Battery and method of producing the same

Abstract

A battery having an electrode unit in which edges of electrode plates are mechanically and electrically connected to a fixing and conducting plate is obtained. A projection is formed at an edge of each electrode plate, and projections are inserted into a grove formed on the fixing and conducting plate. Energy beam is radiated to the fixing and conducting plate along a wall defining the groove, and metal forming the groove is melted and fills a gap between the projection and the groove. The filling metal is solidified at a condition that the melted metal surrounds the projection. The electrode plate is firmly connected to the fixing and conducting plate by a combination of the projection and the surrounding metal. The electrode plates are stably maintained at a positional relationship that the electrode plates extend parallel with each other leaving a gap between adjacent electrode plates, and the electrode plates are connected to the fixing and conducting plate with a reliable electric conductivity.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . A method of producing a battery, comprising:
 preparing an electrode unit having a plurality of projections formed at a plurality of positions being aligned along a line extending within a plane along which an edge of the electrode unit is extending;   preparing a fixing and conducting plate having a groove extending along the line;   positioning the electrode unit and the fixing and conducting plate such that the plurality of projections are accepted within the groove; and   radiating an energy beam along the groove of the fixing and conducting plate from a side opposite the plurality of projections to melt metal that composes the fixing and conducting plate at the groove and to surround the plurality of projections by the melted metal, whereby the electrode unit is fixed to the fixing and conducting plate by their projections being surrounded by the metal that was melted and solidified.   
   
   
       9 . A method of producing a battery as defined in  claim 8 ,
 wherein the electrode unit is formed by winding an electrode plate, and the line along which the plurality of projections is aligned extends radially from a winding center.   
   
   
       10 . A method of producing a battery as defined in  claim 8 ,
 wherein electrode unit is formed by stacking a plurality of electrode plates, and the plurality of projections is aligned along a straight line.   
   
   
       11 . A method of producing a battery as defined in  claim 10 ,
 wherein the plurality of projections is formed at an overlapping position when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plurality of electrode plates.   
   
   
       12 . A method of producing a battery as defined in  claim 10 ,
 wherein a hole is formed on each of the plurality of electrode plates at an overlapping position when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the plurality of electrode plates,   the method further comprising:   inserting a rod through the plurality of holes so that the edges of the plurality of electrode plates are aligned along the plane; and   removing the rod after the plurality of electrode plates is fixed to the fixing and conducting plate.