Rechargeable non-aqueous lithium battery having stacked electrochemical cells

In a lithium battery constructed of a multiplicity of lithium containing stacked electrochemical cells packed in a battery case, the stacked electrochemical cells having a continuous, flexible, folded, mobile lithium ion containing polymer electrolyte, first and second polarity electrodes, and first and second polarity electrode current collectors, the improvement comprising that the stacked electrochemical cells are assembled of laminates consisting of:

• i) a first electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate having first and second faces, a multiplicity of discrete first polarity electrode plates, each first polarity electrode plate having opposing major sides, a platelength and a first platewidth, one of the major sides of each of said discrete first polarity electrode plates being conductively affixed to said first face of said first electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate at spaced intervals predetermined by said platelength,
• ii) a continuous, flexible, foldable mobile lithium ion containing polymer laminate electrolyte having first and second faces, a laminate width and a pair of laminate edges, said continuous, flexible, foldable polymer laminate electrolyte being conductive of lithium ions and non-conductive of electrical current,
• iii) a second electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate having first and second faces, a multiplicity of discrete second polarity electrode plates, each second polarity electrode plate having opposing major sides, a platelength that is similar to the platelength of said first polarity electrode plates, and a second platewidth, one of the major sides of each of said discrete second polarity electrode plates being conductively affixed to said first face of said second electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate at said predetermined spaced intervals;
• the other of said opposing major sides of said discrete first polarity electrode plates being in contact with said first face of said continuous, flexible, foldable mobile lithium ion containing polymer laminate electrolyte at said predetermined spaced intervals, and the other of said opposing major sides of said discrete second polarity electrode plates being in contact with said second face of said continuous, flexible, foldable mobile lithium ion containing polymer laminate electrolyte at said predetermined spaced intervals, said major side of each of said discrete first polarity electrode plates contacting said first face of said polymer laminate electrolyte corresponding to the respective major side of one of said discrete second polarity electrode plates contacting said second face of said polymer laminate electrolyte;
• said assembled laminates being fan-folded such that they comprise stacked parallel sections enfolding said discrete first and second polarity electrode plates, and flexible elbow sections devoid of discrete first and second polarity electrode plates, thereby providing a multiplicity of lithium containing folded and stacked electrochemical cells;
• a first polarity electrode current collector in electrical contact with said first electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate;
• a second polarity electrode current collector in electrical contact with said second electrical current conducting continuous, flexible, foldable electrode support laminate;
• and
• a battery case having electrical leads containing said fan-folded stack of electrochemical cells.