| CPC H01M 10/02 (2013.01) [H01M 4/02 (2013.01); H01M 10/052 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 10/054 (2013.01); H01M 10/058 (2013.01); H01M 10/0585 (2013.01); H01M 10/44 (2013.01); H01M 2004/021 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A structure for cycling between a charged and a discharged state in a secondary battery, the structure comprising: an electrode assembly and a constraint,
the electrode assembly comprising (a) a population of electrode structures, (b) a population of counter-electrode structures, (c) an electrically insulating separator material between members of the population of electrode structures and the population of counter-electrode structures, (d) an electrode bus, and (e) a counter-electrode bus,
the electrode assembly having a shape that corresponds to a rectangular prism having (A) first and second longitudinal end surfaces opposing each other and separated along a longitudinal axis, and (B) a lateral surface surrounding the longitudinal axis and connecting the first and second longitudinal end surfaces with each other, a surface area of the first and second longitudinal end surfaces being less than 25% of a combined surface area of the lateral surface and of the first and second longitudinal end surfaces,
members of the population of electrode structures and members of the population of counter-electrode structures being arranged in an alternating sequence and in a stacking direction parallel to the longitudinal axis within the electrode assembly,
each member of the population of electrode structures having a bottom, a top, a length (LE), a width (WE), a height (HE), a perimeter (PE), and a central longitudinal axis AE extending from the bottom to the top of each such member of the population of electrode structures and in a transverse direction that is generally perpendicular to the stacking direction, the LE of each member of the population of electrode structures being measured in the transverse direction, the width WE of each member of the population of electrode structures being measured in the stacking direction, the height HE of each member of the population of electrode structures being measured in a vertical direction perpendicular to each of the transverse direction and of the stacking direction, the PE of each member of the population of electrode structures being a sum of one or more lengths of one or more sides of each such member of the population of electrode structures in a plane that is normal to the central longitudinal axis AE, a ratio of the LE to the PE of each member of the population of electrode structures being at least 1.25:1,
a projection of the members of the population of electrode structures and the population of counter-electrode structures onto the first longitudinal end surface circumscribes a first projected area, and a projection of the members of the population of electrode structures and the population of counter-electrode structures onto the second longitudinal end surface circumscribes a second projected area,
the constraint comprises first and second primary compression members that overlie the first and second projected areas, respectively, the first and second primary compression members being connected by first and second primary connecting members that overlie the lateral surface of the electrode assembly and pull the first and second primary compression members toward each other, and
the constraint is adapted to maintain a pressure on the electrode assembly in the stacking direction that exceeds an additional pressure maintained on the electrode assembly in each of the transverse direction and the vertical direction during cycling of the electrode assembly between the charged and the discharged state.
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