Patent ID: 7781092

Claim:
A secondary battery comprising: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrode plates; a metallic electrically conducting can, adapted to accommodate both the electrode assembly and an electrolytic solution, the can including a side opening; a cap assembly including a cap plate and an electrode port, the cap plate being coupled to the side opening of the can, the electrode port being coupled to the cap plate via a gasket adapted to insulate the electrode port from the cap plate, the electrode port being connected to one of positive and negative electrode tabs respectively extending from the positive and the negative electrode plates; a selected one of: the cap assembly having at least one aperture in a side portion thereof, and the can having at least one cavity in an external bottom surface; and a lead plate having an upper flat surface and a lower flat surface, the upper flat surface and the lower flat surface having sizes corresponding to the aperture and the cavity, wherein the lead plate is pressfit into a selected one of: the at least one aperture of the cap plate, and the at least one cavity in an external bottom surface of the can, and the lead plate is tightly attached by an interference fit without welding to the selected one of the at least one aperture of the cap plate and the at least one cavity in an external bottom surface of the can and is adapted to be connected to a safety device, and wherein one of the upper flat surface and the lower flat surface is disposed in the aperture or the cavity.