Rayovac Develops New NiMH Rechargeable Battery Technology

Rayovac Corp., Madison, Wis., USA, developed a new rechargeable battery technology that the company said will shorten charging time to 15 minutes or less. Rayovac's patent-pending I-C3 technology (In-Cell Charge Control) puts the control of recharging into the battery, instead of the charger, the company said. When commercialized, Rayovac said its I-C3 technology NiMH batteries will be the longest-lasting rechargeable for many devices and last up to four times longer than regular single-use alkaline. The batteries with built-in charging control can be recharged up to 1,000 times.

Rayovac is targeting several different applications with its In-Cell Charge Control system, including digital cameras, MP3 players and cell phones. In digital cameras, the company said the new Rayovac I-C3 NiMH AA size batteries will deliver up to four times more shots than an alkaline battery and more than any comparable size lithium ion battery, based on current American National Standards Institute (ANSI) battery tests.

Rayovac is evaluating options for OEM partnerships. Retail products are expected to be introduced in mid-to-late 2003.