Greatbatch Ltd.

Gregory A Voss

Donald F Kaiser

Xiangyang Steve Dai

Tina L Urso

Kenneth B Talamine

Robert D Miller

A closure system for the electrolyte fill port of an electrochemical cell is described. A cell header has an electrolyte fill port comprising an upper opening sidewall extending from a header upper surface to an intermediate ledge located part-way through the header thickness. The ledge extends from a lower edge of the upper opening sidewall to an upper edge of a lower opening sidewall, the lower opening sidewall extending to the header lower surface. With respect to an axis of the electrolyte fill port, the upper opening sidewall has a first radius rand the lower opening sidewall has a second radius rat the ledge, the lower opening sidewall extending downwardly and inwardly along the axis from the second radius rto a third radius rat the header lower surface. The second radius rat the ledge is greater than the third radius rat the header lower surface. A closure system for an electrolyte fill port comprises a lower closure member secured to the lower opening sidewall by a lower weld; and an upper closure member secured to the upper opening sidewall by an upper weld. Importantly, the lower opening sidewall is provided with rifling.

Closure system for the electrolyte fill port of an electrochemical cell

A fixture in which an attractive magnetic force is utilized to join two parts of a container or housing together is discussed. The fixture comprises a fixture body portion, a fixture base portion and a removable fixture plate portion. At least one body magnet resides within the fixture body portion and at least one plate magnet resides within the removable fixture plate. The fixture body and plate magnets are positioned such that when they are brought together, an attractive magnetic force pulls the plate towards the fixture body. Therefore, when the respective housing portions are positioned within the fixture, the magnetic force compresses the housing portions together.

Magnetic fixture

An electrochemical cell comprising a conductive casing housing an electrode assembly provided with a stack holder surrounding the electrode assembly is described. The stack holder is of a shape memory material that serves to maintain the anode and cathode in a face-to-face close physical proximity alignment throughout discharge. This is particularly important in later stages of cell life. As the cell discharges, anode active material is physically moved from the anode to intercalate with the cathode active material. As this mass transfer occurs, the cathode becomes physically larger and the anode smaller. This can lead to gaps forming between the anode and the cathode. However, the stack holder inhibits the formation of such gaps by maintaining a compressive force on the electrode assembly throughout cell discharge.

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Alden, NY, United States of America

Gregory A Voss