Patent ID: 7927746

Claim:
A layered battery structure, comprising: a negative electrode layer component, said negative electrode layer component comprising a negative active electrode material; a positive electrode layer component, said positive electrode layer component comprising a positive active electrode material; a separator layer component positioned between said negative active electrode material and said positive active electrode material; and at least one section of reinforcing material at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and a given electrode component that is one of said negative electrode layer component or said positive electrode layer component; wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material is at least one of: at least partially positioned between said separator layer component and said negative active electrode material or said positive active electrode material of said given electrode component so that no reinforcing material is attached to a terminating end surface of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material of said same given electrode component between which said at least one section of reinforcing material is positioned in relation to said separator layer component; or laterally juxtaposed opposite and extending across the terminating end surface of at least one of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material so that no reinforcing material is attached to said terminating end surface of said positive active electrode material or said negative active electrode material of said same given electrode component between which said at least one section of reinforcing material is positioned in relation to said separator layer component; or a combination thereof; and wherein said positive electrode layer component further comprises a conductive current carrier, said positive active electrode material being provided on said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component; and wherein said at least one section of reinforcing material comprises: a first section of electrically-insulating material that is fully positioned between said separator layer component and an exposed area of said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component such that said first section of electrically-insulating material is also laterally juxtaposed opposite the terminating end surface of said negative active electrode material, and a separate second section of electrically-insulating material that is positioned partially between said separator layer component and said positive active electrode material and that is partially positioned between said separator layer component and an exposed area of said conductive current carrier of said positive electrode layer component such that said second section of electrically-insulating material is laterally juxtaposed opposite the terminating end surface of said positive active electrode material.