Patent ID: 6995333

Claim:
A process for fabricating a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary cell comprising an electrode unit ( 7 ) encased in a battery can ( 1 ) and comprising as superposed in layers a positive electrode ( 71 ), a negative electrode ( 73 ) and a separator ( 72 ) interposed between the electrodes and impregnated with a nonaqueous electrolyte, each of the positive electrode ( 71 ) and the negative electrode ( 73 ) being formed by coating a striplike current collector with an active material, the cell being adapted to deliver electric power generated by the electrode unit ( 7 ) to the outside via a pair of electrode terminals, the process being characterized in that the process has the steps of: preparing an electrode unit ( 7 ) wherein an edge ( 78 ) of a current collector of each of a positive electrode ( 71 ) and a negative electrode ( 73 ) is positioned as projected outward beyond an edge of a separator ( 72 ) by laying the positive electrode ( 71 ) and the negative electrode ( 73 ) over the separator ( 72 ) as displaced from the separator widthwise thereof and rolling up the resulting assembly into a spiral form, preparing current collector plates each by forming in a flat platelike body having electric conductivity a plurality of protrusions each shaped to have a circular-arc section or polygonal section having at least four corners, welding the collector plates respectively to the projecting current collector edges ( 78 ) at the respective ends of the electrode unit ( 7 ) by placing each collector plate over the current collector edge ( 78 ) in pressing contact therewith and irradiating each protrusion of the collector plate with a laser beam or electron beam, with the protrusion forced into the current collector edge ( 78 ), and placing the electrode unit ( 7 ) having the collector plates welded thereto into a battery can ( 1 ) and connecting the collector plates to respective electrode terminals.