Low profile ventable seal for an electrochemical cell
AssigneeEveready Battery Company, Inc.
InventorXixian Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochemical cell having a low profile seal assembly for sealing the open end of the cell container. The seal assembly includes a support member having a surface area that covers substantially the open end of the cell container and has a plurality of openings therein. A seal member is disposed against the support member to provide a sealed closure to the open end of the cell container. The seal member has a membrane with a groove formed in a surface thereof which acts as a stress concentrator. The groove is located against the support member such that said groove is located adjacent to the openings formed in the support member and is further supported by the support member at other locations.
Claims29
A seal assembly for sealing the open end of an electrochemical cell container, said seal assembly comprising:
- a seal member disposed in said open end of said container to provide a sealed closure to the open end of the container, said seal member having a stress concentrator including a groove formed in a surface of said seal member;
- and
- a support member adapted to be disposed in said open end of said container and against the seal member, said support member having a surface area that covers a substantial portion of the open end of the container and further having at least one opening formed therein, wherein said opening has a wall section displaced on one side of the groove and a wall section displaced on another side of the groove.
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- a container having a closed bottom end and an open top end;
- a positive electrode disposed in said container;
- a negative electrode disposed in said container;
- a separator disposed between said positive electrode and said negative electrode;
- an electrolyte disposed in said container;
- a seal member disposed in the open top end of said container for closing said open top end of said container, said seal member having a stress concentrator including a groove formed in a surface thereof;
- and
- a support member disposed in said open end of said container and against a surface of said seal member for providing structural support thereagainst, said support member having a surface area that covers substantially the open end of the container and further having at least one opening formed therein at a location adjacent to said groove formed in said seal member, wherein said opening has a wall section displaced on one side of the groove and a wall section displaced on another side of the groove.
A method of assembling an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of:
- providing a container having a closed bottom end and an open top end;
- disposing a positive electrode in said container;
- disposing a negative electrode in said container;
- disposing a separator between said positive electrode and said negative electrode;
- disposing an electrolyte in said container;
- providing a seal member having a stress concentrator including a groove formed in a surface of the seal member;
- disposing said seal member in the open top end of said container for closing said open top end of said container;
- and
- disposing a support member in said open top end of said container and against a surface of said seal member for providing structural support thereagainst, said support member having a surface area that covers substantially the open end of the container and further having at least one opening formed therein at a location adjacent to said groove formed in said seal member, wherein said opening has a wall section displaced on one side of the groove and a wall section displaced on another side of the groove.
An electrochemical cell comprising:
- a container having a closed bottom end and an open top end;
- a positive electrode disposed in said container;
- a negative electrode disposed in said container;
- a separator disposed between said positive electrode and said negative electrode;
- a seal member disposed in the open top end of said container for closing the open top end of said container, said seal member having a stress concentrator including a groove formed in a surface of the seal member;
- and
- a support member disposed in the open top end of said container and against a surface of said seal member for providing structural support against the seal member, said support member having a surface area that covers substantially the open end of the container and further having at least one opening formed therein, wherein at least a portion of said groove is substantially adjacent to and substantially centered within said at least one opening, and said opening has a wall section displaced on one side of the groove and a wall section displaced on another side of the groove so as to allow the seal member to flex and the groove to rupture at a determined pressure differential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.