Patent ID: 8323813

Claim:
A rechargeable battery comprising: a case; a first electrode coupled to the case; a second electrode coupled to the case, the second electrode having a portion extending outside of the case; a first short bar electrically coupled to the first electrode; a second short bar electrically coupled to said portion of the second electrode; and an extensible member extending from the case, the extensible member being extensible from a first position in which a conductive portion on the extensible member is spaced apart from the first short bar and the second short bar by a gap to an extended position in which the conductive portion contacts the first short bar and the second short bar, wherein the extensible member is configured to couple the second short bar electrically to the first short bar in the extended position in response to an overcharging condition of the rechargeable battery, thereby short-circuiting the first and second electrodes via the first and second short bars, wherein the extensible member comprises an electrical conductor, and wherein the extensible member is electrically coupled to a cap plate on the case.