Abstract: A manufacturing method of a secondary battery according to the present invention includes a charging/discharging process wherein the secondary battery is arranged to a restraining jig, that restricts an expansion caused on the battery case with respect to at least a part of the battery case and that is configured to be removable from a charging/discharging device with the secondary battery arranged thereto regardless of the magnitude of the internal pressure in the secondary battery; a charging/discharging is performed to the secondary battery with the restraining jig mounted to the charging/discharging device; and after the completion of the charging/discharging, the restraining jig is removed from the charging/discharging device with the secondary battery arranged to the restraining jig.

Abstract: A cell includes an electrode plate group which is formed by laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed between them, and includes leads protruding toward directions opposite to each other from one side of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, collectors which are joined to the leads on both sides of the electrode plate group, and include connection protrusions formed so as to protrude outside, and a bag-shape battery case containing the electrode plate group joined to the collectors such that only the connection protrusions of the collectors are protruded outside. A battery module is constituted by placing a plurality of the cells in a prismatic battery case while the connection protrusions of the collectors of the cells are connected with each other, thereby making the current-carrying path between the electrode plate groups straight and short and increasing the output.

Abstract: There is provided manufacturing method of battery comprising adhering process (S1) to adhere fluorescent material (leakage indicator including fluorescein) which emits fluorescence in response to predetermined light (ultraviolet radiation) irradiated under condition that electrolyte exists, to at least one portion of a surface on a battery case, and leakage detecting process (S2 through S9) to detect presence/absence of electrolyte leakage with fluorescence which an adhered portion emits in response to the predetermined light (ultraviolet radiation) irradiated on at least the adhered portion which has adhesion of the fluorescent material (leakage indicator including fluorescein), out of the surface on the battery case.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of evaluating a shape of a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: measuring shape data of a semiconductor wafer by scanning a front surface and/or a back surface of the semiconductor wafer; calculating a differential profile through a differential process of the measured shape data; analyzing the obtained differential profile and obtaining a surface characteristic of the wafer, and; evaluating a shape of the semiconductor wafer. Thereby, there are provided a method of evaluating a shape of a semiconductor wafer and an apparatus for evaluating a shape thereof, wherein a shape of a semiconductor wafer, particularly a shape of a peripheral portion of the wafer, can be quantitatively evaluated from a viewpoint different from conventional SFQR etc., and the shape quality of the wafer can be accurately evaluated over a specification of a strict design rule.

Abstract: A prismatic sealed battery has a prismatic battery case (3) which includes a plurality of prismatic containers (4) coupled in a row via partitions (5), electrode plate assemblies (8), and collectors (10) which are joined to lead portions on both sides of the electrode plate assemblies (8). Each container (4) contains the electrode plate assembly (8) to which said collectors 10 are joined. An opening (21) is formed in at least one side wall (20) of the prismatic battery case (3) and in a position where each partition (5) is disposed, in such a manner as to face the containers (4) on both sides, and a conductive connection member (23) disposed in the opening (21) is connected to the collectors (10, 10) on both sides of the partition (5). Since the current-carrying path between the electrode plate assemblies (8) becomes short, internal resistance decreases, and hence internal resistance per cell (2) is reduced. Even and full use of the whole electrode plate assembly (8) achieves higher power output.

Abstract: A method for producing a nickel metal-hydride storage battery includes: (i) assembling a battery by enclosing the positive electrodes, the negative electrodes, separators, and an electrolyte in a case; (ii) charging the battery with electric current in a range of 0.05 C (ampere) to 0.2 C (ampere) until a state of charge rises to a range of 10% to 30%; (iii) overcharging the battery that has been subjected to the charging, with electric current in a range of 0.2 C (ampere) to 1 C (ampere), and thereafter discharging the same until the state of charge lowers to 10% or below; and (iv) subjecting the battery after overcharging to a plurality of charging-discharging cycles, each charging-discharging cycle being composed of charging the battery that has been subjected to the overcharging, with electric current in a range of 0.2 C (ampere) to 5 C (ampere) until the state of charge rises to a range of 60% to 95%, and discharging the same until a battery voltage lowers to a range of 0.70 V to 1.05 V.

Abstract: A battery which has undergone initial charging and discharging is placed inside a sealed vessel, which is evacuated by a vacuum pump. After this evacuated state has been maintained for a while, the density of hydrogen gas within the sealed vessel is measured by a hydrogen density sensor, based on which the presence or absence of a gas escape from the battery is determined. The battery may be heated instead of subjecting it to charging and discharging.

Abstract: Positive and negative electrode plates 2, 3 are alternately stacked upon one another with intervening separators 4 to constitute an electrode plate group 1. The respective electrode plates are laterally offset so that side edges of the electrode plates protrude on the opposite sides. Collector plates 5, 6 are perpendicularly welded to the side edges of the electrode plates 2, 3 on both sides of the electrode plate group 1. Loose ends 3c, 3e of the outermost negative electrode plates 3b, 3d that are not welded to the collector plate are secured to the electrode plate group by a holding tape 7.

Abstract: A cell includes an electrode plate group which is formed by laminating a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate with a separator interposed between them, and includes leads protruding toward directions opposite to each other from one side of the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, collectors which are joined to the leads on both sides of the electrode plate group, and include connection protrusions formed so as to protrude outside, and a bag-shape battery case containing the electrode plate group joined to the collectors such that only the connection protrusions of the collectors are protruded outside. A battery module is constituted by placing a plurality of the cells in a prismatic battery case while the connection protrusions of the collectors of the cells are connected with each other, thereby making the current-carrying path between the electrode plate groups straight and short and increasing the output.

Abstract: Positive electrode plates 2 and negative electrode plates 3 are stacked with separators 4 in between them to form an electrode plate unit 1, the end faces of electrode plates 2 and 3 with mutually opposite polarity being made to protrude from the two side surfaces of this electrode plate unit 1. A thermal spray metal coating 8 is provided to each of the two side surfaces of the electrode plate unit 1 for integrally joining the electrode plates 2 and 3, and for connecting the collector plates 5 and 6 to the electrode plates.

Abstract: A method for producing a nickel metal-hydride storage battery includes: (i) assembling a battery by enclosing the positive electrodes, the negative electrodes, separators, and an electrolyte in a case; (ii) charging the battery with electric current in a range of 0.05 C (ampere) to 0.2 C (ampere) until a state of charge rises to a range of 10% to 30%; (iii) overcharging the battery that has been subjected to the charging, with electric current in a range of 0.2 C (ampere) to 1 C (ampere), and thereafter discharging the same until the state of charge lowers to 10% or below; and (iv) subjecting the battery after overcharging to a plurality of charging-discharging cycles, each charging-discharging cycle being composed of charging the battery that has been subjected to the overcharging, with electric current in a range of 0.2 C (ampere) to 5 C (ampere) until the state of charge rises to a range of 60% to 95% , and discharging the same until a battery voltage lowers to a range of 0.70 V to 1.05 V.

Abstract: In a method of inspecting batteries for short circuit failures, an electrode plate group 1 composed of positive and negative electrode plates 2, 3 with intervening separators 4 interposed therebetween is set on a pressing station 7, where it is compressed during short-circuiting inspection is performed, for simulating a state wherein separators are compressed by swelling electrode plates 2, 3 during charging and discharging of battery.

Abstract: Positive and negative electrode plates 2, 3 are alternately stacked upon one another with intervening separators 4 to constitute an electrode plate group 1. The respective electrode plates are laterally offset so that side edges of the electrode plates protrude on the opposite sides. Collector plates 5, 6 are perpendicularly welded to the side edges of the electrode plates 2, 3 on both sides of the electrode plate group 1. Loose ends 3c, 3e of the outermost negative electrode plates 3b, 3d that are not welded to the collector plate are secured to the electrode plate group by a holding tape 7.

Abstract: In a method of inspecting batteries for short circuit failures, an electrode plate group 1 composed of positive and negative electrode plates 2, 3 with intervening separators 4 interposed therebetween is set on a pressing station 7, where it is compressed during short-circuiting inspection is performed, for simulating a state wherein separators are compressed by swelling electrode plates 2, 3 during charging and discharging of battery.

Abstract: A battery which has undergone initial charging and discharging is placed inside a sealed vessel, which is evacuated by a vacuum pump. After this evacuated state has been maintained for a while, the density of hydrogen gas within the sealed vessel is measured by a hydrogen density sensor, based on which the presence or absence of a gas escape from the battery is determined. The battery may be heated instead of subjecting it to charging and discharging.

Abstract: An improved sintered nickel porous plaque substrate for alkaline storage batteries is prepared by a process which includes coating the surface of the sintered nickel powder with a nickel oxyhydroxide coating by anode oxidation in an alkali solution, then attaching a cobalt salt to the nickel oxyhydroxide coating and, while subjecting the cobalt salt to an alkali conversion treatment, through an oxidation-reduction reaction between nickel oxyhydroxide and cobalt hydroxide, converting the nickel oxyhydroxide coating into a nickel hydroxide coating and forming a cobalt oxyhydroxide layer as a uniform film on the outside of the nickel hydroxide coating.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in the shape of current collectors welded to the respective terminal edges of electrode plates projecting from the upper and the lower end plane of a spirally coiled electrode plate assembly incorporated in a cylindrical storage battery. In the preferred embodiment, the current collector formed essentially of a rectangular flat plate is provided with an I-shaped cutout hole which passes the center of the plate and ends inside the plate near to its outer peripheral edge and two of rectangular cutout parts which are approximately at a right angle to the I-shaped hole and extend from the neighborhood of the center of the plate to its outer peripheral part without intersecting the I-shaped hole, downward rib-formed projections being respectively formed integrally at the edge parts of the cutout hole and the respective cutout parts, the respective rib-formed projections crossing the terminal edges of the electrode plate and being welded to the terminal edges at a plurality of spots.

Abstract: A cylindrical storage battery has a spirally coiled electrode plate assembly in which the shape of the current collector welded to the end part of the electrode plate assembly and the crossing parts of the rib-formed projections of the current collector and the electrode plate terminal edges are welded with sufficient strength to permit a high-rate charge and discharge. A storage battery having a spirally coiled electrode plate assembly includes a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, a separator, and rectangular current collectors, respective ones of which are welded respectively to terminal edges of the electrodes respectively projecting outward from the upper and the lower end planes of the electrode assembly.