Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning a plurality of discrete lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart pattern adjacent to a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; and pressing the plurality of lithium anode pellets into the metal screen so as to be embedded within the screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning a plurality of discrete lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart pattern adjacent to a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; and pressing the plurality of lithium anode pellets into the metal screen so as to be embedded within the screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the metal screen has interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings in the screen; and the lithium anode pellets are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the metal screen is an expanded metal screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 3 wherein: the plurality of lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are arranged adjacent to the metal screen in a pattern of rows and columns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein: the lithium anode pellets as pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the screen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of: pressing an insulative separator material into the metal screen between the lithium anode pellets so as to be embedded within the screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 6 wherein: the lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the screen; the metal screen is an expanded metal screen having interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings; and the lithium anode pellets and the insulative separator material are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning a first plurality of lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart relationship adjacent to a first side of a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; pressing the first plurality of lithium pellets into the metal screen so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto; positioning a second plurality of lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart relationship adjacent to a second side of the metal screen; and pressing the second plurality of lithium pellets into the metal screen so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning a first plurality of lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart relationship adjacent to a first side of a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; pressing the first plurality of lithium pellets into the metal screen so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto; positioning a second plurality of lithium anode pellets in a spaced-apart relationship adjacent to a second side of the metal screen; and pressing the second plurality of lithium pellets into the metal screen so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 8 wherein: the second plurality of lithium anode pellets are positioned in alignment with the first plurality of lithium anode pellets prior to pressing the second plurality of lithium anode pellets into the metal screen; and the second plurality of lithium anode pellets are pressed into the metal screen by an amount to make physical contact with the corresponding ones of the first plurality of lithium anode pellets thereby to form generally unitary pellets together with the first plurality of pellets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 9 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the screen; the metal screen is an expanded metal screen having interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings; and the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 10 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium pellets are arranged adjacent to the respective sides of the metal screen in patterns of rows and columns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 8 further comprising the step of: pressing an insulative separator material into the metal screen between the lithium anode pellets so as to be embedded within the screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 12 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the metal screen; the metal screen is an expanded metal screen having interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings; and the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets and the insulative separator material are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 13 wherein: the second plurality of lithium anode pellets are positioned in alignment with the first plurality of lithium anode pellets prior to pressing the second plurality of lithium anode pellets into the metal screen; and the second plurality of lithium anode pellets are pressed into the metal screen by an amount to make physical contact with the corresponding ones of the first plurality of lithium anode pellets thereby to form generally unitary pellets together with the first plurality of pellets.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning first and second pluralities of lithium pellets relative to opposite sides of a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; and pressing the first and second pluralities of lithium pellets into the metal so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising the steps of: positioning first and second pluralities of lithium pellets relative to opposite sides of a metal screen of a predetermined thickness; and pressing the first and second pluralities of lithium pellets into the metal so that the pellets are embedded within the metal screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 15 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets are positioned in alignment with each other; and the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets are pressed into the metal screen by amounts to make physical contact with each other thereby to form generally unitary pellets together with the first plurality of pellets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 16 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the metal screen; the metal screen is an expanded metal screen having interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings; and the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 17 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium pellets are arranged adjacent to the respective sides of the metal screen in patterns of rows and columns.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 18 further comprising the step of: pressing an insulative separator material into the metal screen between the lithium anode pellets so as to be embedded within the screen and physically secured thereto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method for fabricating an anode structure in accordance with claim 19 wherein: the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets pressed into the metal screen are in the form of balls prior to being pressed into the metal screen; the metal screen is an expanded metal screen having interconnected portions defining a plurality of openings; and the first and second pluralities of lithium anode pellets and the insulative separator material are embedded within the screen by way of the interconnected portions and openings in the screen.