Patent ID: 6025090
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: H01M

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, said end cap assembly comprising an end cap and an electrically insulating sealing disk having a rupturable membrane therein, said insulating sealing disk having an elongated electrically conductive current collector passing therethrough, the current collector being in electrical contact with the end cap, said insulating sealing disk sealing the open end of said housing and providing electrical insulation between said current collector and said housing, and the edge of said housing being crimped over the peripheral edge of said insulating sealing disk to form a cell shoulder along the line of crimp, 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 end cap is located entirely outside of said housing and wherein said end cap functions as a cell terminal, wherein said end cap assembly further comprises an insulating washer located between said insulating sealing disk and said end cap, wherein said end cap and said insulating washer are stacked over the peripheral edge of said housing at the open end thereof when the cell is viewed in vertical position with the end cap assembly on top, wherein said insulating washer electrically insulates said end cap from the cell housing, wherein said cylindrical cell housing is an AAAA (LR61) size and wherein said end cap assembly does not include a metal disk within any portion of said cell housing at the open end thereof.