Patent ID: 6042967
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: H01M,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
In an alkaline electrochemical cell, said cell having an open ended cylindrical cell housing and an end cap assembly inserted therein closing said housing, said cell having a positive and a negative terminal, the improvement comprising:the end cap assembly comprising an end cap, and an insulating sealing disk underlying said end cap, an elongated current collector penetrating through an aperture in said insulating sealing disk, wherein at least a portion of said insulating sealing disk lies within said cell housing, wherein said insulating sealing disk comprises a central portion and an upward extending peripheral edge when the cell is viewed in vertical position with the end cap on top, wherein said end cap comprises an edge which abuts the inside surface of said peripheral edge of the insulating sealing disk and the outside surface of said upwardly extending peripheral edge abuts the inside surface of said housing at the open end thereof, wherein said insulating disk comprises a discontinuous skirt comprising a plurality of integral legs emanating downwardly into the cell interior from the peripheral edge of said insulating disk, wherein said end cap functions as a cell terminal, wherein the edge of said housing at the open end thereof is crimped over the peripheral edge of said insulating sealing disk, wherein said cylindrical cell housing is an AAAA or LR61 size and wherein said end cap assembly does not include a metal disk other than said end cap within any portion of said cell housing at the open end thereof, wherein said housing has a circumferential indent in its surface, and when the cell is viewed in vertical position with the end cap on top a portion of the peripheral edge of said insulating disk rests on said indent and said discontinuous skirt is below said indent, wherein the outside surface of said discontinuous skirt does not contact the inside surface of said cell housing, and said insulating disk does not form a snap fit around said indent.