Patent ID: 7867292

Claim:
A method for producing a prismatic rechargeable battery comprising: providing a battery housing comprising a front side that is substantially open to expose a plurality of cell vessels separated by intermediate walls; providing contact connector plates on opposite sides of each of the intermediate walls; electrically coupling the contact connector plates provided on opposite sides of the intermediate walls to each other through their associated intermediate walls; inserting a plurality of plate stacks into the cell vessels through the front side of the housing, each of the plate stacks having a plurality of electrical contacts; coupling the electrical contacts of the plate stacks to the contact connector plates provided on the intermediate walls; and closing the housing such that the cell vessels and the housing are sealed; wherein the step of closing the housing comprises placing a front panel on side edges of the intermediate walls which are integrally formed with the housing and on the outer walls of the housing, the front panel being connected to the side edges to form a seal; wherein the area covered by the front panel is substantially the same as the area of the largest side of the prismatic rechargeable battery.