Fusion-sealed metal-encased rechargeable alkaline battery cell

Claim 1

IN A SEALED, RECHARGEABLE STORAGE BATTERY CELL, AN ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY HAVING ONE CELL ELECTRODE AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER OPPOSITE-POLARITY CELL ELECTRODE WITH ELECTROLYTE HELD BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES AND TENDING TO DEVELOP GASES UPON RECHARGING SAID CELL, AN INTEGRAL METALLIC CASING EN-CLOSING SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND HAVING A RELATIVELY THIN TUBULAR CASING WALL AND TWO OPPOSITE END WALLS, AT LEAST ONE METALLIC TERMINAL HAVING AN INNER TERMINAL REGIONON CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID CELL ELECTRODES AND CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID TWO END WALLS A SOLID, TUBULAR, RELATIVELY THICK INORGANIC INSULATING MEMBER WITHIN A PASSAGE IN SAID ONE END WALL AND HAVING A TUBULAR SURFACE AFFIXED BY GASTIGHT FUSION-SEAL TO THE SURROUNDING METAL WALL PASSAGE, SAID METALLIC TERMINAL BEING AFFIXED BY A GAS-TIGHT FUSIONSEAL TO A FURTHER CONTINOUS TUBULAR SURFACE OF SAID INSULATING MEMBER SEPARATED BY AN INSULATING SURFACE FROM SAID ONE TUBULAR SURFACE AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF SAID ONE END WALL BEING OF A WALL THICKNESS AT LEAST TWICE GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID TUBULAR WALL AND OF SUFFICENTLY GREAT THICKNESS TO SUPPRESS DEFORMATION OF SAID ONE END WALL AND IMPAIRMENT OF SAID FUSION-SEALS UNDER INTERNAL PRESSURE DEVELOPED UNDER NORMAL CHARGING CONDITIONS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE CAUSE SUCH A DEFORMATION OF SAID ONE END WALL.