Current collection through thermally sprayed tabs at the ends of a spirally wound electrochemical cell

A method of making an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:

• providing a first conductive sheet having a first end;
• providing a layer of insulation on said first conductive sheet such that said layer of insulation covers less than the entire area of said first conductive sheet:
• providing a second conductive sheet having a first end;
• laying said second conductive sheet on said layer of insulation such that said first end of said second conductive sheet is substantially parallel to said first end of said first conductive sheet but is offset in a direction transverse to said first ends;
• rolling said first conductive sheet, said layer of insulation, and said second conductive sheet together to form a jelly-roll stack having a longitudinal axis transverse to said first ends of said first and second conductive sheets such that the first end of said first conductive sheet forms a spiral space at a first end of the stack;
• and
• spraying a first conductive material along a first spray path onto said first end of said stack such that said conductive material does not contact said second conductive sheet, said first spray path forming an angle of between 20° and 80° with respect to said longitudinal axis, further comprising the step of placing a conductive strip on the first end of said first conductive sheet before said spraying step.

A method of making an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:

• providing a first conductive sheet having a first end;
• providing a layer of insulation on said first conductive sheet such that said layer of insulation covers less than the entire area of said first conductive sheet;
• providing a second conductive sheet having a first end;
• laving said second conductive sheet on said layer of insulation such that said first end of said second conductive sheet is substantially parallel to said first end of said first conductive sheet but is offset in a direction transverse to said first ends;
• rolling said first conductive sheet, said layer of insulation, and said second conductive sheet together to form a jelly-roll stack having a longitudinal axis transverse to said first ends of said first and second conductive sheets such that the first end of said first conductive sheet forms a spiral space at a first end of the stack;
• and
• spraying a first conductive material along a first spray path onto said first end of said stack such that said conductive material does not contact said second conductive sheet, said first spray path forming an angle of between 20° and 80° with respect to said longitudinal axis, further comprising the step of spraying a second material onto said first end along a second spray path which is at an angle with respect to said first spray path.