Battery constructions having increased internal volume for active components

Abstract

An electrochemical cell constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a can for containing electrochemical materials including positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the can having an open end and a closed end; a pressure relief mechanism formed in the closed end of the can for releasing internal pressure from within the can when the internal pressure becomes excessive; a first outer cover positioned on the closed end of the can to be in electrical contact therewith and to extend over the pressure relief mechanism; a second outer cover positioned across the open end of the can; and an insulator disposed between the can and the second outer cover for electrically insulating the can from the second outer cover. According to another embodiment, the second cover is dielectrically isolated from a current collector. The battery comprises a collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within the can and available for containing electrochemically active materials.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 88.4% of the total volume of the battery.  
     
     
       2. The battery as defined in  claim 1  and further including a separator disposed within the internal volume. 
     
     
       3. The battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said collector assembly comprises a cover and a collector for electrically coupling said cover to said negative electrode, wherein the internal volume available for said electrochemically active materials is exclusive of the volume consumed by said collector. 
     
     
       4. The battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the internal volume available for said electrochemically active materials includes any volume required for internal voids in which said electrochemically active materials may migrate. 
     
     
       5. The battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said can is cylindrical. 
     
     
       6. The battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically active materials define an alkaline battery including a positive electrode made of MnO 2 , a negative electrode made of Zn, and an electrolyte including KOH. 
     
     
       7. The battery as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said can is made of chemically inert material. 
     
     
       8. A D sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 89.2% of the total volume of the battery.  
     
     
       9. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 90.9 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       10. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 92.6 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       11. The D size battery as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 93.5 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       12. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 94.9 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       13. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 97.0 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       14. A C sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 83.2%   85 . 1 % of the total volume of the battery.  
     
     
       15. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 86.4 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       16. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 88.4 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       17. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 90.6 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       18. An AA sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 82.0% of the total volume of the battery.  
     
     
       19. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 83.5 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       20. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically chemically active materials being at least about 84.7 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       21. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 87.4 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       22. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 89.6 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       23. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 90.4 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       24. An AAA sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 78.7% of the total volume of the battery.  
     
     
       25. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 84.6 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       26. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 88.0 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       27. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 90.1 percent of the total volume of the battery. 
     
     
       28. A D sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 44.67 cc.  
     
     
       29. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 45.53 cc. 
     
     
       30. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 46.34 cc. 
     
     
       31. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 46.82 cc. 
     
     
       32. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 47.52 cc. 
     
     
       33. The D sized battery as defined in  claim 28 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being  18.59  at least about 48.59  cc. 
     
     
       34. A C sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 20.21 cc.  
     
     
       35. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 34 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 20.92 cc. 
     
     
       36. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 34 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 21.42 cc. 
     
     
       37. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 34 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 21.73 cc. 
     
     
       38. The C sized battery as defined in  claim 34 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 22.26 cc. 
     
     
       39. An AA sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 64.7 cc.  
     
     
       40. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 6.56 cc. 
     
     
       41. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 6.68 cc. 
     
     
       42. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 6.77 cc. 
     
     
       43. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 6.95 cc. 
     
     
       44. The AA sized battery as defined in  claim 39 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 7.0 cc. 
     
     
       45. An AAA sized battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a collector assembly positioned across the open end of said can, said collector assembly and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 2.811 cc.  
     
     
       46. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 2.90 cc. 
     
     
       47. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 3.02 cc. 
     
     
       48. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 3.06 cc. 
     
     
       49. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 3.14 cc. 
     
     
       50. The AAA sized battery as defined in  claim 45 , wherein the internal volume available for containing said electrochemically active materials being at least about 3.22 cc. 
     
     
       51. A battery comprising: 
       a can having an open end and a closed end; and  
       a cover positioned across the open end of said can, said cover and can defining a sealed internal volume within said can and available for containing electrochemically active materials including at least positive and negative electrodes and an electrolyte, the internal volume being at least about 88.4% of the total volume of the battery.