Abstract: An improved method of bonding battery cell terminal posts to cover bushings is disclosed. The battery cell terminal posts are made of lead alloy material and the cover bushings are made of solder alloy material having a significantly lower melting point than the terminal posts. The bushings are bonded to the terminal posts by heating the terminal posts and bushings to a temperature above the melting point of the material of the bushing, but below the melting point of the material of the post, to effect a secure and leak proof connection without melting of the terminal posts and with lesser chance for damage to the plastic cover. The plastic cover further includes integrally formed annular mold sections in the form of upstanding bosses which completely surround respective bushings and posts.

Abstract: An induction heating method and apparatus for simultaneously and efficiently fusing battery cell terminal posts and bushings in a battery production line. The apparatus includes an induction heating generator having a T-shaped bus bar for symmetrically supporting a plurality of pairs of induction heating coils, with one coil of each pair being supported on the forward side of a transverse bus bar section and the other coil of each pair being supported on a rear side of the transverse bus bar section. The coils each have respective mounting structures for permitting individual vertical adjustment of the coil with respect to the bus bar to enable uniform positioning of the coils with respect to a plurality of bushings and terminal posts for effecting uniform depth fusion of the plurality of posts and bushings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more efficiently fusing the straps of pre-formed terminal post members with plate lugs of a battery plate group utilizing a non-reusable, inexpensive plastic mold insert. The method includes positioning the battery plate group into an open top container with the lugs of the positive plates in one row and the lugs of the negative plates in another row, positioning the plastic insert into the container with the lugs of the plate group extending upwardly through the mold insert, positioning the terminal post members on the plastic mold insert with fingers of the straps thereof disposed between plate lugs of the respective rows, supplying additional unmelted lead into remaining spaces between the plate lugs, and heating, melting, and fusing the plate lugs, strap fingers, and added lead by induction heating to form interconnections between the positive and negative plates in the respective terminals.

Abstract: A method for fabricating bushings for lead-acid cells or batteries is provided which is amenable to automation and control and provides relatively porosity-free bushings comprising utilizing a mold having a cavity in the configuration of the bushing desired and a lead fill unit comprising a lead pot with the molten lead alloy for the bushing and a heated fill line and/or heated fill block wherein the mold and lead fill units are moved into alignment, heating such as induction heating to cause the solidified molten alloy at the end of the heated fill line or in the heated fill block orifice to become molten, gravity filling the mold and then moving the mold and lead fill unit out of alignment, the bushing preferably being cast in an upside-down orientation so as to minimize gas entrainment and/or particulate contamination.

Abstract: A method of making lead-acid cell-to-cell or battery-to-battery connections is disclosed which utilizes a non-conductive capture mold, made, for example, from polypropylene polymers, which capture mold has a base having holes allowing the capture mold to be placed over adjacent terminal posts of like polarity and upstanding walls having a height equal to that of the terminal posts, the capture mold serving to retain the lead alloy connector in place while the cell or battery connection is made, as by induction heating or the like.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery and improved method of bonding battery cell terminal posts to cover bushings is disclosed. The battery cell terminal posts are made of lead alloy material and the cover bushings are made of solder alloy material having a significantly lower melting point than the terminal posts. The bushings are bonded to the terminal posts by heating the terminal posts and bushings to a temperature above the melting point of the material of the bushing, but below the melting point of the material of the post, to effect a secure and leak proof connection without melting of the terminal posts and with lesser chance for damage to the plastic cover. The plastic cover further includes integrally formed annular mold sections in the form of upstanding bosses which completely surround respective bushings and posts to contain melted material of the bushing during the heating operation and to form the terminals into final shape.

Abstract: An induction heating generator is disclosed. The generator controls the power delivered to a work coil via a plurality of resistor/bias control switches coupled in parallel and a controller, thereby eliminating the expensive and difficult to troubleshoot SCR control circuits associated with prior art generators. By sequentially switching the bias control switches, the controller can progressively lower the input voltage to a controlled switch to thereby alter its conducting state to provide stepped power increases to the work coil. The work coil is de-energized by opening the bias control switches in reverse sequential order.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more efficiently fusing the straps of pre-formed terminal post members with plate lugs of a battery plate group utilizing a non-reusable, inexpensive plastic mold insert. The method includes positioning the battery plate group into an open top container with the lugs of the positive plates in one row and the lugs of the negative plates in another row, positioning the plastic insert into the container with the lugs of the plate group extending upwardly through the mold insert, positioning the terminal post members on the plastic mold insert with fingers of the straps thereof disposed between plate lugs of the respective rows, supplying additional unmelted lead into remaining spaces between the plate lugs, and heating, melting, and fusing the plate lugs, strap fingers, and added lead by induction heating to form interconnections between the positive and negative plates in the respective terminals.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fusing intercell connectors to battery cell terminal posts. The apparatus includes inexpensive, non-metallic molds, each having a mold opening and being positionable onto a connector with the mold opening in aligned relation to a terminal post positioned in a connector opening for defining a mold cavity adjacent an end of the terminal post and the connector opening. A selectively positionable induction heating head is provided for locating an induction heating coil in predetermined spaced relation to a terminal post and connector to be fused such that generation of a high frequency, oscillating current in the coil causes melting and fusion of the terminal post and connector with the mold retaining and forming the molten lead. The induction heating head may be manually positionable for use with batteries with different post locations and orientations and includes safety and position locating features.

Abstract: A method of assembling a bipolar battery, most preferably a lead-acid battery, includes assembling the electrochemical components necessary to provide the necessary voltage and capacity, maintaining the electrochemical components under the desired compression and then sealing such electrochemical components as a unit utilizing various assembly components. The resulting bipolar battery in the preferred embodiment includes an electrolyte fill/vent box that seals the top of the electrochemical component unit and a vacuum box that seals the bottom surface.

Abstract: A molded plastic component for a bipolar battery comprises a metal substrate having a periphery which is embedded in the plastic and includes at least one surface suitable for accepting an active material paste, the plastic frame comprising a first set of opposed sides having a first thickness which defines the thickness of the active material paste which can be accepted and a second set having a thickness greater than that of the first set which provides a dam for the active material being applied, thereby achieving the ability to automatically paste such molded components on a commercial scale.

Abstract: A method for making a molded plastic component for a bipolar battery, such as a lead-acid battery, comprises molding a plastic frame about a thin electrically conductive substrate, embedding the periphery of the substrate in the plastic frame and then removing the warpage resulting from the molding by a suitable surface reformation step, as by die stamping, to restore a surface that will allow desirable electrical performance to be achieved when the bipolar battery is used in service.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a modular, recombinant lead-acid battery is provided for. The method includes providing a plurality of thermoplastic frames, including at least two frames which support electrochemically active plates. The frames are adapted to be stacked and welded together such that the plates are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance. One or more separators also are provided. The separators have an uncompressed state in which their thickness is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance between plates and a compressed state. The frames and separators are stacked such that a separator is disposed between adjacent plates in its compressed state. The frames then are successively vibration welded together, again while the separator is in its compressed state. The separator has a predetermined thickness in its compressed state effective to reduce damage to the separator caused by abrasion of the separators by the plates during vibration welding.

Abstract: A method of assembling a bipolar lead-acid battery includes assembling the electrochemical components necessary to provide the necessary voltage and capacity, maintaining the electrochemical components under the desired compression and then sealing such electrochemical components as a unit utilizing various assembly components. The resulting bipolar battery in the preferred embodiment includes an electrolyte fill/vent box that seals the top of the electrochemical component unit and a vacuum box that seals the bottom surface.

Abstract: A method of assembling a bipolar lead-acid battery includes assembling the electrochemical components necessary to provide the necessary voltage and capacity, maintaining the electrochemical components under the desired compression and then sealing such electrochemical components as a unit utilizing various assembly components. The resulting bipolar battery in the preferred embodiment includes an electrolyte fill/vent box that seals the top of the electrochemical component unit and a vacuum box that seals the bottom surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for pasting a battery collector assembly having a current collector and enlarged members having a top surface and a bottom surface and a thickness greater than the current collector is provided. The current collector has at least one predetermined area into which paste is to be filled. The apparatus comprises a paste-dispensing nozzle having an orifice located in a dispensing end of the nozzle. The nozzle is mounted to dispense paste in at least one paste area of the collector assembly. The nozzle dispensing end is adapted to size a first level of paste dispensed in the paste area on one side of the current collector, and a surface is provided opposite the dispensing end of the nozzle which is adapted to size a second level of paste dispensed in the paste area on the other side of the current collector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fusing the ends of battery cell terminal posts and the ends of hollow bushings fixed in the plastic cover of a battery being assembled and within which the terminal posts are concentrically disposed. The apparatus includes a pair of induction heating coils which each concentrically support a mold cavity insert adapted to receive the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to be fused and a ferrite insert adapted to concentrate induced current in the ends of the terminal post and bushings upon energization of the coils. An electrical control is provided for selectively generating a radio-frequency oscillating current in the coils to effect heating, melting, and fusion of the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to consistent fusion depths while the plastic battery case remains substantially uneffected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fusing the ends of battery cell terminal posts and the ends of hollow bushings fixed in the plastic cover of a battery being assembled and within which the terminal posts are concentrically disposed. The apparatus includes a pair of induction heating coils which each concentrically support a mold cavity insert adapted to receive the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to be fused and a ferrite insert adapted to concentrate induced current in the ends of the terminal post and bushings upon energization of the coils. An electrical control is provided for selectively generating a radio-frequency oscillating current in the coils to effect heating, melting, and fusion of the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to consistent fusion depths while the plastic battery case remains substantially uneffected.

Abstract: An apparatus for welding through-the-partition intercell connections in a lead-acid battery container wherein each partition has at least two spaced apertures therein for making such intercell connections includes in the exemplary embodiment three weld stations and a crimping station through which the containers are sequentially conveyed, and the containers are aligned and retained at dual positions in each station so that the welding or crimping operation can be carried out. A microprocessor based programmable controller serves as a master control to operate the apparatus, and a slave control is associated with each welding station.

Abstract: An element stack and a method of making same is provided in which assembling a relatively large number of relatively small electrode plates into an element stack is facilitated by positioning a first set of electrode plates onto a strip of separator material in pre-selected locations and then affixing such plates to the strip. The resulting product may then be readily processed into the element stack by insertion of a second set of electrode plates of opposite polarity to the first set and then folding the separator in accordion fashion. The assembly method is amenable to automation and the resulting cell element stack may be handled as a unit thereby facilitating battery assembly.