Aluminum housing with a hermetic seal

Abstract

A housing for an energy storage cell includes an interior which provides beneficial properties to fabricators of the cell. The cell may be hermetically sealed by conventional laser welding techniques.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An energy storage comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a cap; and 
 a body comprising a multilayer material; 
   wherein the multilayer material comprises:
 a first layer of material that is substantially compatible with an electrolyte of an energy storage cell disposed within the housing; and 
 at least a second layer at least partially disposed over the first layer, wherein the second layer provides structural integrity for the housing; 
   wherein at least a portion of the first layer faces an interior of the housing and is exposed to the electrolyte; and   wherein the portion of the first layer that faces the interior of the housing is configured to conduct electricity to or from the energy storage.   
     
     
         42 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the second layer is clad to the first layer. 
     
     
         43 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the second layer comprises steel. 
     
     
         44 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the first layer comprises at least one of aluminum and an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         45 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the housing comprises a glass-to-metal seal. 
     
     
         46 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the energy storage cell comprises carbonaceous energy storage media. 
     
     
         47 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the first layer of material is substantially electrochemically compatible with the electrolyte. 
     
     
         48 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the energy storage cell is coupled to a first electrical contact of the housing and a second electrical contact of the housing. 
     
     
         49 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the coupling comprises an ultrasonic weld. 
     
     
         50 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the housing is hermetically sealed. 
     
     
         51 . The energy storage of  claim 50 , wherein a leak rate of the housing is no greater than about 5.0×10 −6  standard He-cc/sec at temperatures throughout an operational temperature range. 
     
     
         52 . The energy storage of  claim 50 , wherein a first glass-to-metal seal disposed in the housing provides a first electrical contact with a first electrode of the energy storage cell, the first electrical contact being electrically insulated from the body of the housing. 
     
     
         53 . The energy storage of  claim 52 , wherein a body of the housing provides a second electrical contact with a second electrode of the energy storage cell. 
     
     
         54 . The energy storage of  claim 52 , wherein a second glass-to-metal seal disposed in the housing provides a second electrical contact with a second electrode of the energy storage cell, the second electrical contact being electrically insulated from the body of the housing. 
     
     
         55 . The energy storage of  claim 41 , wherein the energy storage exhibits a volumetric leakage current that is less than 1,000 mAmp per Liter throughout the operational temperature range and an operational voltage range. 
     
     
         56 . The energy storage of  claim 55 , wherein the temperature range is from about 60 degrees Celsius to about 250 degrees Celsius and the voltage range is from about 100 mV to about 5V. 
     
     
         57 . A method for fabricating an energy storage comprising:
 selecting a multilayer material; and   incorporating the multilayer material into at least a portion of a housing of the energy storage;   wherein the housing comprises:
 a cap; and 
 a body comprising a multilayer material; 
   wherein the multilayer material comprises:
 a first layer of material that is substantially compatible with an electrolyte of an energy storage cell disposed within the housing; and 
 at least a second layer of material at least partially disposed over the first layer, wherein the second layer provides structural integrity for the housing; 
   wherein at least a portion of the first layer faces an interior of the housing exposed to the electrolyte; and   wherein the portion of the first layer that faces the interior of the housing is configured to conduct electricity to or from the energy storage.   
     
     
         58 . The method as in  claim 57 , further comprising assembling the energy storage by enclosing an energy storage cell within the housing by hermetically sealing the cap and body together. 
     
     
         59 . The method as in  claim 58 , wherein the assembling comprises at least one of laser welding, TIG welding, resistance welding, and ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         60 . The housing of  claim 41 , wherein the cap comprises a cap formed of a multi-layer cap material, the cap comprising a hermetically sealed electrode assembly disposed therein;
 wherein a first layer of the multi-layer cap material is compatible with a material of the body, and a second layer of the multi-layer cap material is compatible with hermetically sealing the assembly to the cap, and wherein the hermetically sealed electrode assembly is configured to maintain a leak rate of less than 5.0×10 −6  standard He-cc/sec at temperatures throughout an operational temperature range of −40 degrees Celsius to 210 degrees Celsius.