Ribbed gasket for miniature galvanic cell

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
11 shows a zinc-air cell of the prior art (using the components as identified in FIG.
10) that illustrates the bowing 40 of an air electrode 8 at its central area using a conventional gasket 42.
As discussed above, electrode bowing is detrimental to air cell performance because it reduces the internal volume available for the active components and it contributes to delamination of the positive electrode.
FIG.
1 and 2 show a ribbed gasket 1 having an outer wall 3, a base 5 and inner wall 7.
The outer wall 3 and inner wall 7 form a groove 9.
A pair of spaced apart rigid ribs 11 is molded as part of the J-shaped circular contour of the gasket.
The rigid ribs are disposed at right angles, thereby the ribs are spaced 90.
degree.
apart.
This type of cross-hatched base design gasket can be used in a metal air cell to restrain the air electrode so that any bowing at the central area of the air electrode can be reduced and thereby provide a greater internal volume for the active components of the cell.
FIG.
3 shows another embodiment of a ribbed gasket 31 having an outer wall 33, base 3 5 and inner wall 37.
Three rigid ribs 39 are shown molded as a part of the J-shaped circular gasket 31.
The ribs 39 are spaced apart at 60.
degree.
intervals.
FIG.
4 shows another embodiment of a ribbed gasket 41 having an outer wall 43, base 45 and inner wall 47.
The rigid ribs 49 are shown molded as a part of the J-shaped circular contour.
The ribs 49 are disposed so that each rib 49 is aligned parallel to the others.
FIG.
5 shows another embodiment of a ribbed gasket 51 having an outer wall 53, base 55, and inner wall 57.
The rigid ribs 59 are shown molded as a part of the J-shaped circular contour.
The ribs 59 are disposed so that they do not intersect the central axis of the gasket 51.
In all the embodiments shown in FIGS.
1 to 5, the primary function of the ribbed portion of the gasket is that it provides a restraining force against a flat electrode so that the bowing generally encountered during the assembly of the cell can be reduced for the reasons stated above