Patent ID: 7618742
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An electrochemical cell comprising: a cylindrical container having an inside diameter, at least one side wall and a bottom wall; a cylindrical electrode assembly having a negative electrode strip, a positive electrode strip, at least one separator strip disposed between the negative and positive electrodes, said electrode assembly having a bottom and an outside diameter defined by a nonconductive external side surface adjacent to the sidewall of the container; an electrolyte; wherein either the negative or the positive electrode is in electrical contact with the container side wall through an electrical lead extending from the electrode assembly, and at least a portion of the lead is disposed between the electrode assembly side surface and the container side wall; wherein the lead is in physical contact with the container side wall by pressure only; wherein the portion of the lead between the electrode assembly side surface and the container side wall comprises a groove disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of the electrode assembly; and wherein the maximum difference between the container inside diameter and the electrode assembly diameter is defined by one equation selected from the group consisting of: wherein W is the width of the lead measured along a surface of the lead, t is the material thickness of the lead, R is the radius of an arc formed between two longitudinal edges of the lead, ID is the inside diameter of the container, and (W/R)≦π; and wherein W is the width of the lead measured along a surface of the lead, t is the material thickness of the lead, θ is an angle between 0 and 180 degrees defined by two longitudinal edges of the lead, and ID is the inside diameter of the can.