Patent ID: 8318336

Claim:
A lithium rechargeable battery comprising: an electrode assembly having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, each of the positive electrode and negative electrode having an active material coated part and an active material uncoated part; a case housing the electrode assembly, the case having an opening through which the electrode assembly is insertable; a cap plate coupled to the opening; an electrode terminal coupled to a through-hole formed on the cap plate, the electrode terminal having an electrode terminal axis and protruding out of the case; and a current collector connecting the electrode terminal to the positive electrode or the negative electrode, the current collector comprising: a flange part connected to the electrode terminal, the flange part having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the electrode terminal axis and being greater than a cross-sectional area of the through-hole, and a contacting part connecting the flange part to the active material uncoated part, the contacting part having first opposing sides that are larger in area than second opposing sides, wherein each of the first opposing sides makes continuous physical contact from one of its ends to another one of its ends with the active material uncoated part.