Tesla, Inc.

Christophe Mille

Kenjin Masumoto

Kunio Tsuruta

A method for constructing a battery that includes a can, a jelly roll contained in the can, a top insulator contained in the can adjacent to and above the jelly roll, and a battery cap. The method includes forming the can, forming the jelly roll, inserting the jelly roll into the can, inserting a top insulator into the can adjacent to and above the jelly roll, assembling the battery cap, including an outer conductive ring, an insulator ring, a conductive top plate, a conductive rupture plate, connecting a cathode to the conductive rupture plate, inserting the battery cap into the can, and welding the battery cap to an inner surface of the can.

Battery cell having welded battery cap

A battery includes a can, a jelly roll contained in the can, a top insulator contained in the can adjacent to and above the jelly roll, and a battery cap. The battery cap is welded to an inner surface of the can adjacent to and above the top insulator and includes an outer conductive ring, an insulator ring, and a conductive top plate, wherein the outer conductive ring, the insulator ring, and the conductive top plate are crimped together. The battery cap further includes a conductive rupture plate electrically connected to the conductive top plate and a cathode electrically connected to the conductive rupture plate and extending into the jelly roll. The battery may further include an opening in a central portion of the conductive top plate and a central portion of the conductive rupture plate cover welded upon the opening in the central portion of the conductive top plate.

An electrochemical cell includes a can configured to serve as one electric contact of the electrochemical cell, the can containing active materials, a diaphragm configured to serve as an opposite electric contact of the electrochemical cell, and a gasket that is initially of generally cylindrical shape, the diaphragm positioned inside the gasket in an opening of the can wherein an outer edge of the can is crimped onto the gasket, the gasket having an inner periphery inside the can and an outer periphery outside the can, the outer periphery comprising leaves that after crimping extend along an outer surface of the diaphragm.

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Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Christophe Mille