# US 2021/0242438 A1 · Rechargeable battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242438 A1 - Document ID: US20210242438A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/031,710 - Filed: 2020-09-24 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-03 - Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jong-Ha LEE; Byoungmin CHUN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242438A1 ## CPC - H01M 50/152: for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/15, H01M50/153 take precedence) - H01M 10/0427: {Button cells} - H01M 10/0587: of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators - H01M 50/109: of button or coin shape - H01M 50/147: Lids or covers - H01M 50/153: for button or coin cells - H01M 50/172: Arrangements of electric connectors penetrating the casing - H01M 50/179: for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/176, H01M50/181 take precedence) - H01M 50/188: the sealing members being arranged between the lid and terminal - H01M 50/538: Connection of several leads or tabs of wound or folded electrode stacks - H01M 50/543: Terminals - H01M 50/56: Cup shaped terminals - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - 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 A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, a separator between the first and second electrodes, and first and second electrode tabs respectively coupled to the first and second electrodes; a case accommodating the electrode assembly and coupled to the first electrode tab; and a cap assembly sealing an opening in the case. The cap assembly includes: a cap plate covering the opening in the case; and a terminal plate coupled to the cap plate. The terminal plate includes: a flange portion coupled to and electrically insulated from the cap plate; and a tab connecting portion protruding from the flange portion toward the electrode assembly and extending through a terminal opening in the cap plate to be coupled to the second electrode tab. The terminal plate has a flat outer surface, and the tab connecting portion has a flat inner surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rechargeable battery comprising: an electrode assembly comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first electrode tab coupled to the first electrode, and a second electrode tab coupled to the second electrode; a case accommodating the electrode assembly and coupled to the first electrode tab; and a cap assembly sealing an opening in the case, the cap assembly comprising: a cap plate coupled to the case and covering the opening in the case; and a terminal plate coupled to the cap plate, wherein the terminal plate comprises: a flange portion coupled to and electrically insulated from the cap plate; and a tab connecting portion protruding from the flange portion toward the electrode assembly and extending through a terminal opening in the cap plate, the tab connecting portion being coupled to the second electrode tab, wherein outer surfaces of the flange portion and the tab connecting portion form a flat outer surface of the terminal plate, and wherein the tab connecting portion has a flat inner surface that protrudes into the case. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the flange portion of the terminal plate is parallel to the cap plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein a first end of the electrode assembly faces the case, and a second end of the electrode assembly faces the cap plate, and wherein a height different is formed between the inner surface of the tab connecting portion and an inner surface of the cap plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein the inner surface of the tab connecting portion is nearer to the second end of the electrode assembly than the inner surface of the cap plate is. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein, when the second end of the electrode assembly is a flat reference surface: a first height is formed between the inner surface of the cap plate and the second end of the electrode assembly; a second height is formed between the inner surface of the tab connecting portion and the second end of the electrode assembly; and the second height is smaller than the first height. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein a distal portion of the inner surface of the tab connecting portion that faces the second electrode tab is nearer to the second end of the electrode assembly than the inner surface of the cap plate is. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The rechargeable battery of claim 3, wherein, when the second end of the electrode assembly is a flat reference surface: a first height is formed between the inner surface of the cap plate and the second end of the electrode assembly; a second height is formed between a distal portion of the inner surface of the tab connecting portion that faces the second electrode tab and the second end of the electrode assembly; and the second height is smaller than the first height. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the terminal plate comprises forged aluminum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, further comprising an insulating member between the cap plate and the second electrode tab. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rechargeable battery of claim 9, wherein the insulating member has a plate shape with a through opening therein, and wherein the through opening in the insulating member corresponds to the terminal opening in the cap plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rechargeable battery of claim 10, wherein the through opening in the insulating member has a smaller diameter than the terminal opening in the cap plate, and wherein the through opening in the insulating member and the terminal opening in the cap plate are concentric. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein, when the opening in the case is sealed and closed by the cap assembly, a height is a distance between the case and the outer surface of the terminal plate, a diameter is an outer diameter of the case, and a height-to-diameter ratio is 1 or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The rechargeable battery of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly is formed by winding the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode into a jelly roll shape.