a plurality of feedthrough pins 36A. The inner terminal 32A includes a terminal body 34A having a post plate 40A and a vertical plate or flag 42A. The positive terminal assembly 30A also includes an outer terminal 38A. The inner terminal 32A, the inner terminal body 34A and the feedthrough pins 36A are comprised of, e.g., aluminum. The outer terminal 38A is comprised of, e.g., copper or aluminum.
For example, the negative terminal assembly 30B includes an inner terminal 32B and a plurality of feedthrough pins 36B. The inner terminal 32B includes a terminal body 34B having a post plate 40B and a vertical plate or flag 42B. The negative terminal assembly 30B also includes an outer terminal 38B. The inner terminal 32B, the inner terminal body 34B, the feedthrough pins 36B and the outer terminal 38B are comprised of, e.g., copper. The terminal assemblies 30A and 30B are not so limited, and can be made from any suitable material or combination of materials.
The inner terminals 32A and 32B may each have a respective terminal body 34A and 34B that is rectilinear, e.g., rectangular. The external insulator 60 is a flat plate for insulating the terminal body 34A and the terminal body 34B. The insulating bushings 80, in this embodiment, are disposed between the outer terminal 38A and the cover 44, and disposed between the outer terminal 38B and the cover 44, and may have similar dimensions as discussed above.
In an embodiment, the terminal assembly 30 includes a single insulating body to provide insulation to the inner and outer terminals. For example, instead of multiple individual insulators, a single insulating body is provided that lines surfaces and through holes of the cover.
The feedthrough pins 36A and 36B, in an aspect, are separate bodies, such as individual rivets, which are attached to the respective inner terminal bodies 34A and 34B via deformation, welding and/or other connection mechanism. The inner terminal bodies 34A and 34B, in an aspect, each include a flat plate having a portion including through holes for the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B, respectively. The flat plate also includes a portion bent at a 90 degree angle, as shown in
The outer terminals 38A and 38B may each include a plurality of feedthrough passages 46A and 46B, respectively. Each feedthrough passage includes an upper portion 48 configured as a recess in the form of a counterbore. The recess 48 is generally cylindrical and includes a seating surface 52 orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A of the feedthrough pin 36A, and a circumferential side surface 50 that defines a diameter and is generally parallel to the axis A. As shown, the feedthrough pin 36A has been deformed or otherwise shaped to create a cylindrical head portion that contacts the seating surface 52 and the side surface 50. A suitable sealant, such as a suitable polymer sealant (e.g., parylene, epoxy, a room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) silicone, or other RTV sealant such as an acrylic RTV), may be applied to fill the recess 48 above the facing surface 56 to avoid corrosion.
The diameter of each feedthrough pin 36A and/or 36B is selected to correspond with the diameter of the holes formed by the overmolded insulator 90. The diameter may be selected to define a desired tolerance (e.g., 0.001 inches or 25 μm) relative to the insulator holes and/or the feedthrough passage. Examples of feedthrough passage diameters include 0.1 to 1 millimeter (mm) (0.005″ to 0.040″), 1 mm to 10 mm (0.040″ to 0.375″), or 10 mm to 13 mm (0.375″ to 0.500″).
One or more surfaces of the feedthrough pins 36 (including feedthrough pins 36A and 36B) may be smoothed, polished or otherwise treated to reduce surface roughness. Use of smoother surfaces have been surprisingly observed to reduce the leak rate of the terminal assembly. For example, a smooth, polished finish can be applied to side surface 41A, surfaces of the base portion 37A, top surfaces 44T of the cover 44, bottom surfaces 44B of the cover 44 and/or the inside diameter 44D of the cover 44 (See
A variety of manufacturing techniques may be used to make the terminal assemblies 30 and terminal systems as described herein. For example, suitable casting and/or injection molding and other molding techniques, additive manufacturing (e.g., 3-dimensional printing), bending techniques, and other manufacturing techniques might be utilized. Also, the various components of the apparatuses may be integrally formed, as may be desired, in particular when using casting or molding construction techniques.
In a first stage, referring to
In a second stage, referring to
In a third stage, the inner terminal 32 is made having a terminal body 34 and feedthrough pins 36. The inner terminal 32 is either machined from a solid piece of material (e.g., copper or aluminum) or comprised of multiple parts. For example, the feedthrough pins 36 and terminal body 34 are machined from a solid piece of copper or aluminum. Alternatively, the feedthrough pins 36 are rivets of an appropriately stable material (e.g., copper or aluminum), which are inserted into holes in the terminal body 34 and may be subsequently ultrasonically welded or otherwise attached to improve the electrical connection beyond that achieved by the riveting forces.
For example, a positive inner terminal 32A includes a terminal body 34A and feedthrough pins 36A comprised of aluminum. A negative inner terminal 32B includes a terminal body 34B and feedthrough pins 36B comprised of copper.
In the fourth stage, the inner terminal bodies 34A and 34B and the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B are disposed on a support block 94 that includes recesses 95 configured to hold the inner terminal bodies 34A and 34B in place (See
In the seventh stage, outer terminals 38A and 38B, which may be made from any suitable process (e.g., machining or casting), are positioned so that the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B extend through the feedthrough passages 46 therein (See
In the eighth stage, the head portions 54A of each feedthrough pin 36A, and the head portions 54B of each feedthrough pin 36B, are compressed, or otherwise deformed, to shape each head portion 54A and 54B to conform to a respective upper portion or recess (See
In a first stage, the inner terminal 32 is made having a terminal body 34 and feedthrough pins 36. The inner terminal 32 is either machined from a solid piece of material (e.g., copper or aluminum) or comprised of multiple parts. For example, the positive inner terminal 32A, including the terminal body 34A and aluminum feedthrough pins 36A, is positioned on the support block 94. The negative inner terminal 32B, including the terminal body 34B and copper feedthrough pins 36B, is also positioned in the support block 94
Bushings 140 are positioned on each of the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B, and an internal insulator 142 is disposed as a flat plate on the inner terminals 32A and 32B so that the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B extend through holes 144 in the flat plate.
Cover portions 146A and 146B are provided, which are separate outer insulators that are disposed at an exterior of the pouch 112, and separate the outer terminals 38A and 38B from the pouch 112. The covers 146A and 146B may be made from an insulating material.
A cover stiffening plate 148 is also provided, which provides thickness and spacing for the bushings 140 and helps to distribute compression. The cover stiffening plate 148 avoids push-through of the bushings 140 during assembly and compression by preventing the bushings 140 from pushing through the pouch 112 material. The cover stiffening plate 148 also prevents the pouch material from bending and misaligning the feedthrough assemblies.
The cover stiffening plate 148 is disposed over the internal insulator 142 so that the feedthrough pins 36A and 36B are aligned with holes in the cover stiffening plate 148. The pouch 112 is then positioned over the cover stiffening plate 148 so that holes in the cover stiffening plate 148 align with holes in the pouch (e.g., terminal apertures 128 as shown in
An upper block 160 is secured over the assembled components, and compression is applied so that the head portions 54A of each feedthrough pin 36A, and the head portions 54B of each feedthrough pin 36B, are compressed, or otherwise deformed, to shape each head portion 54A and 54B to conform to a respective upper portion or recess. If components are made from different materials, compression may be separately applied to compress each material. For example, copper components such as feedthrough pins 36B are compressed, and aluminum components such as the feedthrough pins 36A are separately compressed. Any suitable amount of compression may be applied, such as compression of at least 1.1 times (1.1×), 1.1× to 40×, 1.3× to 10×, or 1.5× to 3× the yield value of the material being compressed. For example, copper components may be compressed to a compression of 1.1×, 1.5× to 3×, 1.5× to 4× or 1.1× to 9×. Aluminum components may be compressed to a compression of 1.1×, 1.5× to 10×, or 1.1× to 30×.
For example, copper feedthrough pins 32B, each having a 0.09375 inch diameter, are compressed to 3,200 pounds (117,820 psi). For example, aluminum feedthrough pins 32A, each having a 0.09375 inch diameter, are compressed to 2,850 pounds (104,934 psi).
It is appreciated that the various components of embodiments described herein may be made from any of a variety of materials including, for example, metal, copper, aluminum, electroplating, stainless steel, nickel, titanium, plastic, plastic resin, nylon, composite material, glass, and/or ceramic, for example, or any other material as may be desired. The positive internal terminal can be constructed of aluminum. The negative internal terminal can be constructed of copper. The electrically insulating bushings can be constructed of any suitable polymeric material, for example ETFE or polysulfone.
As noted above, a cell, such as the cell 10, may include cooling features. For example, a cooling plate or other thermally conductive structure can be incorporated into an interior of the cell 10, in thermal communication with the terminal assembly 30, and/or in thermal communication with other components of the cell 10. This example is not intended to limit the cooling feature to any specific material or configuration.
It will be appreciated that features, elements and/or characteristics described with respect to one embodiment of the disclosure may be variously used with other embodiments of the disclosure as may be desired.
It will be appreciated that the effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects, which are not mentioned herein, will be apparent to those in the art from the disclosure and accompanying claims.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure and accompanying claims.
Spatially relative terms, such as “lower”, “upper”, “top”, “bottom”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the drawing figures. It will be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of structures in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawing figures. For example, if a device in the drawing figures is turned over, elements described as “lower” relative to other elements or features would then be oriented “upper” relative the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “lower” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly. The endpoints of ranges may be independently combined.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference to diagrams and/or cross-section illustrations, for example, that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the disclosure. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the disclosure should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of components illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing.
Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Further, as otherwise noted herein, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect and/or use such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.
Embodiments are also intended to include or otherwise cover methods of using and methods of manufacturing any or all of the elements disclosed above.
While the subject matter has been described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes can be made, and equivalents employed, without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
All related art references and art references discussed herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
In conclusion, it will be understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present disclosure other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present disclosure and foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the disclosure.
Accordingly, while the present disclosure has been described here in detail in relation to its exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and is made to provide an enabling disclosure of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed or to limit the present disclosure or otherwise to exclude any other such embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/109,202, filed Nov. 3, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2021/057567 | 11/1/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63109202 | Nov 2020 | US |
