Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
A metal current collector substrate adapted to be inserted into an elongated housing of an electrochemical cell and to make direct physical contact with an interior wall of the housing, said current collector substrate comprising: a thin, solid, resilient disc of a non-permeable metal and having a plurality of like cut-out openings spaced about its entire periphery in a predetermined pattern and defining a plurality of deflective, resilient peripheral portions intermediate to the openings, said disc further having a single additional opening therein spaced from the plurality of other openings and encircled by the material of the disc, and said disc being normally flat prior to insertion into the housing of an electrochemical cell and having a size prior to insertion into the housing of the cell greater than the interior cross section of the housing, by an amount such that the peripheral portions of said disc operate when the disc is inserted into the housing to be deflected upwardly by physical contact with the interior wall of the housing and to move toward each other thereby to cause the disc to generally conform to the interior cross section of the housing, said peripheral portions following the deflection thereof being at acute angles with respect to the interior wall of the housing and making direct physical contact with the interior wall of the housing and establishing a plurality of passageways adjacent to the interior wall of the housing as a result of the adjacency of the plurality of openings to the interior wall of the housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
256 words
A metal current collector substrate adapted to be inserted into an elongated housing of an electrochemical cell and to make direct physical contact with an interior wall of the housing, said current collector substrate comprising: a thin, solid, resilient disc of a non-permeable metal and having a plurality of like cut-out openings spaced about its entire periphery in a predetermined pattern and defining a plurality of deflective, resilient peripheral portions intermediate to the openings, said disc further having a single additional opening therein spaced from the plurality of other openings and encircled by the material of the disc, and said disc being normally flat prior to insertion into the housing of an electrochemical cell and having a size prior to insertion into the housing of the cell greater than the interior cross section of the housing, by an amount such that the peripheral portions of said disc operate when the disc is inserted into the housing to be deflected upwardly by physical contact with the interior wall of the housing and to move toward each other thereby to cause the disc to generally conform to the interior cross section of the housing, said peripheral portions following the deflection thereof being at acute angles with respect to the interior wall of the housing and making direct physical contact with the interior wall of the housing and establishing a plurality of passageways adjacent to the interior wall of the housing as a result of the adjacency of the plurality of openings to the interior wall of the housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the elongated housing into which the substrate is adapted to be inserted has a circular cross section and a predetermined internal diameter; and the metal disc has a generally circular configuration and a diameter prior to insertion into the housing greater than the internal diameter of the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the peripheral openings are in the form of notches of the same size and equally spaced around the periphery of the disc thereby to define arcuate peripheral portions of like size therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 3 wherein: the notches are spaced around the periphery of the disc at 45° intervals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 4 wherein: the metal disc is of nickel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 5 wherein: the nickel disc has a thickness of 0.003 inch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 6 wherein: the elongated housing into which the metallic substrate is adapted to be inserted has a internal diameter of 0.960 inch; the metal disc has a diameter prior to insertion into the housing of 0.972 inch; the notches in the disc are circular in configuration and each has a radius of 0.047 inch; and the peripheral portions following insertion of the disc into the housing are at acute angles of about 30° degrees with respect to the interior wall of the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A current collector substrate in accordance with claim 7 wherein: the additional opening of the disc is located centrally in the disc.