Patent ID: 9685677
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Claim:
1. An article comprising: a) two or more stacks of battery plates comprising one or more bipolar plates comprising a substrate having an anode on one surface and a cathode on an opposite surface, wherein the substrates conduct a current from the one surface to the opposite surface; b) a first monopolar plate having a cathode deposited on one surface, a current collector in contact with the cathode, disposed at one end of the two or more stacks of battery plates; c) a second monopolar plate having an anode deposited on one surface, a current collector in contact with the anode, disposed at one end of the two or more stacks of battery plates; wherein the first monopolar plate and the second monopolar plate are located at opposite ends of the two or more stacks of battery plates and the plates are arranged such that the surfaces of the plates having a cathode deposited on the surface face the surface of another plate having an anode deposited on the surface; d) located between each battery plate is a separator and a liquid electrolyte which forms an electrochemical cell; e) disposed between two of the two or more stacks of battery plates is a dual polar battery plate comprising a first conductive substrate having two opposing surfaces with anode material deposited on one surface and a first current conductor in contact with a portion of the opposite surface; a second conductive substrate having two opposing surfaces with cathode material deposited on one surface and a second current conductor in contact with a portion of the opposite surface; and a non-conductive substrate that is disposed between the first and second conductive substrates; the dual polar battery plate is arranged between two of the two or more stacks of battery plates such that the surfaces of the dual polar battery plate having the anode material deposited on the surface faces the surface of another plate in a first battery stack having a cathode deposited on the surface and the surface of the dual polar battery plate having a cathode material deposited on the surface faces the surface of the plate in a second battery stack having an anode deposited on the surface; f) one or more conductive conduits which connects the first current conductor and the second current conductor directly or indirectly to battery terminals; and g) wherein the separators and the battery plates have holes which are aligned to form integrated channels, such that the one or more of the two or more stacks of battery plates have a plurality of the integrated channels passing transversely though the portion of the plates having the cathode and/or the anode deposited thereon, and wherein the integrate channels are transverse to a plane of the battery plates and the separators and the integrated channels are formed by inserts molded to the battery plates and/or the separators; and 1) one or more seals about a periphery of the integrated channels which prevent leakage of the liquid electrolyte into the integrated channels, and posts located in one or more of the integrated channels having on each end an overlapping portion that covers the integrated channel and sealing surface on the outside of the monopolar plates adjacent to the holes for the integrated channels and applies pressure on the sealing surface of the monopolar plates wherein the pressure is sufficient to withstand pressures created during assembly and operation of electrochemical cells created by the stacks of battery plates; or 2) post located in one or more of the integrated channels having on each end a portion that covers the integrated channel and a sealing surface on the outside of the monopolar plates adjacent to the holes for the integrated channels and applies pressure on the sealing surface of the monopolar plates wherein the pressure is sufficient to withstand pressures created during assembly and operation of electrochemical cells created by the stacks of battery plates, wherein the post is fabricated from a material that is capable of withstanding exposure to the liquid electrolyte and prevents the liquid electrolyte from entering the integrated channels.