throbber
Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 1 of 13 PageID #: 40
`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 1 of 13 PageID #: 40
`
`EXHIBIT C
`
`EXHIBIT C
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 2 of 13 PageID #: 41
`I lllll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
`US009799913B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Pytlik et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`*Oct. 24, 2017
`
`(54) BUTTON CELLS AND METHOD OF
`PRODUCING SAME
`
`(71) Applicant: VARTA Microbattery GmbH,
`Ellwangen (DE)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: Eduard Pytlik, Ellwangen (DE);
`Jiirgen Lindner, Ellwangen (DE);
`Ulrich Barenthin, Ellwangen (DE);
`Winfried Gaugler, Ellwangen (DE)
`
`(73) Assignee: VARTA Microbattery GmbH
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis(cid:173)
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 15/283,568
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Oct. 3, 2016
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2017/0025703 Al
`
`Jan. 26, 2017
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Continuation of application No. 14/827,387, filed on
`Aug. 17, 2015, now Pat. No. 9,496,581, which is a
`(Continued)
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Feb. 9, 2009
`Jun. 18, 2009
`Dec. 22, 2009
`
`(DE)
`(DE)
`(DE)
`
`10 2009 008 859
`10 2009 030 359
`10 2009 060 788
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`HOlM 4100
`H01M6/10
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(Continued)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC ..... HOlM 1010431 (2013.01); HOlM 210222
`(2013.01); HOlM 210287 (2013.01);
`(Continued)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC ........ H01M 2/0222; HOlM 2/06; HOlM 6/08;
`HOlM 6/10; HOlM 6/46; HOlM 2/08
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,827,916 A
`3,960,599 A
`
`8/1974 Fagan, Jr.
`6/1976 Reynier et al.
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`CN
`DE
`
`201440429 u
`4/2010
`5/1969
`1 471 758 Al
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Linden, D., et al., "Handbook of Batteries," 2002, Third Edition,
`The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., Sections 11.4, 11.4.1, 14.1,
`14.5.2, 14.8and14.8.2, and Figs. 11.2, 11.5, 14.38, 34.13, 35.30 and
`35.32.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Patrick Ryan
`Julian Anthony
`Assistant Examiner -
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - DLA Piper LLP (US)
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A button cell includes a housing cup and a top separated by
`a seal and forms a housing with parallel flat bottom and top
`areas, and an electrode-separator assembly including a flat
`positive and negative electrode and connected by one flat
`separator, wherein the electrodes are aligned essentially at
`right angles to the flat bottom and top areas and the assembly
`is a spiral winding having end faces defining side surfaces of
`the winding facing in an axial direction relative to the flat
`(Continued)
`
`400
`
`411
`
`410
`
`/
`
`402
`
`403
`404-
`
`413
`
`409
`
`412
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 3 of 13 PageID #: 42
`
`US 9, 799,913 B2
`Page 2
`
`bottom and top areas, one of the electrodes connects to the
`flat bottom or top area via an output conductor including a
`foil resting between an end face of the winding and the flat
`top or bottom area, and at least one insulator preventing
`direct mechanical and electrical contact between the end
`faces of the winding and the flat bottom and top areas.
`
`8 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`division of application No. 13/146,669, filed as ap-
`plication No. PCT/EP2010/000787 on Feb. 9, 2010,
`now Pat. No. 9,153,835.
`
`(51)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2010.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2010.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H01M6/12
`H01M6/46
`HOlM 2102
`H01M6/08
`HOlM 2108
`HOlM 10104
`HOlM 10105
`HOlM 10124
`HOlM 10134
`HOlM 1010525
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC ......... HOlM 6110 (2013.01); HOlM 1010427
`(2013.01); HOlM 10105 (2013.01); HOlM
`1010525 (2013.01); HOlM 10124 (2013.01);
`HOlM 10134 (2013.01); HOlM 101345
`(2013.01); Y02E 601124 (2013.01); Y02P
`70154 (2015.11); YlOT 2914911 (2015.01);
`YlOT 29149108 (2015.01)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`U.S. Official Action dated Aug. 29, 2014 from related U.S. Appl.
`No. 13/378, 117.
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 4 of 13 PageID #: 43
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 24, 2017
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`
`106
`
`104
`
`103
`
`Fig. 1
`
`200 ""
`
`203
`
`204
`
`T
`
`205
`
`Fig. 2
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 5 of 13 PageID #: 44
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 24, 2017
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`US 9, 799,913 B2
`
`301
`
`300
`
`/
`
`303
`302
`304
`305
`
`Fig. 3a
`
`301
`
`303
`304
`305
`
`306
`
`Fig. 3b
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 6 of 13 PageID #: 45
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 24, 2017
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`US 9, 799,913 B2
`
`411
`
`410
`
`408
`
`--+--406
`t..--_.,,.__,,,. 405
`
`409
`
`412
`
`Fig. 4
`
`Fig. 5
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 7 of 13 PageID #: 46
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`
`1
`BUTTON CELLS AND METHOD OF
`PRODUCING SAME
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/827,387, filed
`Aug. 17, 2015, which is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No.
`13/146,669, filed Jul. 28, 2011, which is a §371 of Interna(cid:173)
`tional Application No. PCT/EP2010/000787, with an inter(cid:173)
`national filing date of Feb. 9, 2010 (WO 2010/089152 Al,
`published Aug. 12, 2010), which is based on German Patent
`Application Nos. 10 2009 008 859.8, filed Feb. 9, 2009, 10
`2009 030 359.6, filed Jun. 18, 2009, and 10 2009 060 788.9,
`filed Dec. 22, 2009.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`This disclosure relates to button cells comprising two
`metallic housing half-parts separated from one another by an
`electrically insulating seal and which form a housing with a
`flat bottom area and a flat top area parallel to it, as well as
`within the housing, an electrode-separator assembly com(cid:173)
`prising at least one positive and at least one negative
`electrode, which are in the form of flat layers and are
`connected to one another by at least one flat separator, and
`to a method of producing such button cells.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`Button cells normally have a housing consisting of two
`housing half-parts, a cell cup and a cell top. By way of
`example, these may be produced from nickel-plated deep(cid:173)
`drawn metal sheet as stamped and drawn parts. The cell cup
`normally has positive polarity, and the housing top negative
`polarity. The housing may contain widely differing electro(cid:173)
`chemical systems, for example, zinc/Mn02 , primary and
`secondary lithium systems, or secondary systems such as
`nickel/cadmium or nickel/metal hydride.
`By way of example, rechargeable button cells based on
`nickel/metal hydride or lithium-ion systems are in wide- 40
`spread use. In the case of lithium-ion button cells, the
`electrochemically active materials are normally not arranged
`within the button cell housing in the form of individual
`electrodes, in the form of tablets, separated from one another
`by a separator. Instead, prefabricated electrode-separator 45
`assemblies are preferably inserted flat into the housing. In
`that case, a porous plastic film is preferably used as a
`separator, onto which the electrodes are laminated or adhe(cid:173)
`sively bonded flat. The entire assembly comprising the
`separator and the electrodes generally have a maximum 50
`thickness of a few hundred µm. To allow button cell hous(cid:173)
`ings of normal dimensions to be filled, a plurality of such
`assemblies are therefore frequently placed flat one on top of
`the other. This allows stacks of any desired height, in
`principle, to be produced, in each case matched to the 55
`available dimensions of the button cell housing into which
`the stack is intended to be installed. This ensures optimum
`utilization of the available area within the housing.
`By virtue of the design, however, various problems also
`occur in the case of button cells which contain such stacks 60
`of electrode-separator assemblies. On the one hand, it is
`necessary, of course, for the electrodes of the same polarity
`each to be connected to one another within the stack, and
`then each to make contact with the corresponding pole of the
`button cell housing. The required electrical contacts result in
`material costs, and the space occupied by them is, further(cid:173)
`more, no longer available for active material. In addition, the
`
`2
`production of the electrode stacks is complicated and expen(cid:173)
`sive since faults can easily occur when the assemblies make
`contact with one another, increasing the scrap rate. On the
`other hand, it has been found that button cells having a stack
`of electrodes and separators very quickly start to leak.
`Traditionally, button cells have been closed in a liquid(cid:173)
`tight manner by beading the edge of the cell cup over the
`edge of the cell top in conjunction with a plastic ring, which
`is arranged between the cell cup and the cell top and at the
`10 same time acts as a sealing element and for electrical
`insulation of the cell cup and of the cell top. Button cells
`such as these are described, for example, in DE 31 13 309.
`However, alternatively, it is also possible to manufacture
`button cells in which the cell cup and the cell top are held
`15 together in the axial direction exclusively by a force-fitting
`connection, and which do not have a beaded-over cup edge.
`Button cells such as these and methods for their production
`are described in German Patent Application 10 2009 017
`514. Irrespective of the various advantages which button
`20 cells such as these without beading may have, they can,
`however, not be loaded as heavily in the axial direction as
`comparable button cells with a beaded-over cup edge, in
`particular with respect to axial mechanical loads which are
`caused in the interior of the button cell. For example, the
`25 electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion systems are continu(cid:173)
`ally subject to volume changes during charging and dis(cid:173)
`charging processes. The axial forces which occur in this case
`can, of course, lead to leaks more readily in the case of
`button cells without beading than in the case of button cells
`30 with beading.
`It could therefore be helpful to provide a button cell in
`which the problems mentioned above do not occur, or occur
`only to a greatly reduced extent. In particular, it could be
`helpful to provide a button cell that is resistant to mechanical
`35 loads which occur in the axial direction than conventional
`button cells, in particular even when they are manufactured
`as button cells without a beaded-over cup edge.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`We provide a button cell including a housing cup and a
`housing top separated from one another by an electrically
`insulating seal and which form a housing with a flat bottom
`area and a flat top area parallel to it, and an electrode(cid:173)
`separator assembly within the housing including at least one
`positive and at least one negative electrode in the form of flat
`layers and connected to one another by at least one flat
`separator, wherein the electrode layers are aligned essen(cid:173)
`tially at right angles to the flat bottom and top areas and the
`button cell is closed without being beaded over.
`We also provide a method of producing the button cell
`including inserting an electrode-separator assembly with
`electrodes in the form of a flat layer into the housing such
`that the electrode layers are aligned essentially at right
`angles to the flat bottom and top areas, wherein the housing
`includes a metallic cup part and a metallic top part.
`We further provide a button cell including a housing cup
`and a housing top separated from one another by an elec(cid:173)
`trically insulating seal and which form a housing with a flat
`bottom area and a flat top area parallel to it, and an
`electrode-separator assembly within the housing including
`at least one positive and at least one negative electrode in the
`form of flat layers and connected to one another by at least
`one flat separator, wherein the electrode layers are aligned
`65 essentially at right angles to the flat bottom area and the flat
`top area and the electrode-separator assembly is a spiral
`winding having end faces defining side surface of the spiral
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 8 of 13 PageID #: 47
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`
`3
`winding facing in an axial direction relative to the flat
`bottom area and the flat top area, one of the electrodes
`connects to the flat bottom area or the flat top area via an
`output conductor including a thin foil resting flat between an
`end face of the spiral winding and the flat top or the flat
`bottom area to which it is connected, and at least one
`insulating means preventing direct mechanical and electrical
`contact between the end faces of the winding and the flat
`bottom and flat top areas.
`We further yet provide a button cell including a housing
`cup and a housing top separated from one another by an
`electrically insulating seal and which form a housing with a
`flat bottom area and a flat top area parallel to it, and an
`electrode-separator assembly within the housing including
`at least one positive and at least one negative electrode in the
`form of flat layers and connected to one another by at least 15
`one flat separator, wherein the electrode layers are aligned
`essentially at right angles to the flat bottom area and the flat
`top area and the electrode-separator assembly is a spiral
`winding having end faces defining side surfaces of the spiral
`winding facing in an axial direction relative to the flat 20
`bottom area and the flat top area, one of the electrodes
`connects to the flat bottom area or the flat top area via an
`output conductor including a thin foil resting flat between an
`end face of the spiral winding and the flat top or the flat
`bottom area to which it is connected, and at least one flat 25
`layer composed of plastic preventing direct mechanical and
`electrical contact between the end faces of the winding and
`the flat bottom and flat top areas.
`We also further provide a button cell including a housing
`cup and a housing top separated from one another by an
`electrically insulating seal and which form a housing with a
`flat bottom area and a flat top area parallel to it, and an
`electrode-separator assembly within the housing including
`at least one positive and at least one negative electrode in the
`form of flat layers and connected to one another by at least
`one flat separator, wherein the electrode layers are aligned 35
`essentially at right angles to the flat bottom area and the flat
`top area and the electrode-separator assembly is a spiral
`winding having upper and lower end faces defining side
`surfaces of the spiral winding facing in an axial direction
`relative to the flat bottom area and the flat top area, one of 40
`the electrodes connects to the flat bottom area or the flat top
`area via an output conductor including a thin foil resting flat
`between an end face of the spiral winding and the flat top or
`the flat bottom area to which it is connected, and at least one
`insulating means preventing direct mechanical and electrical 45
`contact between 1) the upper end faces of the winding and
`the flat top area or 2) the end faces of the winding and the
`flat bottom area.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the cross section through
`one preferred example of a button cell.
`FIG. 2 illustrates the effect of heat treatment of a wound(cid:173)
`up electrode-separator assembly, which is used in preferred
`examples of our method.
`FIGS. 3a and 3b show electrode-separator assemblies in
`the form of a winding, as can be installed in a button cell.
`FIG. 4 shows a section illustration of a further preferred
`example of a button cell.
`FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the cross section through
`one preferred example of a button cell in which the edge of
`the cell cup is not beaded over the edge of the cell cop.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`Our button cell comprises two metallic housing half-parts
`separated from one another by an electrically insulating seal
`
`30
`
`4
`and form a housing with a flat bottom area and a flat top area
`parallel to it. As already mentioned initially, the two housing
`half-parts are generally a so-called "housing cup" and a
`"housing top." In particular, parts composed of nickel-plated
`steel or metal sheet are preferred as housing half-parts.
`Furthermore, trimetals, for example, with the sequence of
`nickel, steel (or stainless steel) and copper (with the nickel
`layer preferably forming the outer layer and the copper layer
`preferably forming the inside of the button cell housing) are
`10 particularly suitable for use as the metallic material.
`By way of example, an injection-molded or film seal can
`be used as a seal. The latter are described, for example, in
`DE 196 47 593.
`Within the housing, a button cell comprises an electric(cid:173)
`separator assembly with at least one positive and at least one
`negative electrode. These are each in the form of flat
`electrode layers. The electrodes are connected to one another
`via a flat separator. The electrodes are preferably laminated
`or adhesively bonded onto this separator. The electrodes and
`the separator generally each have thicknesses only in the µm
`range. In general, a porous plastic film is used as the
`separator.
`In contrast to the button cells mentioned above, our button
`cell is distinguished in particular by the electrode layers
`having a very particular orientation, specifically being
`aligned essentially at right angles to the flat bottom and top
`areas. While known button cells with stacked electrode(cid:173)
`separator assemblies always contain these assemblies
`inserted flat such that the electrode layers are aligned
`essentially parallel to the flat bottom and top areas, the
`situation in our button cell is the opposite of this.
`The right-angled alignment of the electrode layers has an
`unexpectedly considerable advantage, specifically because it
`has been found that this alignment results in a considerable
`improvement in the sealing characteristics of our button cell,
`particularly for button cells based on lithium-ion systems.
`The electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion systems are
`continually subject to volume changes during charging and
`discharging processes. Volume changes such as these also
`occur, of course, in the electrodes of our button cell. How(cid:173)
`ever, the mechanical forces created during this process no
`longer act primarily axially, as in the case of a stack of
`electrode-separator assemblies which are inserted flat.
`Because of the right-angled alignment of the electrodes, they
`in fact act radially. Radial forces can be absorbed very much
`better than axial forces by the housing of a button cell. The
`improved sealing characteristics are presumably a result of
`this.
`Particularly preferably, the electrodes and the flat sepa-
`50 rator of our button cell are each in the form of strips or
`ribbons. By way of example, the production of our button
`cell can be based on a separator material in the form of an
`endless ribbon, onto which the electrodes are applied, in
`particular laminated, once again in particular in the form of
`55 strips or at least rectangles.
`In the housing of our button cell, this assembly is par(cid:173)
`ticularly preferably in the form of a winding, in particular in
`the form of a spiral winding. Windings such as these can be
`produced very easily using known methods (see, for
`60 example, DE 36 38 793), by applying the electrodes flat, in
`particular in the form of strips, to a separator which is in the
`form of an endless ribbon, in particular by laminating them
`on. In this case, the assembly comprising electrodes and
`separators is generally wound onto a so-called "winding
`65 mandrel." Once the winding has been removed from the
`winding mandrel an axial cavity remains in the center of the
`winding. This allows the winding to expand into this cavity,
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 9 of 13 PageID #: 48
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`
`5
`if necessary. However, in some circumstances, this can lead
`to problems in making electrical contact between the elec(cid:173)
`trodes and the metallic housing half-parts, and this will be
`described in more detail in the following text.
`The electrode winding is preferably arranged within a
`button cell (so that the electrode layers of the winding are
`aligned at right angles to the flat bottom area and top area of
`the housing) such that the end faces of the winding face in
`the direction of the flat bottom area and of the flat top area.
`Preferably, our button cells have a fixed winding core in
`the center of the winding, which at least partially fills the
`axial cavity in the center of the winding. A winding core
`such as this fixes the electrode winding in the radial direction
`and prevents possible implosion of the winding into the axial
`cavity. When the winding expands in this way, this also 15
`results in the reduction in the pressure which the end faces
`of the winding exert in the axial direction, and therefore in
`the direction of output conductors which may be arranged
`there (this is described in more detail further below). If this
`is prevented, then there are generally also no problems with
`making electrical contact between the electrodes and the
`metallic housing half-parts.
`In addition, a winding core such as this also makes the
`button cell more robust against external mechanical influ(cid:173)
`ences. In general, it is no longer possible for the electrode
`winding in the button cell to be damaged by external
`mechanical pressure in the axial direction.
`Preferably, the electrode winding is a spiral electrode
`winding, the axial cavity which has been mentioned in the
`center of the winding is preferably essentially cylindrical (in
`particular circular-cylindrical). On the casing side, it is
`bounded by the winding, and at the end it is bounded by
`corresponding surfaces of the bottom area and of the top area
`of the button cell housing.
`Correspondingly, the winding core which is contained in
`our button cell is preferably also in the form of a cylinder,
`in particular a hollow cylinder. The height of a cylinder such
`as this preferably corresponds to the respective distance
`between the flat bottom area and the flat top area, which is
`parallel to it.
`Particularly preferably, the winding core may have radi(cid:173)
`ally self-expanding characteristics. For example, it is pos(cid:173)
`sible for the winding core to be inserted in a radially
`compressed configuration into the axial cavity in the wind(cid:173)
`ing of a button cell. When the radially compressed winding 45
`core expands, it exerts a radial pressure on the electrode
`winding surrounding it, thus ensuring a contact pressure in
`the axial direction as well.
`By way of example, an axially slotted hollow cylinder
`may be used as a radially self-expanding winding core.
`However, alternatively, it is also conceivable to use other
`radially self-expanding materials, for example, based on
`plastic.
`Particularly preferably, the winding core is composed of
`a metal such as stainless steel or plastic.
`Particularly preferably, the assembly comprising elec(cid:173)
`trodes and a separator in our button cell has one of the
`following layer sequences:
`negative electrode/separator/positive electrode/separator
`or
`positive electrode/separator/negative electrode/separator.
`Assemblies such as these can be produced and wound
`very easily without short circuits occurring between elec(cid:173)
`trodes of opposite polarity.
`The separators which can be used in our button cell are
`preferably films composed of at least one plastic, in particu(cid:173)
`lar of at least one polyolefin. By way of example, the at least
`
`6
`one polyolefin may be polyethylene. However, it is also
`possible to use multilayer separators, for example, separa(cid:173)
`tors composed of a sequence of different polyolefin layers,
`for example, with the sequence polyethylene/polypropylene/
`polyethylene.
`It is not essential to use a plurality of separate separators
`to produce assemblies with the abovementioned sequence.
`In fact, a separator can also be looped around the end of one
`of the electrodes, thus resulting in both sides of this elec-
`lO trade being covered by the separator.
`The separators which can preferably be used in our button
`cell preferably have a thickness of 3 µm to 100 µm, in
`particular of 10 µm to 50 µm.
`The electrodes preferably have a thickness of 10 µm to
`1000 µm, in particular of 30 µm to 500 µm.
`Preferably, the negative electrode and the positive elec(cid:173)
`trode in the electrode-separator assembly are arranged offset
`with respect to one another within the assembly. In this case,
`20 an offset arrangement is intended to mean that the electrodes
`are arranged such that this results in a respectively different
`separation between the electrodes and the flat bottom and
`top areas in the button cell. In the simplest case, for example,
`a positive and a negative electrode can be slightly offset as
`25 strips of the same width applied to the opposite sides of a
`separator ribbon, as a result of which the distance between
`the positive electrode and the upper separator edge is greater
`than the comparable distance measured from the negative
`electrode. This then applies in the opposite sense, of course,
`30 to the distance from the lower separator edge.
`Particularly preferably, preferably as a result ofthis offset
`arrangement, the positive electrode, in particular an edge of
`the positive electrode, rests directly on the cup part, in
`35 particular in the flat bottom area of the cup part, while the
`negative electrode, in particular an edge of the negative
`electrode, rests directly on the top part, in particular in the
`flat top area of the top part. In this example, a direct
`electrical and mechanical contact is made between the
`40 electrodes and the cup and top parts. The offset arrangement
`of the electrodes with respect to one another therefore makes
`it possible for the electrodes to make contact with the
`respective housing parts, without any need to use additional
`electrical contacts and connecting means.
`However, alternatively, it is also preferable for at least one
`of the electrodes, preferably both the at least one negative
`electrode and the at least one positive electrode in our button
`cell, to be connected to the flat bottom and top areas via one
`or more output conductors. By way of example, the output
`50 conductors may be output-conductor lugs composed of
`copper or some other suitable metal. On the electrode side,
`the output conductors may, for example, be connected to a
`current collector. The output conductors can be connected to
`the housing and/or to the current collectors by, for example,
`55 welding or via an clamped joint.
`In the simplest case, the current collectors of the positive
`and negative electrodes can also themselves act as output
`conductors. Collectors such as these are generally metallic
`films or meshes which are embedded in the respective
`60 electrode material. Uncovered subareas, in particular end
`pieces, of collectors such as these can be bent around and
`can be brought into contact with the button cell housing.
`The use of output conductors may be particularly advan(cid:173)
`tageous if the negative electrode and the positive electrode
`65 within the assembly are arranged with respect to one another
`such that this results in the electrodes each being at the same
`distance from the flat bottom and top areas. Or, in other
`
`

`

`Case 2:20-cv-00052-JRG Document 1-3 Filed 02/24/20 Page 10 of 13 PageID #: 49
`
`US 9,799,913 B2
`
`7
`words, if the electrodes are not arranged offset with respect
`to one another within the electrode-separator assembly, as
`has been described above.
`However, if the distance between electrodes of opposite
`polarity and the flat bottom and top areas is the same, this
`results in the risk of a positive and a negative electrode
`touching the metallic cup or top part at the same time, thus
`resulting in a short circuit. Preferably, the button cell may
`therefore comprise at least one insulating means, which
`prevents a direct mechanical and electrical contact between
`the end faces of the winding and the flat bottom and top
`areas.
`It is preferable for the electrodes in our button cell such
`as this to be connected via the already mentioned separate
`output conductors to the flat bottom and top areas. These
`ensure the electrical contact between the electrodes and the
`housing.
`In this case, it is preferable for at least a subsection of the
`output conductor or conductors in the bottom area and in the
`top area of the housing to rest flat on the inside of the
`housing half-parts. Ideally, the output conductors naturally
`make electrical contact with the insides of the housing when
`they are at least slightly pressed against the housing (if they
`are not welded to it in any case). This can be achieved
`surprisingly efficiently by a suitable arrangement of the
`winding core that has been mentioned, in our button cell.
`By way of example, the insulating means may be a flat
`layer composed of plastic, for example, a plastic film, which
`is arranged between the end faces of the winding and the flat
`bottom and top areas of the housing of our button cell.
`Corresponding to the above statements, the button cell is,
`in particular, a rechargeable button cell. Our button cell
`particularly preferably has at least one lithium-intercalating
`electrode.
`The ratio of the height to the diameter of button cells is,
`by definition, less than 1. For our button cell, this ratio is
`particularly preferably 0.1 to 0.9, in particular 0.15 to 0.7. In
`this case, the height means the distance between the flat
`bottom area and the flat top area parallel to it. The

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