Rechargeable battery

Abstract

A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly; a can accommodating the electrode assembly in an internal space of the can; and a cap assembly coupled to the can to seal the can. The cover assembly includes an upper cover configured to contact an external device. The upper cover includes: a base portion including a through hole at a center of the base portion; a terminal portion located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions connecting the base portion to the terminal portion. The terminal portion includes a protruding portion extending outwardly from an edge of the terminal portion between adjacent support portions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rechargeable battery. Background Art

[0002] In general, a rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly, a can accommodating the electrode assembly, and a cap assembly assembled in an opening of the can to seal the can and allow current generated in the electrode assembly to flow to an external device. The cap assembly may include a safety vent that ruptures and discharges gas when the internal pressure of the rechargeable battery increases, and an upper cover having a terminal portion for contacting an external device and a through hole for gas discharge.

[0003] The upper cover may include a coating to prevent corrosion, and the coating may be produced by electroplating. During electroplating, multiple upper covers may be stacked on top of each other and placed in an electrolytic cell. However, if there is not enough space between the stacked upper covers, the plating solution may not fully penetrate, resulting in plating defects. Plating defects may cause corrosion of the upper cover and deteriorate the welding quality between the upper cover and the safety vent. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure seeks to provide a rechargeable battery including an upper cover capable of preventing plating defects during an electroplating process.

[0005] A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly; a can that accommodates the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly that is coupled to the can and includes an upper cover configured to contact an external device. The upper cover includes: a base portion that includes a through hole at the center of the base portion; a terminal portion that is located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions that connect the base portion to the terminal portion. The terminal portion includes a protruding portion that extends outward from an edge of the terminal portion that is located between adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions.

[0006] The terminal portion may be circular, and the protruding portion may extend substantially parallel to the terminal portion and away from a center point of the terminal portion. The terminal portion may include a first circumferential portion in contact with the support portion and a second circumferential portion located between adjacent support portions, and the protruding portion may be substantially located at the center of the second circumferential portion.

[0007] The protruding portion may be in an arc shape with a single curvature, and the center of curvature of the protruding portion may be located in the terminal portion and spaced apart from a center point of the terminal portion by a distance. The protruding portion may include two inclined portions and a curved portion extending between the two inclined portions. The curved portion may be formed in an arc shape with a single curvature; and the center of curvature of the curved portion may substantially coincide with the center of curvature of the first circumferential portion and the second circumferential portion.

[0008] In a plan view, a maximum protrusion amount of the protruding portion is smaller than a distance between an inner side surface of the base portion and the second circumferential portion.

[0009] In one embodiment, a rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly; a can that accommodates the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly that is coupled to the can and includes an upper cover configured to contact an external device. The upper cover includes: a base portion that includes a through hole at the center of the base portion; a terminal portion that is located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions that connect the base portion to the terminal portion. The terminal portion includes: a plurality of connection portions that are connected to the support portion; a circular central portion that is located inside the connection portion; and a protruding portion that extends outward from an edge of the central portion that is located between adjacent connection portions among the plurality of connection portions.

[0010] The protruding portion may extend substantially parallel to the central portion and away from a center point of the central portion. The protruding portion may be in an arc shape having a single curvature. The maximum protrusion of the protruding portion relative to the central portion may be greater than a width of the connecting portion measured along a radial direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, a rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly; a can that accommodates the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly that is coupled to the can and includes an upper cover configured to contact an external device. The upper cover includes: a base portion that includes a through hole at the center of the base portion; a non-circular terminal portion that is located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions that connect the base portion to the terminal portion. The non-circular terminal portion includes a protruding portion that extends outward from an edge of the non-circular terminal portion between adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions.

[0012] The non-circular terminal portion may be formed into a non-circular structure, wherein a recessed portion is provided on an edge between adjacent support portions, and a protruding portion may be located at the center of the recessed portion. The recessed portion may be in an arc shape having a single curvature; and the center of curvature of the recessed portion may be located outside the terminal portion. The recessed portion may be formed in a straight line shape connecting two adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions.

[0013] The protruding portion may have a shape having a single curvature, and a distance between a center point of the terminal portion and an outermost point of the protruding portion in a plan view may be greater than a distance between a center point of the terminal portion and each of the plurality of supporting portions.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the upper cover can eliminate or at least reduce plating defects during the process of plating the coating layer by using the protruding portion and improve the plating quality of the coating layer. Therefore, the rechargeable battery according to an embodiment can effectively eliminate or at least reduce the corrosion of the upper cover and improve the welding quality between the upper cover and the safety vent, so that the manufacturing defects of the cap assembly can be prevented or at least reduced while ensuring a stable current. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rechargeable battery according to the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a rechargeable battery is shown in FIG.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 An enlarged view of a cover assembly of a rechargeable battery is shown in FIG.

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A top plan view of the upper cover of the cover assembly is shown in FIG.

[0019] Figure 5 and Figure 6 It is shown Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the stacking configuration of the upper cover shown in FIG.

[0020] Figure 7 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a second embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a third embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 9 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a fourth embodiment.

[0023] Fig.10 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a fifth embodiment.

[0024] Fig.11 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings which show embodiments of the present invention. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 1is a perspective view of a rechargeable battery according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a rechargeable battery is shown in FIG.

[0027] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a rechargeable battery 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a can 120, an electrode assembly 130 accommodated inside the can 120, and a cap assembly 140 coupled to the can 120 at an opening of the can 120 and sealing the can 120. The cap assembly 140 may include a safety vent 10 configured to prevent the rechargeable battery 100 from exploding, and an upper cover 40 configured to cover the safety vent 10 and contact an external device.

[0028] The rechargeable battery 100 of the present embodiment may be cylindrical, but the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. The tank 120 may include a bottom portion 121 and a side portion 122. The bottom portion 121 may be circular (e.g., a circular plate), and the side portion 122 may be cylindrical. During the manufacture of the rechargeable battery 100, one side (e.g., the upper side) of the tank 120 may be open, and the electrode assembly 130 may be accommodated inside the tank 120 together with the electrolyte. The tank 120 may be made of steel, steel alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or the like.

[0029] The beading portion 123 and the crimping portion 124 may be located at the side portion 122 of the can 120. The beading portion 123 may be a portion that is deformed to be recessed toward the inside of the can 120, and the crimping portion 124 may be a portion where the edge of the side portion 122 is bent inward. The movement of the electrode assembly 130 may be suppressed by the beading portion 123, and the cap assembly 140 may be fixed to the can 120 by the beading portion 123 and the crimping portion 124.

[0030] The electrode assembly 130 may include a positive electrode 131, a negative electrode 132, and a separator 133. The positive electrode 131 may include a positive electrode substrate and a positive electrode active material layer on the positive electrode substrate. The negative electrode 132 may include a negative electrode substrate and a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode substrate. The separator 133 may be located between the positive electrode 131 and the negative electrode 132, and the separator 133 may insulate the positive electrode 131 and the negative electrode 132 from each other while allowing lithium ions to move.

[0031] The positive electrode substrate may include aluminum foil. The positive electrode active material layer may include a transition metal oxide such as LiCoO2, LiNiO2, or LiMn2O4. The negative electrode substrate may include copper foil or nickel foil. The negative electrode active material layer may include a carbon material such as graphite. The separator 133 may include polyethylene or polypropylene.

[0032] The positive electrode 131, the negative electrode 132, and the separator 133 may be wound in a substantially cylindrical form, and a cylindrical center pin 134 may be located at the center of the electrode assembly 130. The center pin 134 may suppress deformation of the electrode assembly 130 during the process of charging and discharging the rechargeable battery 100, and may serve as a passage for gas generated inside the rechargeable battery 100. In one or more embodiments, the center pin 134 may be omitted.

[0033] The positive electrode 131 may include a positive electrode tab 135 attached to the positive electrode substrate. The negative electrode 132 may include a negative electrode tab 136 attached to the negative electrode substrate. The positive electrode tab 135 and the negative electrode tab 136 may be opposite to each other (e.g., located on opposite sides or opposite ends of the electrode assembly 130). In one or more embodiments, the positive electrode tab 135 may be located on a side (e.g., an upper side) of the electrode assembly 130 facing the cap assembly 140 and may be fixed to the cap assembly 140. The negative electrode tab 136 may be located on a side (e.g., a lower side) of the electrode assembly 130 facing the bottom portion 121 of the can 120 and may be fixed to the bottom portion 121.

[0034] The first insulating plate 137 may be located between the electrode assembly 130 and the cap assembly 140, and the second insulating plate 138 may be located between the bottom portion 121 of the can 120 and the electrode assembly 130. The first insulating plate 137 may prevent the negative electrode 132 of the electrode assembly 130 from contacting the cap assembly 140, and the second insulating plate 138 may prevent the positive electrode 131 of the electrode assembly 130 from contacting the bottom portion 121 of the can 120.

[0035] A hole communicating with the inside of the center pin 134, a hole for passing the positive electrode tab 135, and a plurality of holes for electrolyte injection may be located in the first insulating plate 137. A hole communicating with the inside of the center pin 134 and a hole for passing the negative electrode tab 136 may be located in the second insulating plate 138.

[0036] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 1 is an enlarged view of the cap assembly 140 of the rechargeable battery 100 shown in FIG.

[0037] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the cap assembly 140 may include a safety vent 10 provided with a groove 15, a lower cap 20 located at a side (e.g., a lower side) of the safety vent 10 facing the electrode assembly 130, an insulating portion 30 having a ring shape located between the safety vent 10 and the lower cap 20, and an upper cap 40 located at a side (e.g., an upper side) of the safety vent 10 opposite to the lower cap 20. The safety vent 10 may be referred to as a current interrupt device (CID).

[0038] The safety vent 10 may include a central portion 11 and a peripheral portion 12 surrounding the central portion 11. The thickness of the central portion 11 may be greater than the thickness of the peripheral portion 12, and the groove 15 may be located in the peripheral portion 12. The lower cover 20 may include a central portion 21 and a peripheral portion 22 surrounding the central portion 21, and the thickness of the central portion 21 may be less than the thickness of the peripheral portion 22. At least one first opening 25 may be located in the central portion 21, and at least one second opening 26 may be located in the peripheral portion 22.

[0039] The central portion 11 of the safety vent 10 and the central portion 21 of the lower cover 20 may be combined or coupled together by a method such as welding, and the safety vent 10 and the lower cover 20 may be spaced apart from each other by a distance (e.g., a gap) in the remaining portions (e.g., peripheral portions 12, 22) other than the central portions 11, 21 or outside the central portions 11, 21. The insulating portion 30 may surround the central portions 11, 21 and may be located between the safety vent 10 and the lower cover 20. The insulating portion 30 may be combined or coupled to the safety vent 10 and the lower cover 20 by a method such as fusion.

[0040] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 1 is a top plan view of the upper cover 40 of the cover assembly 140 shown in FIG.

[0041] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 The upper cover 40 may include a base portion 41 , a terminal portion 42 , and a plurality of support portions 43 connecting the base portion 41 to the terminal portion 42 .

[0042] The base portion 41 may be in a ring shape including a through hole at the center, and the terminal portion 42 may be in a flat circular plate shape (e.g., a flat disk shape). The diameter of the terminal portion 42 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the base portion 41 (e.g., in a top plan view, the terminal portion 42 may be inside the through hole of the base portion 41), and the terminal portion 42 may be located farther from the electrode assembly 130 than the base portion 41. The base portion 41 may overlap with the edge of the peripheral portion 12 of the safety vent 10, and the base portion 41 may be bonded or coupled to the safety vent 10 by a method such as welding.

[0043] The plurality of support portions 43 may integrally connect the base portion 41 and the terminal portion 42 to each other, and the plurality of support portions 43 may be positioned in an inclined direction by being bent at a predetermined angle from the base portion 41 and the terminal portion 42. The plurality of support portions 43 may be spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of the upper cover 40. Figure 4The three support portions 43 are exemplified and positioned at equal (or substantially equal) intervals along the circumferential direction of the upper cover 40, but the present disclosure is not limited to the three support portions 43. Figure 1 to Figure 4 The configuration of the support portion 43 is depicted in FIG. 4 , and the upper cover 40 may include any other suitable number of support portions 43 .

[0044] See also Figure 2 to Figure 4 , the positive electrode tab 135 of the electrode assembly 130 may be fixed to one surface (e.g., the lower surface) of the lower cover 20, and the lower cover 20, the safety vent 10, and the upper cover 40 may be positively charged. The terminal portion 42 of the upper cover 40 may contact an external device and serve as a positive terminal allowing current to flow to the external device. The can 120 to which the negative electrode tab 136 is fixed may be negatively charged, and the bottom portion 121 of the can 120 may serve as a negative terminal.

[0045] The cap assembly 140 of the above embodiment may be coupled to the side portion 122 of the can 120 via the insulating gasket 141. The insulating gasket 141 may surround the edges of the upper cap 40 and the safety vent 10 and may be squeezed (e.g., compressed) between the crimping portion 124 and the curling portion 123 of the can 120.

[0046] During use of the rechargeable battery 100, gas may be generated inside the can 120 due to various reasons, and the internal pressure of the rechargeable battery 100 may increase due to the gas. When the gas is generated, pressure may be continuously applied to the safety vent 10 through the first opening 25 and the second opening 26 of the lower cover 20, and at a certain pressure (e.g., a threshold pressure), the safety vent 10 may be deformed toward the outside (e.g., the upper side) of the cap assembly 140, so that the safety vent 10 and the lower cover 20 may be separated from each other.

[0047] The central portion 21 of the lower cover 20 may rupture from the peripheral portion 22 in response to the gas pressure exceeding the threshold pressure, and the central portion 21 of the lower cover 20 may rise together with the safety vent 10 because the central portion 21 of the lower cover 20 is attached to the central portion 11 of the safety vent 10. The flow of current is blocked due to the separation of the safety vent 10 and the lower cover 20. As the pressure continues to rise, the safety vent 10 is configured to rupture around the groove 15 and the internal gas is discharged. The internal gas may be discharged to the outside of the rechargeable battery 100 through the through hole of the base portion 41 and the space between the terminal portion 42 and the plurality of support portions 43.

[0048] In the rechargeable battery 100 of the above-described embodiment, the upper cover 40 is a portion continuously exposed to the external environment, and thus may include a coating for corrosion prevention. The coating may be formed as an electrolytic plating layer, and in order to improve process efficiency, plating may be performed on a stack of a plurality of upper covers inserted into an electrolytic cell, rather than on a single upper cover inserted into the electrolytic cell alone.

[0049] In the rechargeable battery 100 of the first embodiment, the upper cover 40 may be configured to provide a gap between the stacked upper covers when the upper cover is stacked with other upper covers for plating, which enables a plating solution to penetrate into or onto each of the plurality of upper covers.

[0050] See also Figure 4 , the terminal portion 42 of the upper cover 40 may include a protruding portion 44 extending outward from an edge of the terminal portion 42 located between adjacent support portions 43 among the plurality of support portions 43 (e.g., the protruding portion 44 extends outward in a direction parallel to the terminal portion 42 and away from a center point C1 (i.e., a center of curvature C1) of the terminal portion 42). The terminal portion 42 may include a first circumferential portion 42a in contact with the plurality of support portions 43 and a second circumferential portion 42b located between adjacent support portions 43 among the plurality of support portions 43. The protruding portion 44 may be located at the center of the second circumferential portion 42b (or substantially at the center of the second circumferential portion 42b).

[0051] The entire terminal portion 42 including the protruding portion 44 may form a flat (plane) surface without being bent. The protruding portion 44 may be in an arc shape having a single curvature, and a center of curvature C2 of the protruding portion 44 may be located inside the terminal portion 42. The center of curvature C2 of the protruding portion 44 may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance from a center of curvature C1 of the terminal portion 42 including the first circumferential portion 42a and the second circumferential portion 42b (i.e., a center point C1 of the terminal portion 42).

[0052] The maximum arc width W1 of the protruding portion 44 along the circumferential direction of the terminal portion 42 may be smaller than the arc width W2 of the second circumferential portion 42b. Figure 4 ), the maximum protrusion amount D1 (eg, radial distance) of the protruding portion 44 may be smaller than the distance D2 (eg, radial distance) between the inner side surface of the base portion 41 and the second circumferential portion 42b. Figure 4 The illustrated protruding portion 44 is located in each of the three second circumferential portions 42 b , but the present disclosure is not limited to the number of protruding portions 44 and these locations.

[0053] Figure 5 and Figure 6 It is shown Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a stacked state of two of the upper covers 40 shown in FIG.

[0054] See also Figure 5 and Figure 6 When a plurality of upper covers 40 are stacked, the protruding portion 44 may overlap the supporting portion 43 of an adjacent upper cover 40. The protruding portion 44 may lift the supporting portion 43 of the adjacent upper cover 40, thereby providing a gap between the adjacent upper covers 40.

[0055] The interval or spacing or gap of the upper cover 40 along the stacking direction may be proportional to the protrusion amount of the protruding portion 44 (eg, the maximum protrusion amount of the protruding portion 44 in the radial direction). Figure 6 The protrusion amount D12 of the protrusion 44 shown in FIG. 4 may be greater than Figure 5 The protrusion amount D11 of the protrusion 44 is shown in FIG. Figure 6 The gap G2 between the upper covers 40 shown in FIG. 4 may be greater than Figure 5 A gap G1 between the upper covers 40 is shown in FIG.

[0056] Table 1 below is a table showing the measurement results of the protrusion amount of the protruding portion (eg, the maximum protrusion amount in the radial direction) and the gap between the upper cover 40 .

[0057] Table 1

[0058]

[0059] Referring to Table 1, when the protrusion amount of the protruding portion is approximately 0.2 cm or less, the effect of lifting the supporting portion by the protruding portion when stacking upper covers is negligible, so that the upper covers are in close contact with each other and the anti-stacking effect is not achieved.

[0060] However, when the protrusion amount of the protruding portion is approximately 0.3 cm or more, the protruding portion lifts the supporting portion 43 when the upper covers 40 are stacked, so that a gap of approximately 0.36 cm or more is achieved between the upper covers 40. Therefore, when a plating process is performed by placing the stack of upper covers 40 in an electrolytic bath, a plating solution can move between the upper covers 40 through the gap between the upper covers 40, so that a coating can be formed on the entire surface of each of the upper covers with a uniform (or substantially uniform) thickness.

[0061] The upper cover 40 in the rechargeable battery 100 according to the first embodiment can improve the plating quality of the coating layer by using the protruding portion 44, and can minimize the thickness variation of the coating layer. Therefore, the rechargeable battery 100 of the first embodiment can effectively suppress or at least reduce the corrosion of the upper cover 40, and can improve the welding quality between the upper cover 40 and the safety vent 10, thereby preventing or at least reducing the manufacturing defects of the cap assembly 140, and also achieving stable current flow.

[0062] Figure 7 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] See also Figure 7 In the second embodiment, each of the protruding portions 44 of the upper cover 401 may include two inclined portions 441 in contact with the second circumferential portion 42b and a curved portion 442 extending between the two inclined portions 441. The curved portion 442 may be in an arc shape having a single curvature, and a center of curvature C2 of the curved portion 442 may coincide with (or substantially coincide with) a center of curvature C1 of the first circumferential portion 42a and the second circumferential portion 42b.

[0064] The upper cover 401 of the second embodiment may be formed in the same or similar configuration as that of the upper cover 40 of the above-described first embodiment except for the planar shape of the protruding portion 44 , and may perform the same function as the upper cover 40 of the first embodiment.

[0065] Figure 8 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a third embodiment.

[0066] See also Figure 8 In the third embodiment, the terminal portion 42 of the upper cover 402 may include a plurality of connection portions 421 connected to a plurality of support portions 43, a circular center portion 422 located on the inner side of the plurality of connection portions 421, and protruding portions 44, each of the protruding portions 44 extending outward (e.g., radially outward) from an edge of the center portion 422 located between adjacent connection portions 421 among the plurality of connection portions 421 (e.g., each of the protruding portions 44 extends parallel to the center portion 422 and away from a center point C1 of the center portion 422).

[0067] Each of the protruding portions 44 may have an arc shape having a single curvature, and a center of curvature C2 of each of the protruding portions 44 may be spaced a predetermined distance from a center of curvature C1 of the central portion 422. An arc width W3 of each of the protruding portions 44 according to the circumferential direction of the upper cover 402 may be equal to or slightly smaller than an arc width W4 of a portion of the central portion 422 between the plurality of connection portions 421.

[0068] The maximum protrusion amount D13 of the protruding portion 44 relative to the central portion 422 may be greater than the width W5 of the connecting portion 421 measured along the radial direction (e.g., a direction extending in all directions from the center point C1 of the central portion 422). When a plurality of upper covers 402 are stacked, the protruding portion 44 may lift the support portion 43 of the adjacent (neighboring) upper covers 402, thereby providing a gap between the upper covers 402.

[0069] The upper cover 402 of the third embodiment may be formed in the same or similar configuration as that of the upper cover 40 of the above-described first embodiment except for the planar shape of the terminal portion 42 , and may perform the same function as the upper cover 40 of the first embodiment.

[0070] Fig. 9 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a fourth embodiment.

[0071] See also Fig. 9 In the fourth embodiment, the arc width W6 of each of the protruding portions 44 according to the circumferential direction of the upper cover 403 may be smaller than the arc width W7 of a portion of the central portion 422 between the plurality of connecting portions 421. Therefore, the protruding portion 44 may be spaced apart from the plurality of connecting portions 421 along the circumferential direction of the upper cover 403.

[0072] The upper cover 403 of the fourth embodiment may be formed in the same or similar configuration as that of the upper cover 402 of the third embodiment described above except for the planar shape of the terminal portion 42 , and may perform the same function as the upper cover 402 of the third embodiment.

[0073] Fig.10 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a fifth embodiment. Fig.11 is a top plan view of an upper cover of a rechargeable battery according to a sixth embodiment.

[0074] See also Fig.10 and Fig.11 In the fifth and sixth embodiments, the terminal portion 42 of the upper cover 404, 405 can be formed into a non-circular structure and can include recessed portions 423, 424, wherein the recessed portions 423, 424 are respectively provided on the edge of the terminal portion 42 located between the plurality of support portions 43.

[0075] In the fifth embodiment, the recessed portion 423 may have an arc shape having a single curvature, and the curvature center C3 of the recessed portion 423 may be located outside the terminal portion 42. In the sixth embodiment, the recessed portion 424 may have a straight line shape connecting two adjacent support portions 43 among the plurality of support portions 43.

[0076] The protruding portions 44 may be located at the center of the recessed portions 423, 424, respectively, and may be in an arc shape having a single curvature. Fig.10 and Fig.11 ), a distance D4 (e.g., radial distance) between a center point C1 of the terminal portion 42 and an outermost point of the protruding portion 44 may be greater than a distance D5 (e.g., radial distance) between a center point C1 of the terminal portion 42 and each of the plurality of support portions 43. When a plurality of upper covers 404, 405 are stacked, the protruding portion 44 may lift the support portion 43 of the adjacent (neighboring) upper covers 404, 405, thereby providing a gap between the upper covers 404, 405.

[0077] Except for the planar shape of the terminal portion 42, the upper covers 404, 405 of the fifth and sixth embodiments may be formed in the same or similar configuration as the upper cover 40 of the above-mentioned first embodiment, and the upper covers 404, 405 may perform the same functions as the upper cover 40 of the first embodiment.

[0078] While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be practical embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rechargeable battery comprising: Electrode assembly; a can, accommodating the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly coupled to the can to seal the can, the cap assembly comprising an upper cover configured to contact an external device, wherein the upper cover comprises: a base portion including a through hole at the center of the base portion; a terminal portion located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions connecting the base portion to the terminal portion, and The terminal portion includes a protruding portion extending outward from an edge of the terminal portion between adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions.

2. The rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein: The terminal portion is circular; and The protruding portion extends parallel to the terminal portion and away from a center point of the terminal portion.

3. The rechargeable battery according to claim 2, wherein: The terminal portion includes a first circumferential portion in contact with the plurality of support portions and a second circumferential portion between the adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions; and The protruding portion is at a center of the second circumferential portion.

4. The rechargeable battery according to claim 3, wherein: The protruding portion is in an arc shape with a single curvature; and The center of curvature of the protruding portion is in the terminal portion and is spaced a distance from the center point of the terminal portion.

5. The rechargeable battery according to claim 3, wherein: The protruding portion includes two inclined portions and a curved portion extending between the two inclined portions.

6. The rechargeable battery according to claim 5, wherein: The curved portion is in an arc shape with a single curvature; and A center of curvature of the curved portion coincides with a center of curvature of the second circumferential portion.

7. The rechargeable battery according to claim 3, wherein: In a plan view, a maximum protrusion amount of the protruding portion is smaller than a distance between an inner side surface of the base portion and the second circumferential portion.

8. A rechargeable battery comprising: Electrode assembly; a can, accommodating the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly coupled to the can to seal the can, the cap assembly comprising an upper cover configured to contact an external device, wherein the upper cover comprises: a base portion including a through hole at the center of the base portion; a terminal portion located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions connecting the base portion to the terminal portion, and The terminal portion includes: a plurality of connection portions connected to the plurality of support portions; a circular central portion on the inner side of the plurality of connection portions; and a protruding portion extending outward from an edge of the central portion between adjacent connection portions among the plurality of connection portions.

9. The rechargeable battery according to claim 8, wherein: The convex portion extends parallel to the central portion and away from a center point of the central portion.

10. The rechargeable battery according to claim 9, wherein: The protruding portion has an arc shape having a single curvature.

11. The rechargeable battery according to claim 9, wherein: A maximum protrusion amount of the protruding portion relative to the central portion is greater than a width of the connecting portion in a radial direction.

12. A rechargeable battery comprising: Electrode assembly; a can, accommodating the electrode assembly in an inner space of the can; and a cap assembly coupled to the can to seal the can, the cap assembly comprising an upper cover for contacting an external device, wherein the upper cover comprises: a base portion including a through hole at the center of the base portion; a non-circular terminal portion located farther from the electrode assembly than the base portion; and a plurality of support portions connecting the base portion to the non-circular terminal portion, and The non-circular terminal portion includes a protruding portion extending outward from an edge of the non-circular terminal portion between adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions.

13. The rechargeable battery according to claim 12, wherein: The non-circular terminal portion is a non-circular structure including a recessed portion on the edge between the adjacent support portions among the plurality of support portions; and The convex portion is at the center of the concave portion.

14. The rechargeable battery according to claim 13, wherein: The recessed portion is in an arc shape having a single curvature; and The center of curvature of the recessed portion is outside the non-circular terminal portion.

15. The rechargeable battery according to claim 13, wherein: The recessed portion has a straight line shape connecting two adjacent supporting portions among the plurality of supporting portions.

16. The rechargeable battery according to claim 13, wherein: The protruding portion has a shape having a single curvature; and In a plan view, a distance between a center point of the non-circular terminal portion and an outermost point of the protruding portion is greater than a distance between the center point of the non-circular terminal portion and each of the plurality of supporting portions.

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