Battery housing and systems and methods of making thereof

Abstract

A method of assembling a button cell battery. The method includes positioning a free end of a grommet over a free end of a top, and a free end of a can over a top panel of the grommet. The can includes a skirt having a vertical first section extending from a top panel of the can, and an outwardly tapered second section extending from the first section. An inner diameter of the skirt in the first section is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the top panel. The method also includes resizing a put-together arrangement defined following positioning the can over the grommet and positioning the grommet over the top from a first, expanded configuration to a second, constrained configuration, where an inner diameter of the skirt in the second section is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the skirt in the first section following resizing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of assembling a button cell battery, the method comprising:
 positioning a free end of a grommet over a free end of a top;   positioning a free end of a can over a top panel of the grommet, the can comprising a skirt including:
 a substantially vertical first section extending from a top panel of the can; and 
 an outwardly tapered second section extending from the first section; 
 wherein an inner diameter of the skirt in the first section is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the top panel of the grommet; and 
   resizing a put-together arrangement defined following the positioning of the can over the grommet and the positioning of the grommet over the top from a first, expanded configuration to a second, constrained configuration;   wherein an inner diameter of the skirt of the can in the second section is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the skirt in the first section following the resizing of the put-together arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The method  claim 1 , wherein resizing the put-together arrangement comprises:
 supporting a top panel of the top on a platform provided at a center of a cylinder of a resize press;   supporting a free end of the can on a base of a track formed along an upper surface of the cylinder, the base being vertically offset from the upper surface of the cylinder; and   lowering a resize die of the resize press onto the put-together arrangement until a lower surface of the resize die contacts the upper surface of the cylinder.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a lower portion of the put-together arrangement is not contained within a bore defined by the resize die upon the lower surface of the resize die contacting the upper surface of the cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising introducing the lower portion of the put-together arrangement into an interior of a bore of a constraining die, the bore having a tapered diameter that decreases in size between a first diameter defined at an open end of the bore and a second diameter defined within the interior of the bore; and
 wherein the first diameter of the bore is greater than a diameter of the lower portion of the put-together arrangement.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising sealing the free end of the can relative to the top panel of the top. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising laser welding an electrode tab coupled to an electrode assembly to an inner surface of the can following the sealing of the free end of the can relative to the top, wherein the electrode assembly is positioned within and electrically coupled to the top. 
     
     
         7 . A can for a button cell battery, the can comprising:
 a top panel; and   a skirt extending between a first end located adjacent the top panel and a free second end;   wherein the skirt includes:
 a first section extending from the first end, the first section having a substantially uniform inner diameter; 
 a second section extending from the second end, the second section extending at a first angle relative to an axis about which the can is centered; and 
 a third section extending between the first section and second section, the third section extending at a second angle relative to the axis that is different than the first angle. 
   
     
     
         8 . The can of  claim 7 , wherein a height of the can, as measured along the axis, is between approximately 3.6 mm and approximately 6.0 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The can of  claim 8 , wherein an interface between the first section and second section is located approximately 0.05 mm and approximately 0.40 mm from a lower surface of the top panel. 
     
     
         10 . The can of  claim 8 , wherein an interface between the second section and the third section is located approximately 0.40 mm and approximately 0.80 mm from a lower surface of the top panel. 
     
     
         11 . The can of  claim 7 , wherein the third section is defined by a plurality of different transition sections, each transition section being defined by a portion of the skirt that extends at an angle relative to the axis that is different than an angle relative to the axis at which an adjacent transition section extends. 
     
     
         12 . The can of  claim 11 , wherein at least one transition section is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         13 . A can for a button cell battery, the can comprising:
 a top panel; and   a skirt extending between a first end located adjacent the top panel and a second end;   wherein the skirt includes:
 a first section extending from the first end; 
 a second section extending from the second end, the second section extending at a first angle relative to an axis about which the can is centered; and 
 a third section extending between the first section and second section, the third section extending at a second angle relative to the axis that is different than the first angle. 
   
     
     
         14 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein an interface between the first section and the second section is located approximately 0.05 mm and approximately 0.50 mm from a lower surface of the top panel. 
     
     
         15 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein the first section has an inner diameter between approximately 7.00 mm and approximately 8.00 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein an interface between the second section and the third section is located approximately 0.1 mm and approximately 1.0 mm from a lower surface of the top panel. 
     
     
         17 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein the second angle is between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 25 degrees relative to the axis. 
     
     
         18 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein the third section has a height between approximately 0.20 mm and approximately 0.30 mm, and wherein the second angle is between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 15 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein the third section has a height between approximately 0.40 mm and approximately 0.60 mm, and wherein the second angle is between approximately 8 degrees and approximately 12 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The can of  claim 13 , wherein the third section is defined by a single transition portion that is substantially vertical relative to a lower surface of the top panel.