Patent ID: 7718027
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: positioning a bottom and top polymeric separator sheet on a working surface, with a substantially planar battery anode disposed therebetween; positioning a cutting and welding tool that is conductive and thin ribbon-shaped against the top polymeric sheet, the cutting and welding tool having an elongate surface facing the top polymeric sheet, the cutting and welding tool having a substantially rectangular cross section with a width greater than a height so that it is ribbon shaped, with a conductive protrusion extending away from the elongate surface in the direction of the height of the cross section of the cutting and welding tool, the protrusion extending toward the top polymeric sheet and along the elongate surface so that it extends around the substantially planar battery anode, the elongate surface shaped for positioning the protrusion offset from and outside of the perimeter of the substantially planar battery anode; applying a pressure and an electrical current to only the cutting and welding tool such that top and bottom polymeric separator sheets are welded into a bag along the elongate surface along a path between the protrusion and the substantially planar battery anode, with the weld comprising a seal to resist ionic transfer through electrolyte, and such that the bag is excised from the top and bottom separator sheets along a path defined by the protrusion, with the substantially planar battery anode disposed in the bag; stacking the substantially planar battery anode and at least one cathode into a battery stack; and disposing the battery stack into a battery case having at least one feedthrough, with a first terminal connected to the battery stack through the at least one feedthrough, and with the battery case filled with an electrolyte, wherein the protrusion is defined by photochemical etching the cutting and welding tool.