Method of assembling a bipolar battery and bipolar battery

A method of making a bipolar battery, which method comprises:

• providing a pair of end frames, each of the end frames having a body portion, said body portion defining an exterior surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces, and an interior surface, said interior surface including a peripheral border;
• a conductive metal substrate embedded in the body portion of the end frame;
• and a layer of positive or negative active material adhered to the conductive metal substrate of the end frame;
• providing a plurality of intermediate frames, each of the intermediate frames having a body portion, said body portion defining a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces, and interior surfaces, said interior surfaces including peripheral borders;
• a conductive metal substrate embedded in the body portion of the intermediate frame;
• and a layer of positive or negative active material adhered to each surface of the conductive metal substrate of the intermediate frame;
• providing a plurality of separators;
• assembling the end frames, intermediate frames, and separators so that the peripheral boarders of adjacent end and intermediate frames abut to form an electrochemical component unit, the separators being compressed thereby, said electrochemical component unit having a plurality of electrochemical cells, a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces corresponding, respectively, to the top surface, bottom surface, and side surfaces of the end and intermediate frames, and end surfaces corresponding to the exterior surfaces of the end frames;
• providing each electrochemical cell with an electrolyte fill/vent opening in the top surface of the electrochemical unit;
• sealing the side surfaces of the electrochemical component unit with a panel;
• providing an electrolyte fill/vent box including a base, the base defining a plurality of compartments, each said base compartment having a hole therein, said base compartment holes being in alignment with the electrolyte fill/vent holes in the top surface of the electrochemical component unit;
• a front panel having an aperture communicating with each base compartment;
• and an open top;
• sealing the base of the electrolyte fill/vent box to the top surface of the electrochemical component unit, thereby providing communication between the electrolyte fill/vent holes in the top surface of the electrochemical component unit and their associated top box base compartment holes, top box compartments, and top box front panel apertures;
• providing a cover for the open top of the electrolyte fill/vent box;
• sealing the electrolyte fill/vent box cover to the open top of the electrolyte fill/vent box;
• sealing the bottom surface of the electrochemical component unit with a panel;
• adding electrolyte to each cell by introducing electrolyte into the electrolyte fill/vent box front panel apertures;
• inserting valves in the electrolyte fill/vent box front panel apertures adapted to maintain the internal pressure within the battery;
• providing a manifolding cover for the front panel of the electrolyte fill/vent box;
• and
• sealing the front panel cover over the front panel of the electrolyte fill/vent box.

A bipolar battery having a desired voltage and capacity which comprises a set of end frames each having a solid exterior surface, top, bottom and side surfaces and an interior surface comprising a peripheral border defining a central open area sized to accommodate a first conductive metal substrate, said first conductive metal substrate being embedded in each of said end frames and positioned in said central open area, a first layer of positive or negative active material adhered to each of said first conductive metal substrates, a series of other frames having top, bottom and side surfaces and a peripheral border defining a central open area sized to accommodate a second conductive metal substrate, said second conductive metal substrate embedded in each of said other frames and positioned in the central open area, a second layer of either positive or negative active material adhered to each surface of each of said second conductive metal substrates embedded in said other frames, said end frames and said other frames being juxtaposed adjacent one another and comprising an electrochemical component unit having top, side and bottom surfaces corresponding to the respective top, side and bottom surfaces of said frames with the exterior surfaces of the end frames comprising the end surfaces of the electrochemical component unit and the peripheral surfaces of adjacent frames forming peripheral surfaces therebetween, the frames in the unit being assembled so as to have each layer of positive active material in said first and second layers adjacent a negative active material layer in said first and second layers, a separator positioned between adjacent positive and negative active material layers from said first and second layers, an electrolyte fill/vent hole in the top and bottom surfaces of said unit in communication with a separator, a panel sealed to the side surfaces of said electrochemical component unit, an electrolyte fill/vent box comprising a base divided into compartments equal in number to the number of separators and having electrolyte fill/vent holes in alignment with the holes in the top surface of said electrochemical component unit, a front panel having a series of apertures, one aperture communicating with each compartment and an open top, the base of said electrolyte fill/vent box being sealed to the top surface of the electrochemical component unit and an electrolyte fill/vent box cover being sealed thereto to close the open top, a vacuum box comprising a base divided into compartments equal in number to the number of separators having holes aligning with the holes in the bottom surface of the electrochemical component unit, a front panel having a series of apertures, one aperture communicating with each compartment and an open top, the base of said vacuum box being sealed to the bottom surface of the unit via the base, a manifold cover for the electrolyte fill/vent box sealed to the front panel of said electrolyte fill/vent box and a vacuum box cover being sealed thereto to close the open top, a vacuum box manifold cover having closures for blocking off the front panel vacuum box apertures and sealed to the vacuum box so that said closures block off the front panel vacuum box apertures, and electrolyte being positioned between adjacent active material layers of positive and negative active material.