Panasonic Corporation announced that it has developed a Pin Shaped Lithium Ion Battery (CG-320, nominal capacity 13mAh) with a diameter of 3.5mm and a weight of 0.6g suitable for powering small devices such as wearable devices. This product, on top of being the industry's smallest cylindrical shaped rechargeable Lithium Ion battery, features the high reliability and high output required for near-field communications (NFC). Mass production and shipping are planned to begin in February, 2015 with a monthly production of one hundred thousand units.
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The full-scale introduction of wearable device products, anticipated widely as the next wave in mobile devices after smartphones, is expected in a wide variety of applications from 2014. Rechargeable batteries, the power source for wearable devices, are expected to be not only small and light, but also to have a high level of reliability and performance.
Panasonic has taken advantage of its battery material technology cultivated with lithium ion batteries used in information and communication equipment applications, and coin-shaped and other small lithium battery production technology, to commercialize this battery, which at 3.5mm is the industry's smallest pin-shaped lithium ion battery. This product is a rechargeable battery that can be used repeatedly and has the output capability required for NFC. A stainless steel can is used for the exterior providing for dimensional stability. It will be possible to ensure good design for slim devices such as pen-shaped or spectacles-shaped products.
Panasonic will apply the know-how and technology cultivated from many years of material and production technology development to further expand the line-up of this new product, which is an innovation in battery technology.
This product will be on display at CEATEC JAPAN 2014 from October 7th to the 11th at Makuhari Messe.
Applications
Wearable devices, electronic pens, medical devices such as hearing aids and measuring devices etc.
Features
1. A pin-shaped, 3.5mm diameter lithium ion battery, the industry's smallest, which expands design options for small devices.
The industry's smallest diameter cylindrical rechargeable battery has been developed by using extremely fine components and materials compared to current cylindrical lithium ion batteries, and also by applying the know-how and technology cultivated during the high precision manufacturing process of small coin-shaped batteries. This product is also the smallest in the industry in terms of capacity by volume, at one twentieth of an AAA size battery (Diameter 10.5mm, Height 44.5mm). This size is suitable as a power source for small devices such as spectacles-shaped, pen-shaped and other slim devices. Design options can be expanded for these types of communication devices.
2. A rechargeable battery that can be used repeatedly and has the output capability required for NFC.
Despite the very thin diameter of 3.5mm, the same spiral electrode construction used in current cylindrical Lithium Ion batteries is employed, allowing a wide area between the cathode and anode and resulting in high output. By succeeding in developing this electrode construction at such a small size, it is possible to use similar materials and achieve high voltage (3.75V) as is seen in current lithium ion batteries. It is possible not only to operate devices that require high output that would not be possible with current small primary lithium batteries, but also to allow Bluetooth and other NFC with smart phones.
This product provides the output and voltage required by small devices and, as a rechargeable battery that can be used repeatedly, does not require frequent battery replacement.
3. A high-strength stainless steel exterior can provides excellent reliability.
A high-strength stainless steel can is used for the exterior. This technology stabilizes the battery dimensions, preventing swelling and allows for confident use of this highly reliable battery.