Prismatic bussing method and design

A method of manufacturing an electrochemical cell, comprising:

• (a) providing a prismatic electrode stack, said prismatic electrode stack extending in a prismatic plane and having a plurality of positive electrode plates and a plurality of negative electrode plates stacked alternately with intervening separators therebetween, the positive electrode plates and the negative electrode plates being laterally offset so that end leads of the positive electrode plates extend from one side of the electrode stack and end leads of the negative electrode plates extend from an opposite side of the electrode stack;
• (b) providing a positive bus strap adjacent the end leads of the positive electrode plates and a negative bus strap adjacent to the end leads of the negative electrode plates at an orientation such that the bus straps are perpendicular to the prismatic plane;
• (c) positioning the end leads of the positive electrode plates such that connecting portions thereof are parallel to and against the positive bus strap and positioning the end leads of the negative electrode plates such that connecting portions thereof are parallel to against the negative bus strap;
• (d) joining the connecting portions of the positive electrode plates to the positive bus strap and the connecting portions of the negative electrode plates to the negative bus strap;
• and
• (e) inserting the prismatic electrode stack and the positive and negative bus straps in a case.