Method of making an electrochemical cell having a resealable vent closure

Claim 1

A method for assembling an electrochemical cell comprising a solid component and a liquid component with a low pressure resealable vent closure which method comprises: (a) placing the solid component of a cell within a container having an open end, said container having secured to said open end a cover, said cover having a vent orifice; (b) securing a hollow retainer means to the cover such that said hollow retainer means surrounds the vent orifice, said retainer means having an open outer end having tabs extending therefrom; (c) feeding the liquid component of the cell through the vent orifice into the container; (d) placing a resilient deformable member of an elastomeric material within said hollow retainer means and over the vent orifice; (e) placing a retainer element within said hollow retainer means and over the resilient deformable member; (f) compressing said resilient deformable member over said vent orifice thereby providing a fluid tight seal at said vent orifice; and (g) securing the retainer element against the compressed resilient deformable member by turning over the tabs of the outer end of the hollow retainer means onto said retainer element.

Claim 2

A method for assembling an electrochemical cell comprising a solid component and a liquid component with a low pressure resealable vent closure which method comprises: (a) placing the solid component of a cell within a container having an open end, said container having secured to said open end a cover, said cover having a vent orifice; (b) securing a hollow retainer means to the cover such that said hollow retainer means surrounds the vent orifice, said retainer means having an open outer end having tabs extending therefrom; (c) feeding the liquid component of the cell through the vent orifice into the container; (d) placing a resilient deformable member of an elastomeric material within said hollow retainer means and over the vent orifice; (e) placing a retainer element within said hollow retainer means and over the resilient deformable member; (f) compressing said resilient deformable member over said vent orifice thereby providing a fluid tight seal at said vent orifice; and (g) securing the retainer element against the compressed resilient deformable member by turning over the tabs of the outer end of the hollow retainer means onto said retainer element.

Claim 6

A method for assembling an electrochemical cell comprising a solid component and a liquid component and having a low pressure resealable vent closure which method comprises the steps; (a) providing a cell container having an open end, a closed end and an upstanding wall; (b) inserting a cathode collector shell into said container, said cathode collector shell being in contact with the upstanding wall of the container thereby adapting the container as the positive terminal of the cell, said cathode collector shell having an inner wall defining an axial space therethrough; (c) disposing a separator within the axial space defined by the inner wall of the cathode collector shell and in contact with said inner wall of the cathode collector shell such that said separator has an inner wall defining an axial opening; (d) inserting within the axial opening defined by the inner wall of the separator a multimember anode comprised of a first half-cylindrical annular member having a screen-backed inner surface wall and a second half-cylindrical annular member having a screen-backed inner surface wall, said first and second cylindrical half annular members being disposed in an opposing fashion to form a cylindrical member with the screen-backed inner walls defining an axial cavity therethrough; (e) disposing an electrically conductive spring strip into the axial cavity defined by the screen-backed inner walls of the anode members such that said strip contacts the screen-backed inner wall thereby resiliently biasing the two anode members against the separator; (f) securing a cover over the open end of said container, said cover having a vent orifice; (g) securing a hollow retainer means to the cover such that said hollow retainer means surrounds the vent orifice, said retainer means having an open outer end having tabs extending therefrom; (h) feeding the liquid component of the cell through the vent orifice into the container; (i) placing a resilient deformable member of an elastomeric material within said hollow retainer means and over the vent orifice; (j) placing a retainer element within said hollow retainer means and over the resilient deformable member and compressing said deformable member over the vent orifice so as to provide a fluid-tight seal at said vent orifice; and (k) securing the retainer element against the compressed resilient deformable member by turning over the tabs of the retainer means onto said retainer element.

Claim 7

A method for assembling an electrochemical cell comprising a solid component and a liquid component and having a low pressure resealable vent closure which method comprises the steps; (a) providing a cell container having an open end, a closed end and an upstanding wall; (b) inserting a cathode collector shell into said container, said cathode collector shell being in contact with the upstanding wall of the container thereby adapting the container as the positive terminal of the cell, said cathode collector shell having an inner wall defining an axial space therethrough; (c) disposing a separator within the axial space defined by the inner wall of the cathode collector shell and in contact with said inner wall of the cathode collector shell such that said separator has an inner wall defining an axial opening; (d) inserting within the axial opening defined by the inner wall of the separator a multimember anode comprised of a first half-cylindrical annular member having a screen-backed inner surface wall and a second half-cylindrical annular member having a screen-backed inner surface wall, said first and second cylindrical half annular members being disposed in an opposing fashion to form a cylindrical member with the screen-backed inner walls defining an axial cavity therethrough; (e) disposing an electrically conductive spring strip into the axial cavity defined by the screen-backed inner walls of the anode members such that said strip contacts the screen-backed inner wall thereby resiliently biasing the two anode members against the separator; (f) securing a cover over the open end of said container, said cover having a vent orifice; (g) securing a hollow retainer means to the cover such that said hollow retainer means surrounds the vent orifice, said retainer means having an open outer end having tabs extending therefrom; (h) feeding the liquid component of the cell through the vent orifice into the container; (i) placing a resilient deformable member of an elastomeric material within said hollow retainer means and over the vent orifice; (j) placing a retainer element within said hollow retainer means and over the resilient deformable member and compressing said deformable member over the vent orifice so as to provide a fluid-tight seal at said vent orifice; and (k) securing the retainer element against the compressed resilient deformable member by turning over the tabs of the retainer means onto said retainer element.