Abstract:
A battery sealant carrier is impregnated with adhesive patches each of which is in the form of a closed loop. The surfaces of the adhesive patches rise above the surfaces of the carrier on at least one and preferably both sides of the carrier. The patches are produced by passing the carrier between a pair of applicators, the first of which has a surface that is sufficiently rigid and uncompressible so that it does not deform and the second of which has a surface that is sufficiently elastomeric so that it deforms during adhesive application. Preferably the two applicators apply adhesive to the carrier simultaneously. The adhesive patches applied by the second applicator are preferably applied at a higher viscosity than those applied by the first applicator. Preferably the sealant carrier is also the battery separator material, in which case there is an area of separator material inside each adhesive patch into which the adhesive has not been impregnated; alternatively, the sealant carrier may have a void area inside each adhesive patch, with the void area being provided to receive a piece of battery separator material.