A battery includes a case, first and second electrodes in the case, and a switch to change an electrical state of the case between a first state and a second state, when the first state corresponds to an electrically neutral state and the second state corresponds to an electrical polarity of the first electrode. The switch may reciprocally change the electrical state of the case between the first state and the second state.

A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in one direction and electrically connected to one another, the plurality of battery cells each having a current collecting terminal on a top surface thereof, and a terminal plate positioned on the current collecting terminal of one of the battery cells. The terminal plate is in a form of a sideways-oriented U-shape, including a first surface that contacts the current collecting terminal, a second surface that is parallel to the first surface and spaced apart from the first surface by a predetermined distance, and a third surface connecting the first surface and the second surface, the first surface including a first hole and the second surface including a second hole, the first hole and the second hole having different shapes.

A hermetically sealed battery includes a battery can having a bottomed cylindrical shape and an opening, an electrode body accommodated in the battery can, a sealing plate covering the opening of the battery can, a rivet disposed on the sealing plate and serving as a terminal, an insulator insulates the sealing plate from the rivet, and an internal lead electrically connected to the rivet. The insulator includes a sealing part sealing between the sealing plate and the rivet and a plate part closer to the electrode body than the sealing part, the plate part being extended in a radial direction of the electrode body. The plate part has a cut-away portion recessed in a periphery of the plate part in the radial direction. The internal lead is partially disposed in the cut-away portion.

A method of manufacturing a secondary battery including an electrode body element fabricating step in which a first electrode body element including a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate, and a second electrode body element including a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are fabricated, a tab-connecting step in which a first positive electrode tab group of the first electrode body element and a second positive electrode tab group of the second electrode body element are connected to a second positive electrode collector, and a first negative electrode tab group of the first electrode body element and a second negative electrode tab group of the second electrode body element are connected to a second negative electrode collector, and an electrode body fabricating step in which, after the tab-connecting step, the first electrode body element and the second electrode body element are unified.

A battery post terminal assembly includes a conductive band and a clamp mechanism. The conductive band includes a first free end and a second free end. The conductive band defines an aperture for receiving a battery post of a battery. The clamp mechanism includes a wedge member that defines a recess between a first surface and a second surface thereof. The recess has an open end and a closed end that is narrower than the open end. The first surface is convex. The first free end and the second free end are positioned in the recess. The first free end is movable along the first surface toward the closed end to be moved by the first surface toward the second free end to tighten the conductive band around the battery post.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an electrode assembly in which a plurality of electrode tabs is made more compact inside an exterior case and a secondary battery using the same. An electrode assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of first plates of a first polarity; a plurality of second plates of a second polarity alternately arranged with the first plates; at least one of a plurality of first tabs or a plurality of second tabs extending from the first plates or the second plates, respectively, the at least one of the plurality of first tabs or the plurality of second tabs being together wound or bent more than once; a plurality of separators interposed between the first plates and the second plates; and a lead physically coupled to at least one of the first tabs or the second tabs.

The electric storage device disclosed herein is a stacked type electric storage device. The electric storage device includes a separator insulating a first electrode from a second electrode. The electric storage device includes a first conductive path from a first electrode terminal to the first electrode, a second conductive path from a second electrode terminal to the second electrode, and a current interruption device disposed between the second electrode terminal and the second electrode, the current interruption device being configured to interrupt the second conductive path. The separator includes a first surface part covering the one surface of the first electrode, a second surface part covering the other surface of the first electrode, and a connection part connected to both the first and second surface parts. The connection part is disposed between the current interruption device and an end of the first electrode on a current interruption device side.

Provided is a secondary battery, which can prevent a protective circuit board and an electrode terminal from colliding with each other by providing a gasket including a support unit protruding from a top surface of a cap plate to be higher than the electrode terminal. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, a cap plate coupled to an opening of the case, an electrode terminal electrically connected to the electrode assembly and upwardly protruding through a terminal throughhole of the cap plate, and a gasket interposed between the cap plate and the electrode terminal and electrically insulating the cap plate and the electrode terminal from each other. The gasket includes a support unit protruding from the cap plate to be higher than the electrode terminal.

Provided is a secondary battery, which can reduce defects of an uncoated portion of a current collector while ensuring a larger capacity and improving welding quality of the current collector. In one embodiment, the secondary battery includes a series of electrode assemblies each including a first electrode tab and a second electrode tab, a case accommodating the electrode assemblies, a cap plate coupled to the case at an opening in the case, a first current collector electrically connected to the first electrode tabs of the electrode assemblies, a second current collector electrically connected to the second electrode tabs of the electrode assemblies, and a first series of sub-tabs. A first sub-tab is coupled to the first electrode tab of a first electrode assembly, and a second sub-tab is coupled to the first electrode tab of a second electrode assembly. The first sub-tab is bent along a first boundary and the second sub-tab is bent along a second boundary.

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly having first and second electrodes at opposite sides of a separator and wound about an axis; a first terminal coupled to the first electrode through a first tab; a second terminal coupled to the second electrode through a second tab; a case accommodating the electrode assembly and including first and second openings at its opposite ends; a first gasket between the first terminal and the first opening, the first gasket sealing the first opening and allowing the first terminal to protrude outside of the case; and a second gasket between the second terminal and the second opening, the second gasket sealing the second opening and allowing the second terminal to protrude outside of the case. The case may further include a fixing portion at its inner side that protrudes toward the electrode assembly.