Current collecting structure of an electrode plate unit for rechargeable battery comprising thermal sprayed metal coatings and manufacturing method thereof

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 with mutually opposite polarity being made to protrude from the two side surfaces of this electrode plate unit. A thermal spray metal coating (8) is provided to each of the two side surfaces of the electrode plate unit for integrally joining the electrode plates, and for connecting the collector plates (5, 6) to the electrode plates.