| abstract |
An elongate, generally tubular, air depolarizednelectrochemical cell (10) comprising a cathode (14),nincluding an air cathode assembly (26), extending about thentubular circumference, and along the tubular length, of thencell (10), an anode (12), a separator (16) between thenanode (12) and the cathode (14), electrolyte, a top closurenmember (177, 200), and a bottom closure member (114, 202).nThe cathode assembly (26) is fixedly held, by a frictionnfit, in a slot (116) at the bottom of the cell. The slotncan be developed, for example, by inner (110) and outern(114) walls of a cathode can (28), by inner (226) and outern(224) walls of a bottom closure member (202), or by annouter wall (114) of a cathode can (28) and an opposingnouter wall of a plug (128) on the interior of the cell.nPreferably, bottom closure structure of the cell (10) andnreceives a bottom edge portion (44) of the cathode currentncollector (32), and makes electrical contact with thenbottom edge portion (44), preferably at an inner surfacen(60) of the cathode current collector. A diffusion membern(36) of the cathode assembly (26) is preferably compressednas a seal, at the bottom of the cell (10), between an outernside wall (39) of the cell and the remainder of the cathodenassembly (26). The diffusion member (36) is also used atnleast as an assist in sealing the cell (10) againstnelectrolyte leakage from the anode cavity (137) and pastnthe cathode assembly (26). n Various embodiments comprehend crimping the outer sidenwall against the cathode assembly and thereby developing ancrimping bias in the outer side wall which holds thencathode assembly in the slot, by friction, between thenouter and inner side walls. |