Sealed battery cell and method of manufacturing the same

A sealed battery cell comprising a generating unit, a battery cell container within which the generating unit is stored, and a sealing lid that seals the battery cell container, wherein:

• the sealing lid comprises a cap that constitutes an external positive electrode terminal for the sealed battery cell, and a cap casing that is integrated with the cap;
• the cap is a hat shape having a top portion and an annular portion, of which top portion is the external positive electrode terminal and projects to the exterior of the battery cell in axial direction;
• a plurality of gas venting apertures are provided upon a side wall of the top portion of the cap at predetermined intervals;
• an outer circumferential region of the cap casing is fixed to an upper surface of the annular portion of the cap by folding back and swaging, and is welded to the cap at a welding spot where this fixing by swaging is performed;
• and
• a positional relationship between the welding spot and the gas venting apertures is regulated so that a path for electrical current between the welding spot and the side wall of the top portion is not divided by the gas venting apertures.

A sealed battery cell comprising a generating unit, a battery cell container within which the generating unit is stored, and a sealing lid that seals the battery cell container, wherein:

• the sealing lid comprises a cap that constitutes an external positive electrode terminal for the sealed battery cell, and a cap casing that is integrated with the cap;
• the cap is a hat shape having a top portion and an annular portion, of which top portion is the external positive electrode terminal, and projects to the exterior of the battery cell in axial direction;
• a plurality of apertures for venting gas are provided upon a side wall of the top portion of the cap at predetermined intervals;
• an outer circumferential region of the cap casing is fixed to an upper surface of the annular portion of the cap by folding back and swaging, and is welded to the cap at a welding spot where this fixing by swaging is performed;
• and
• a positional relationship between the welding spot and the gas venting apertures is regulated so that the gas venting apertures do not lie upon a straight line that join the welding spot and the center of the cap.

A method of manufacturing a sealed battery cell that comprises a generating unit, a battery cell container within which the generating unit is stored, and a sealing lid that seals the battery cell container, comprising:

• a process of manufacturing the generating unit;
• a process of manufacturing the sealing lid;
• a process of, after putting the generating unit into the battery cell container, electrically connecting the generating unit, an external positive electrode terminal of the sealing lid, and an external negative electrode terminal of a battery cell bottom surface;
• and
• a process of, after putting the generating unit into the battery cell container, sealing the battery cell container with the sealing lid;
• and wherein:
• the process of manufacturing the sealing lid comprises a process of manufacturing the cap, a process of manufacturing the cap casing, and a process of integrating the cap and the cap casing;
• the process of manufacturing the cap comprises:
• a process of forming a hat shape having a top portion that projects to the exterior of the battery cell, and an annular portion;
• and
• a process of providing a plurality of gas venting apertures at predetermined intervals in the side wall of the top portion;
• and the process of integrating the cap and the cap casing comprises:
• a process of swage fixing a circumferential region of the cap casing to an upper surface of the annular portion of the cap by folding back and swaging;
• a process of welding the cap and the cap casing together at a welding spot on this folded back circumferential region;
• and
• a process of, before the swage fixing, performing position alignment of the cap and the cap casing, so that the welding spot at which the welding is performed confront the top portion side wall at a location between an adjacent pair of gas venting apertures that are provided in the side wall of the top portion of the cap.