Battery

Abstract

A battery includes a battery can housing an cell that supplies electrical energy at terminals of the cell by an electro-chemical reaction with oxygen, the can including, a first member having at least one hole that is exposed to air; and a second member. The battery also includes a mechanism coupled to one of the first and second members to move the one of the first and second members such that when current is drawn from the battery, the opening in the member allows air to pass into the battery, and to move the one of the first and second members such that when current is not drawn from the battery, the opening in the member is not in registration to inhibit air to pass into the battery. The battery also includes a circuit to control the mechanism. In one embodiment the circuit monitors levels of O 2 in a air plenum that surrounds the cell. The circuit to monitor levels of O 2 in the air plenum includes a florescent detector/sensor that senses and responds to changes in O 2 in the plenum by using the “quenching effect” of oxygen on a fluorescent material

1 - 42 . (canceled) 
   
   
       43 . A circuit to monitor levels of O 2  in the air plenum, the circuit comprising:
 a fluorescent detector/sensor that senses and responds to changes in O2 in the plenum by using the “quenching effect” of oxygen on a fluorescent material.   
   
   
       44 . The circuit of  claim 43 , wherein fluorescent material absorb light in a certain wavelength range and emit light over a different range of wavelengths to give an indication of the level of O2 in the plenum. 
   
   
       45 . The circuit of  claim 43 , the fluorescent sensor comprises a permeable polymer matrix that is doped with a dopant to produce fluorescence in the presence of oxygen. 
   
   
       46 . The circuit of  claim 43 , the fluorescent sensor further comprises:
 a LED emitter to illuminate the matrix material in the excitation spectrum; and   a photodiode receiver to detect a phase shift in light spectrum and hence change of the oxygen level.   
   
   
       47 . The circuit of  claim 43 , further comprises:
 a signal processor coupled to the fluorescent sensor, the processor executing an empirically determined algorithm to monitor the level of oxygen in the cell according to the current being drawn from the cell in order to regulate the air valve and hence air flow into the cell.   
   
   
       48 . The circuit of  claim 47 , wherein the signal processor outputs a signal that can be used to switched open/close the air valve and thus modulate the supply of air to the cell dependant current drawn from the cell. 
   
   
       49 . The circuit of  claim 47 , wherein the signal processor executes an algorithm to operate the air mover in direct relationship to the oxygen consumed by the cell, and output current/voltage levels produced from the cell. 
   
   
       50 . The circuit of  claim 43 , wherein the fluorescent O2 sensor is comprised of Pt (TEPP) (platinium tetraphenylporphryrin), Pt OEP (platinium octaethylporphryrin),or Ru(BaThO)3 (ruthenimum complexes) immobilized in an oxygen permeable matrix. 
   
   
       51 - 58 . (canceled)