Patent ID: 8702818

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an electrode assembly for a rechargeable battery comprising: providing a first electrode plate having a length comprising an active portion that is coated with a first active material and an inactive portion extending from an edge of the active portion of the first electrode plate so as to define a first plurality of tabs of a first width less than the length of the first electrode plate; providing a second electrode plate having a length comprising an active portion that is coated with a second active material and an inactive portion extending from an edge of the active portion of the second electrode plate so as to define a plurality of tabs of a second width less than the length of the second electrode plate; providing a separator; winding the first electrode plate, the second electrode plate and the separator, the separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates so that the first plurality of tabs are positioned proximate each other in the radial direction and so that the second plurality of tabs are positioned proximate each other in the radial direction; and determining a third width of the adjacent first plurality of tabs where portions of all of the first plurality of tabs overlap; determining a fourth width of the adjacent second plurality of tabs where portions of all of the second plurality of tabs overlap; removing parts of the first plurality of tabs of the first electrode plate that do not overlap to form a first plurality of tabs that overlap having the third width less than the first width and removing parts of the second plurality of tabs of the second electrode plate that do not overlap to form the second plurality of tabs that overlap having a forth width less than the second width to form a first plurality of electrode tabs for the first electrode plate and a second plurality of electrode tabs for the second electrode plate.