Electrochemical cell having low profile seal assembly with anti-resealing vent

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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and substantially covering said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member comprises at least one rib formed on the top surface of said seal member.

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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and substantially covering said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member has a height of at least 5 mils.

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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and substantially covering said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member comprises polymeric material.

A method for 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 formed in the seal member about a central longitudinal axis of said cell;
• disposing said seal member in the open top end of said container for closing said open top end of said container;
• disposing a cover in said open top end of said container and over said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• providing a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for keeping at least a portion of said seal member distanced from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member during can venting, wherein said step of providing a standoff member comprises forming at least one rib on the top surface of said seal member.

An electrochemical cell comprising:

• a container having a closed bottom 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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and overlying at least a portion of said seal member, said cover having a bottom surface facing said seal member, said cover further having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and the bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member comprises at least one rib formed on the top surface of said seal member.

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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and substantially covering said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member extends from the top surface of said seal member and is adjacent to said stress concentrator.

An electrochemical cell comprising:

• a container having a closed bottom 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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and overlying at least a portion of said seal member, said cover having a bottom surface facing said seal member, said cover further having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and the bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said standoff member comprises at least one post formed on the top surface of said seal member.

An electrochemical cell comprising:

• a container having a closed bottom 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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and overlying at least a portion of said seal member, said cover having a bottom surface facing said seal member, said cover further having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and the bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member when said seal member vents, wherein said seal member and said standoff member comprise polymeric material.

A seal assembly for sealing the open end of an electrochemical cell container, said seal assembly comprising:

• a seal member adapted to be disposed in an open end of a container to provide a sealed closure to the open end of the container, said seal member having a stress concentrator formed about a central longitudinal axis of a cell container;
• a cover overlying at least a portion of said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member during can venting, wherein said standoff member comprises a vertically extending member formed on the top surface of said seal adjacent to said stress concentrator.

A method for 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 formed in the seal member about a central longitudinal axis of said cell;
• disposing said seal member in the open top end of said container for closing said open top end of said container;
• disposing a cover in said open top end of said container and over said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• providing a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for keeping at least a portion of said seal member distanced from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member during can venting, wherein said step of providing a standoff member comprises forming at least one post on the top surface of said seal member.

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 formed about a central longitudinal axis of said cell for providing pressure release to vent gases;
• a cover disposed in said open end of said container and at least partially covering said seal member, said cover having at least one vent passage therein;
• and
• means for forming a passage between said seal member and said cover for preventing resealing of said seal member when the seal member vents, wherein said means for forming a passage comprises one or more standoff members formed on a surface of said seal member.

A seal assembly for sealing the open end of an electrochemical cell container, said seal assembly comprising:

• a seal member adapted to be disposed in an open end of a container to provide a sealed closure to the open end of the container, said seal member having a stress concentrator formed about a central longitudinal axis of a cell container;
• a cover overlying at least a portion of said seal member, said cover having at least one opening formed therein;
• and
• a standoff member disposed between a top surface of said seal member and a bottom surface of said cover for distancing at least a portion of said seal member from said cover to prevent resealing of said seal member during can venting, wherein said standoff member comprises at least one rib formed on the top surface of said seal member.