Self contained electrochemical heat source

Claim 2

A self contained electrochemical heat source without electrical terminals comprising an electrochemical cell structure formed of a generally thin electrically conductive first member made of an electrochemically active oxidizable material and a generally thin electrically conductive second member made of an electrochemically active non-metallic reducible material, said first and second members having material for forming an ionically conductive electrolyte located therebetween, said first and second members being further selected for forming an electric heating current producing electrochemical couple capable upon electrical interconnection of the members of heating the electrochemical cell structure to a temperature which is sufficiently high for forming said self-contained heat source; and a multiple of discrete electronically conductive elements extending between the electrochemically active oxidizable first member and the electromechanically active reducible second member for electrical contact therewith, said electronically conductive elements being spaced and selected to conduct an electric heating current between the first oxidizable member and the second reducible member for a uniform heating of the electrochemical cell structure during activation of the electrochemical cell.

Claim 3

An electrical heating source comprising a sandwich shaped thin electrochemical cell structure including an anode and a cathode said anode being formed of a foil shaped material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium and magnesium alloys, said cathode being formed of an activated carbon depolarized air electrode, a non-conductive separator located between the anode and cathode; a multiple of discrete electrically conductive metal fastening elements pierced through the anode and cathode and electrically connected thereto to form a mechanically integral electrochemical cell structure; said metal fastening elements being spaced from each other and selectively sized to further provide a desired conversion rate of electrochemical energy into heat upon electrolyte activation of the cell structure.

Claim 4

An electrical heating source comprising a sandwich shaped thin electrochemical cell structure including an anode and a cathode said anode being formed of a foil shaped material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium and magnesium alloys, said cathode being formed of an activated carbon depolarized air electrode, a non-conductive separator located between the anode and cathode; a multiple of discrete electrically conductive metal fastening elements pierced through the anode and cathode and electrically connected thereto to form a mechanically integral electrochemical cell structure; said metal fastening elements being spaced from each other and selectively sized to further provide a desired conversion rate of electrochemical energy into heat upon electrolyte activation of the cell structure.

Claim 5

The electric heating source as claimed in claim 2 wherein said electrochemical cell further includes an electrolyte material formed of table salt to provide an ionizable table salt electrolyte upon the addition of water to the electrochemical cell.

Claim 6

The electrochemical heat source as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronically conductive elements are in the form of mechanical metal fasteners extending through the oxidizable first member and the reducible second member to fasten hereto and retain the electrochemical cell into a thin sandwich shaped structure.

Claim 7

The electrochemical heat source as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronically conductive elements are metallic conductors extending through the first and second members to electrically connect thereto and form a corresponding number of generally uniformly distributed discrete shorting points between the first and second members for a uniform heating of the electrochemical cell structure.

Claim 8

A self contained electrochemical heating source comprising an electrochemical cell structure formed of a generally thin electrically conductive first member made of an electrochemically active oxidizable material and a generally thin electrically conductive second member made of an electrochemically active non-metallic reducible maTerial, said first and second members being selected to provide a substantial electrochemical driving voltage to convert electrochemical energy to heat, said first and second members being further selected for forming an electric heating current producing electrochemical couple capable upon electrical interconnection of the members of heating the electrochemical cell structure to a temperature which is sufficiently high for forming said self-contained heat source, a porous non-conductive separator interposed between the first and second members and formed of a material selected to retain an electrolyte, a plurality of discrete electronically conductive elements in contact with the first and second members for electrical contact therewith, said elements being spaced and selected to conduct a controlled electric heating current between the first oxidizable member and the second reducible member upon the introduction of an electrolyte into the porous separator to enable an electric heating of the sandwich structure.

Claim 9

A self contained electrochemical heating source comprising an electrochemical cell structure formed of a generally thin electrically conductive first member made of an electrochemically active oxidizable material and a generally thin electrically conductive second member made of an electrochemically active non-metallic reducible maTerial, said first and second members being selected to provide a substantial electrochemical driving voltage to convert electrochemical energy to heat, said first and second members being further selected for forming an electric heating current producing electrochemical couple capable upon electrical interconnection of the members of heating the electrochemical cell structure to a temperature which is sufficiently high for forming said self-contained heat source, a porous non-conductive separator interposed between the first and second members and formed of a material selected to retain an electrolyte, a plurality of discrete electronically conductive elements in contact with the first and second members for electrical contact therewith, said elements being spaced and selected to conduct a controlled electric heating current between the first oxidizable member and the second reducible member upon the introduction of an electrolyte into the porous separator to enable an electric heating of the sandwich structure.

Claim 10

The electrochemical heating source as claimed in claim 6 wherein the discrete electronically conductive elements are structured to mechanically fasten the first and second members into a thin sandwich shaped structure.

Claim 11

The electrochemical heating source as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and second conductive members are formed with conductive peripheral segments extending outwardly from the porous separator, and with discrete electrically conductive elements being located to extend through said extending peripheral segments.

Claim 12

The electrochemical heating source as claimed in claim 6 wherein said elements are formed of electrically conductive metal fasteners operatively applied through said first and second members and said separator to retain the sandwich structure relationship and provide said electrical heating.

Claim 13

The electrochemical heating source as claimed in claim 6 wherein said discrete elements are metal staples extending through the first and second conducting members.