Battery packaging construction for alkali metal multicell batteries

Battery packaging construction for multiple cell alkali metal batteries wherein a plurality of flat or cubic battery cells, which have leads extending therefrom, are individually packaged by using layers of heat sealed or adhesively sealed plastic tape. The cells after assembly are stacked and the leads are electrically connected in series or parallel to terminals, and are secured by a band of tape, or glued together, and then enclosed in a plastic coated metal foil bag, heat sealed and adhesive sealed for moisture-proofing. The bag is placed in a hard box which is then closed to form the completed battery with the terminals extending therefrom. The hard box may optionally be provided with a liner of vibration and impact shock absorbing material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
Battery packaging construction for multicelled flat or cubic alkali metal 
batteries wherein a plurality of cells are individually packaged in 
horizontal layers of electrically insulating material, with leads from the 
cells connected in series or parallel to terminals, the packaged cells are 
stacked and placed in a moisture proof bag, which is heat sealed and the 
bag placed in a hard box, from which the terminals extend. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
While there are many different types of battery packaging arrangements for 
single celled batteries, none of them are satisfactory for multicelled 
batteries, which batteries are required for many applications and must 
satisfy various criteria. 
Examples of prior art patents are the U.S. Patents to Coleman et. al. U.S. 
Pat. Nos. 2,632,782; Nowotny 2,798,895; Ikeda et. al. 4,371,597; Tamminem 
4,816,354; and the United Kingdom Patent to Pearson No. 2087636. 
The U.S. Pat. No. to Nowotny, 2,798,895 discloses a point contact battery 
of the zinc LecLanche dry cell flat type wherein the cell components are 
sealed within a pair of plastic sheets. A collector plate is provided 
which makes electrical contact within the cell and has a plurality of 
sharp projections projecting from the plate and through the outer cell 
covering. 
The British patent to Pearson, No. GB 2087636A discloses a recombinant lead 
acid battery with two or more cell packs comprised of positive and 
negative electrodes interleaved with glass fiber separators, each cell 
pack enclosed in a plastic bag and all the cell packs are sealed in a 
common outer plastic bag, which has a one way vent. The whole assembly is 
enclosed in a fold up outer casing. 
None of the patents have cells which include leads which are electrically 
connected together by electrically conducting adhesive or tape, and none 
of the prior art patents disclose structure that would provide adequate 
protection from moisture in an alkaline metal or alkaline earth metal 
battery. None of the prior art patents includes a bag constructed of 
metallic foil, coated with a heat sealable plastic, which encloses the 
cells. 
Multicelled batteries are usually packaged in a welded outer shell of 
metal, such as stainless steel, with the individual cells separated by 
layers of loose sheets of insulating material, such as oiled paper or 
plastic. While such construction may be satisfactory for many battery 
applications, it is heavy, expensive, does not adequately protect the 
cells, is difficult to handle and suffers from other shortcomings. The 
battery packaging construction of the invention does not suffer from the 
prior art problems and provides many positive advantages. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to battery packaging construction for multicelled 
flat or cubic batteries, which construction includes assembling each cell 
as an individual moisture proof and electrically insulated packaged unit 
for safety and handling ease, and then stacking and electrically 
connecting leads from the multiple cells to terminals in series or 
parallel, by cold soldering, or by electrically conductive tape or 
adhesive, securing the stack together, sealing the stack of cells in a 
moisture proof bag, and placing the assembly in a hard box container from 
which the terminals extend. The container may optionally be provided with 
an impact and vibration absorbing liner. 
The principal object of the invention is to provide battery packaging 
construction for multicelled batteries which provides a moistureproof, 
durable, and lightweight product. 
A further object of the invention is to provide battery packaging 
construction for multicelled batteries which is inexpensive and adaptable 
to mass production. 
A further object of the invention is to provide battery packaging 
construction for multicelled batteries which is particularly suitable for 
alkali metal and alkaline earth metal batteries. 
A further object of the invention is to provide battery packaging 
construction for multicelled batteries which can accommodate a large 
number of cells in a compact durable product. 
A further object of the invention is to provide battery packaging 
construction for multicelled batteries which provides impact and vibration 
protection to the cells. 
Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent 
from the description and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and FIG. 1 thereof, a 
single cell 10 is therein illustrated which may be of the alkali 
metal-polymer, or alkaline earth metal-polymer type and preferably of the 
lithium-polymer type. The cell 10 includes an anode, cathode and 
electrolyte layers (not shown) and has been assembled into a solid block 
11, which may be of rectangular configuration, with flat top and bottom 
surfaces 12 and 14, with leads 15A and 15B extending therefrom and 
preferably formed of flat nickel metal foil. 
The bottom surface 14 of block 11 rests on a base layer 16, which may be of 
anhydrous electrically insulating plastic tape of well known type. The 
tape 16 may be provided with an adhesive coating (not shown) or may have 
heat sealing properties. The block 11 has a top layer of tape 18 on its 
top surface 12, which tape may be adhesively coated or heat sealable as 
described for base tape 16. The tapes 16 and 18 may be continuous and 
serve as a carrier of electrodes and cells for mass production. The leads 
15A and 15B are connected respectively to the anode and cathode (not 
shown) and extend between the base layer 16 and top layer 18. The assembly 
of cell 10 as described above is done in an inert dry atmosphere, or under 
vacuum conditions in order to avoid contamination, corrosion or 
deterioration due to the characteristics of the cell components. 
Referring now additionally to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a battery 20 which is 
constructed of a plurality of cells 10 is illustrated, with the completed 
cells 10 stacked on top of each other, and with leads 15A and 15B from the 
cells 10 electrically connected together in series or parallel, by cold 
soldering, (pressing) using a soft metal foil such as lithium metal, or by 
electrically conductive tape or adhesive, or adhesive transfer tape of 
well known type (not shown). The stack of cells 10 is held together with 
at least one band of tape 25 or by an adhesive layer (not shown) between 
them upon which the cells may be placed during mass production. The stack 
of cells 10 is then enclosed in a moisture proof bag 26 under moisture 
free and inert atmosphere conditions, which bag is preferably of metallic 
foil such as aluminum or other suitable metal which is coated with a heat 
sealable plastic, and preferably polyethylene. The leads 15A and 15B from 
cells 10 are connected to terminals 27 and 28 by cold soldering a soft 
metal such as lithium foil or by electrically conductive adhesive tape of 
well known type (not shown). The bag 26, with terminals 27 and 28 which 
exit therefrom is heat sealed, preferably under vacuum, or in an moisture 
free and inert atmosphere, and sealed by epoxy or acrylic based cement or 
resin (not shown) of well known type. The bag 26 and assembled cells 10 
are placed in a hard box 30, which may be of plastic, fibre reinforced 
honeycomb sandwich board, or magnesium or aluminum metal, and which 
provides punch protection to the structure. Terminals 27 and 28 which are 
electrically insulated also extend through the box 30. 
The hard box 30 described above may be lined on the inside with an 
adhesively secured layer (not shown) of a soft, compressible impact and 
vibration energy absorbing liner material of well known type, to protect 
the cells 10 from shock and vibration. 
Preferred liner materials are Isoloss foam, and Isodamp sheets as 
manufactured by Ear Specialty Composites Co. 
The liner material not only provides impact and shock protection, but also 
provides for cell expansion during cycling. 
It will thus be seen that battery packaging construction has been provided 
with which the objects of the invention are achieved.