# US 2014/0154544 A1 · Rectangular battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154544 A1 - Document ID: US20140154544A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,432 - Filed: 2012-05-07 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-31 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Mizuo Iwasaki; Kenji Saruwatari; Kazuhiko Watanabe; Shinpei Yamagami; Yasushi Nakagiri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154544A1 ## CPC - H01M 10/0431: {Cells with wound or folded electrodes (H01M10/045 takes precedence)} - H01M 50/103: prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) - H01M 50/15: for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/153 takes precedence) - H01M 50/169: by welding, brazing or soldering - H01M 50/3425: {in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member} - H01M 50/533: characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs - H01M 50/579: in response to shock - H01M 50/593: Spacers; Insulating plates - H01M 50/159: Metals - H01M 50/538: Connection of several leads or tabs of wound or folded electrode stacks - H01M 2200/20: Pressure-sensitive devices - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Disclosed is a rectangular battery in which an electrode group formed by winding a first electrode and a second electrode with a separator interposed therebetween is housed in a battery case having an opening sealed by a sealing plate. The first electrode is electrically connected to the sealing plate, and the second electrode is electrically connected to a current collector plate provided between the sealing plate and the electrode group and extending along a longer side direction of the sealing plate. The sealing plate has a lower-strength portion configured to be deformed prior to the other portions of the sealing plate to provide a contact between the sealing plate and the current collector plate when the sealing plate receives an external pressure along the longer side direction of the sealing plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rectangular battery in which an electrode group formed by winding a first electrode and a second electrode with a separator interposed therebetween is housed in a battery case having an opening sealed by a sealing plate, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the sealing plate, the second electrode is electrically connected to a current collector plate provided between the sealing plate and the electrode group and expending along a longer side direction of the sealing plate, an insulating member is provided between the sealing plate and the current collector plate, and the sealing plate has a lower-strength portion configured to be deformed prior to other portions of the sealing plate to provide a contact between the sealing plate and the current collector plate when the sealing plate receives an external pressure along the longer side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rectangular battery of claim 1, wherein a strength of the lower-strength portion varies along a shorter side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein when the sealing plate receives the external pressure along the longer side direction of the sealing plate, the strength of the lower-strength portion varies such that the sealing plate is bent around the lower-strength portion toward a direction deviating from a center line extending along the longer side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein the lower-strength portion is provided so as to overlap the current collector plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein the strength of the lower-strength portion decreases from one end toward the other end in the shorter side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein the strength of the lower-strength portion decreases from a center line extending along the longer side direction of the sealing plate toward at least one end in the shorter side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein a thickness of the lower-strength portion varies from one end toward the other end in the shorter side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein a length of the lower-strength portion in the longer side direction of the sealing plate varies from one end toward the other end in the shorter side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The rectangular battery of claim 2, wherein the sealing plate has a guiding portion extending from a center line extending along the longer side direction of the sealing plate toward one end in the shorter side direction of the sealing plate, and an end of the current collector plate is movably engaged with the guiding portion through the insulating member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rectangular battery of claim 9, wherein the guiding portion is a groove recessed to a direction away from the current collector plate, and the insulating member has a protruding portion protruding toward the groove, and fit in the groove. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The rectangular battery of claim 1, wherein the sealing plate has a protruding portion provided closer to an outside than one end of the current collector plate is in a longer side direction of the current collector plate, and protruding toward the electrode group, and the lower-strength portion is provided adjacent to the protruding portion in the longer side direction of the sealing plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein the protruding portion protrudes to at least a position of the current collector plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein the lower-strength portion is located closer to the current collector plate than the protruding portion is. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein the lower-strength portion is located further from the current collector plate than the protruding portion is. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein the lower-strength portion is an explosion-proof valve that is to be broken due to an increase in internal pressure of the battery. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein a distance between the current collector plate and the protruding portion is 0.3 mm or more. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The rectangular battery of claim 11, wherein a distance between a side wall of a shorter side of the battery case and the protruding portion is less than one fourth of a length of a longer side of the battery case.