Electrode assembly including electrode plates with electrode plate extensions

An electrode assembly comprising a plurality of stacked electrode plates including a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates and a plurality of separators, each separator being interposed between one of the positive electrode plates and one of the negative electrode plates,

• wherein each of the electrode plates includes an electrode tab protruding outwards at one side thereof, the electrode tab including an electrode lead coupling portion for coupling with an electrode lead,
• wherein each positive electrode plate and each negative electrode plate extend relatively longer than the respective separator at one end of the respective electrode plate where the respective electrode tab is located to form an electrode plate extension protruding out of the separator,
• wherein each separator has a greater width than each of the respective positive and negative electrode plates, and
• wherein the electrode plate extensions of a same polarity extend at an angle towards each other and extend parallel to a longitudinal direction of the electrode assembly to form a Y-shape, and the electrode plate extensions of the same polarity are coupled to each other.