Abstract: A stable and durable electrode assembly for a lead-acid storage battery to provide a longer-life lead-acid storage battery is described. A synthetic resin-made separator and a glass mat, which is wider than the separator, are coordinately stacked together and then folded in such a manner that the separator is positioned within the glass mat and the side edge portions of the separator overlap and the side edge portions of the glass mat overlap. The overlapped side edge portions are respectively seal-bonded to each other to provide a pocket-type electrode assembly wherein the outer surface thereof is a pocket-type glass mat which surrounds a pocket-type separator.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a hydrogen-occlusion-alloy electrode is provided, wherein a hydrogen-occlusion-alloy ingot is mechanically crushed, the obtained powder is washed in water to remove dust-size particles from the surface thereof, the washed powder is used in a moisten state after said washing as it is to prepare a slurry of a specified composition, and the slurry is supported on to a current collector. Incorporating this hydrogen-occlusion-alloy electrode in a nickel-hydrogen storage battery as the negative electrode leads to reduced internal pressure of the battery, an extended charge and discharge cycle life, and an improved rapid discharge characteristic.

Abstract: A hydrogen-occlusion electrode and a method of manufacturing the electrode are described. The hydrogen-occlusion electrode comprises from about 42-84 vol. % of a hydrogen-occlusion alloy, from about 3-13 vol. % of a bonding material, from about 3-15 vol. % of an electroconductive material, and has residual pores in an amount of 10-30 vol. %. The electroconductive material has an average particle size of 1.3 .mu.m or less. The bonding material is preferably polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdf). In manufacturing the foregoing hydrogen-occlusion electrode, a formed electrode plate body including PVdF as a bonding material is heat-treated in a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere at a temperature ranging from about 160.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. An electrode is thereby obtained wherein the alloy particles are prevented from separating from the electrode resulting in an improvement of mechanical strength and electroconductivity in the electrode.

Abstract: A battery-charging circuit capable of promptly detecting, during quick charging, an abnormality of a secondary battery of a battery, if any, and making it impossible to continue the quick charge thereafter. As a battery-charging circuit for quickly charging a secondary battery with a predetermined charging current from a battery-charging power source having a constant-characteristic, the battery charging circuit includes a voltage-measuring device for measuring the secondary battery voltage at predetermined regular time intervals; a voltage-setting device for presetting a reference voltage value at a level higher, by a predetermined magnitude, than an expected charge complete voltage value; a comparator device for comparing with the preset reference voltage value a battery voltage actually measured during the quick charge operation; and a current limiter circuit for stopping the quick charge when the battery voltage has risen to the reference voltage value.

Abstract: A paste nickel electrode plate comprising a porous metal substrate filled with a mixture of a nickel hydroxide powder used as an active material and a CoO powder used as an electroconductive material wherein the CoO powder has a covering layer of hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of the powder particles to prevent the formation of Co.sub.3 O.sub.4 on the surfaces of the CoO powder particles. A storage battery is provided using the above-described paste nickel electrode plate as a positive electrode.

Abstract: A method of making a sealed alkaline storage battery including a positive paste nickel electrode containing cobalt and/or cobalt oxide and a negative electrode stacked upon the positive electrode with a separator interposed therebetween in a battery container which is sealed within about one hour after pouring an alkaline electrolyte into the container. An initial charging of the sealed battery is provided within about 10 hours after the completion of the pouring of the electrolyte to provide an initial ampere-hour charge to the battery of about 5% or more of the battery's rated capacity. This method avoids formation of HCoO.sub.2.sup.- ions which cause short-circuiting of the battery.

Abstract: A hydrogen-occlusion alloy electrode consisting of a hydrogen-occlusion alloy whose composition is expressed by a general formula Ti.sub.x Zr.sub.1-x V.sub.y Fe.sub.z Ni.sub.2-y-z, wherein 0.1.ltoreq.X.ltoreq.0.9, 0.3.ltoreq.Y.ltoreq.0.9 and 0.05.ltoreq.Z.ltoreq.0.5, or a hydride of said alloy. When made in accordance with this invention, such a hydrogen-occlusion alloy electrode has a large discharge capacity and a long cycle life.

Abstract: A paste-type nickel electrode for an alkaline storage battery and an alkaline storage battery containing the electrode are described. In one embodiment, the paste-type nickel electrode contains a nickel filamentary powder electroconductive agent having a network of three-dimensional chain structures with an average diameter of equal to or less than about 1.3 .mu.m. When the paste-type nickel electrode is used as the positive electrode of an alkaline storage battery, a high capacity, long-life alkaline storage battery is obtained. In a second embodiment, an improved alkaline storage battery is obtained through the provision of a paste-type nickel positive electrode plate containing at least one of a Co powder and a CoO powder as an electroconductive agent and an alkaline electrolyte solution having an alkaline concentration of 35 wt. % or greater.

Abstract: A hydrogen-occlusion electrode and a method of manufacturing the electrode are described. The hydrogen-occlusion electrode comprises from about 42-84 vol. % of a hydrogen-occlusion alloy, from about 3-13 vol. % of a bonding material where the volume percent is based on 100% from about 3-15 vol. % of an electroconductive material, and has residual pores in an amount of 10-30 vol. %. The electroconductive material has an average particle size of 1.3 .mu.m or less. The bonding material is preferably polyvinylidene flouride (PVdf). In manufacturing the foregoing hydrogen-occlusion electrode, a formed electrode plate body including PVdF as a bonding material is heat-treated in a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere at a temperature ranging from about 160.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. An electrode is thereby obtained wherein the alloy particles are prevented from separating from the electrode resulting in an improvement of mechanical strength and electroconductivity in the electrode.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sealed-type nickel-hydrogen cell. The invention reduces the number of cycles of the charge-discharge operation required during the formation process used to manufacture a sealed-type nickel-hydrogen cell having a large high-rate discharge capacity. A sealed-type nickel-hydrogen cell is subjected to at least one cycle of a charge-discharge operation and thereafter maintained at a temperature in the range of about 30.degree. C. to 60.degree. C. for a predetermined length of time.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sealed-type storage battery using a hydrogen-occlusion electrode and an alloy for making the electrode is described. The sealed-type storage battery uses the hydrogen-occlusion electrode as a negative electrode. The battery is filled up with an alkaline electrolyte and is then allowed to stand for not more than 14 hours prior to the commencement of the initial charging of the battery. The initial charging is discontinued for at least one hour when the battery is in an incomplete charged state, i.e., when the battery is charged 5% or more but less than 100% of its rated capacity. Thereafter, the charging of the battery is continued until the battery is charged to its full capacity. The invention provides a sealed-type storage battery which has a low internal pressure during an overcharging operation, has a small capacity loss when operated whether at a high or low temperature, and has a longer cycle life as compared to conventional batteries.

Abstract: A method for charging a storage battery includes providing an electric charger having a rapid charge voltage level and a trickle charge voltage level, a total-timer for measuring a total time which has elapsed since initiation of a charging operation, a peak-timer for measuring an amount of time which has elapsed since a peak voltage is reached during rapid charging of the storage battery, and an arithmetic circuit in the peak timer for determining a function of an elapsed time and a value of a charging rate. The arithmetic circuit of the peak-timer determines an elapsed time value of the peak-timer as a function of an elapsed time value of the total-timer and a value of a charging rate. The elapsed time value of the peak-timer is initially set at substantially the same time as an initial setting of a value of the total-timer. The peak-timer is started at a predetermined elapsed time after starting of a rapid charging operation.

Abstract: A lead acid storage battery comprising a battery container, a plate assembly assembled by stacking a negative electrode plate and a positive electrode plate one upon another through a separator interposed between the negative and positive electrode plates, and a saddle placed on the bottom surface of the battery container for absorbing the extension of the positive electrode plate. Legs of a negative electrode grid plate consisting of the negative electrode plate are larger in width than legs of a positive electrode grid plate consisting of the positive electrode plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for detecting whether a battery is connected to an electric charger or the battery is disconnected therefrom. This invention is simple in construction, and can effectively carry out the operation thereof. The device of this invention includes a heat sensitive element connected through a temperature detecting line to a data processor and a reference voltage source connected to the end of the heat sensitive element. After at least one battery is connected to the device and an electric charging into the battery is completed, the battery is removed, whereby a data processor detects the resulting voltage change through the temperature detecting line similarly operating as a voltage detecting line.

Abstract: A battery container is provided with a battery cover having side walls so that a gap is formed between the side walls of the container and the side walls of the cover. The upper end portion of a bottomed heat-shielding case is inserted into this gap so that the heat-shielding case is detachably attached to the battery container and covers the container and forms a space between the container and the case. The space between the container and case is closed to air outside the case and air convection between the outside air and the air inside the space can be prevented thereby increasing the heat-shielding effect for protecting the storage battery from high temperatures. Additionally, the heat-shielding case is designed to be attached securely to the battery container (1) to make one body therewith, making it easier to mount and dismount them in an automobile engine compartment.

Abstract: A resistance welding method wherein a resistance welding between cells of others used in the manufacturing of a lead acid battery, is carried out by means of a constant power control system. There are provided a method and a circuit device (A) therefore to carry out at intervals of a predetermined cycle that a resistance value between the members (e), (e) to be welded is, while applied with a current, measured by a resistance measuring device (11). The measured value is then inputted to a constant power controller (13), and a current having a current value corresponding thereto is supplied to both the members (e), (e) for current application for welding, thereby performing a stable and good weld.

Abstract: A molded saddle for an electrode plate of a battery having a horizontal base plate and a flexible raised support plate portion for supporting legs of positive plates. When the molded saddle is attached to the inner bottom surface of a battery container, a large vertical space between an upper end portion of the flexible raised support plate portion and the inner surface of the bottom of the container is provided so that when the positive plate of a plate assembly is extended, the flexible, raised support portion supporting the positive plate is pushed in order to be lowered by the extension of the positive plate so as to absorb the extension resulting in the prevention of the positive plate from being warped.

Abstract: A storage battery including a container and a cover. The container is partitioned into a plurality of cell chambers by a plurality of partition walls. Each cell chamber has a cell therein which is composed of positive and negative plates. The negative and positive plates are connected by negative and positive straps, respectively. An intercell connecting conductor connects negative and positive straps from adjacent cells through an opening in the partition wall. Each intercell connecting conductor includes a horizontal base attached to one of the straps, and an ear which extends obliquely upwardly from the base to the opening in the partition wall. The opening in the partition wall and the ear are laterally offset from the base so that they are vertically unaligned with the base.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the manufacture of plates of an electrical storage battery involves the partial or total severing of a plate blank from a strip of stock material and the subsequent filling of a grid of the plate blank with a material in paste form prior to the removal of the filled plate from the stock material.

Abstract: An alkaline storage battery having located in a battery container a battery element comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator and a gas ionizing auxiliary electrode, in which the gas ionizing electrode is contained in a bag of microporous film, is described.