Importance

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Abstract

A cell construction that makes use of unbalanced electrode components or portions comprising one of the electrodes of an electrochemical cell to provide an end-of-life indication, is described. The unbalanced electrode components can have dissimilar physical dimensions or dissimilar percent loading of electrode active material. This renders the one dissimilar electrode component having the lesser physical dimension, i.e., lesser surface area or thickness, or lesser quantity of electrode active material electrochemically unreactive prior to the other electrode component during the course of cell discharge. Upon the early exhaustion or unreactiveness of the one dissimilar electrode component, the total cell interelectrode working capacity is reduced by a predetermined factor. The remaining functional electrode component provides the cell with sufficient capacity for electrical discharge at a predetermined lower energy level.

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First Claim