Abstract: A pedestal and cell or battery tray assembly for lead-acid cells and batteries comprises a tray of an electrically conductive material housing a plurality of the cells or batteries and a plurality of composite pedestals that support the tray and are attached thereto, each of the pedestals comprises a bottom plate of an electrically nonconductive material, an upstanding member which is attached to, and spaces the tray from, the bottom plate, an attachment means for attaching a pedestal to the tray, the pedestals electrically insulating the lead-acid cells or batteries from ground and being capable of being configured to satisfy the requirements for seismic conditions.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell including a current collector assembly having a current collector, a seal and a compression means wherein the compression means and collector exert minimum tension and maximum compressive stresses on the seal thereby avoiding leakage of electrolyte either through or around the seal.

Abstract: A nonaqueous secondary battery is disclosed, comprising a positive electrode sheet having on a current collector an electrode material mixture layer containing a lithium-containing transition metal oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode sheet having on a current collector an electrode material mixture layer containing a negative electrode material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium, and a nonaqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, wherein in at least one of said positive electrode sheet and said negative electrode sheet, in the case of the positive sheet, a layer containing no positive electrode active material is provided between plural electrode material mixture layers containing the positve electrode active material or between the electrode material mixture layer and the current collector; and in the case of the negative electrode sheet, a layer containing no negative electrode material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium is provided be

Abstract: A process for the production of a lead accumulator comprising installing electrode plates and separators in a battery box, introducing an electrolyte in the form of a thixotropic gel including sulphuric acid and gel-forming agent into an electrolyte space and, closing of the battery box, wherein after installing the electrode plates the entire amount of sulphuric acid required for a desired electrolyte concentration is introduced into an electrolyte space within the box to form the electrode plates and after formation, an aqueous silica sol with 15 to 60% by weight of solids component, with a specific surface area of solids of 100 to 500 m.sup.2 /g, is added in such an amount that a solids concentration of the electrolyte, with respect to the overall weight thereof, of 3 to 20% by weight is obtained, and then the content of the electrolyte space is homogenously mixed.

Abstract: The battery of the present invention includes a case, an electrode group introduced into the case and a cover sealing the open side of the case. The cover has a battery electrode, an insulation panel, spacers, and a cover tab, fixed thereto. The battery electrode and the cover tab are electrically welded, and are insulated from the cover. The spacers and the insulation panel are made of an insulating material. A connection opening is formed between the introduction of the spacers and enables welding material to weld the cover tab to the electrode group.

Abstract: In the module battery, by disposing end plates including a flat plate portion and a rectangular frame portion at each end of a cell group and by binding the cell group by means of binding members and metal studs, the increase of the internal pressure during the charging/discharging cycles and the dimensional change of the module battery due to the expansion of the cell group can be suppressed, while the weight and volume increase caused by the binding members is minimized.

Abstract: The invention discloses an improved breathing device to exhaust on the outside the fumes produced inside the accumulator batteries. It comprises: at least one chamber (7) realized in the lid (2) of the accumulator battery and communicating on one side with the breathing channels (4) and on the opposite side with the outside environment, provided with one or more through holes (20) communicating with the underlying elements of the accumulator battery. A removable cap (12) inserted in said chamber (7) supports a disc made of an explosion-proof material (11) in front of which a condensing disc (15) is present made of impermeable material suited to define, in relation to the inner perimetral surface (27) of the chamber (7) itself, one or more essentially annular areas (72) for the transit of the fumes.

Abstract: A battery connection apparatus for gang-connecting batteries together includes a terminal on a battery and a connector coupled to the terminal. The connector and terminal are resiliently snap-fitted to one another. The apparatus employs what may be termed a "ball-and-socket" arrangement in which a male portion (whether on the battery or on the connector) snap-fits into a female portion. Resiliency is provided by "springy" split finger pieces or by a compressed resilient core-like component. Using the new apparatus, batteries may be gang-connected horizontally or vertically and, essentially, without the use of tools.

Abstract: Batteries based on lead chemistry, e.g., lead-acid batteries, are substantially improved through the use of a particular positive material. This material is formed by the electrochemical conversion of tetrabasic lead sulfate (TTB) where this TTB is synthesized at a pH in the range 9.3 to 12 and under reaction conditions that provide a substantial excess of sulfate to the reactive lead. The resulting materials provide needle-like structures with a width generally in the range 3 to 1 .mu.m. The relative narrow needles, when employed on the positive electrode of a lead acid battery, improve the efficiency of formation, provide good adhesive to the positive plate, extend battery life, as well as, yield excellent capacity per gram of active material.

Abstract: Non-aqueous electrochemical cells with improved performance can be fabricated by employing anodes comprising a composition having graphite particles that have a BET method specific surface area of about 6 to about 12 m.sup.2 /g and a crystallite height L.sub.c of about 100 nm to about 120 nm, and wherein at least 90% (wt) of the graphite particles are less than 16 .mu.m in size; a cathode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a solvent and salt that is interposed between the anode and cathode. When employed in an electrochemical cell, the anode can attain a specific electrode capacity of at least 300 mAhr/g. The electrochemical cell has a cycle life of greater than 1500 cycles, and has a first cycle capacity loss of only about 10% to about 15%.

Abstract: A method for producing electric energy in a biofuel-powered fuel cell, the metal in the first acid metallic salt solution forming a redox pair having a normal potential between -0.1 and 0.7 V and the metal in the second acid metallic salt solution forming a redox pair having a normal potential between 0.7 and 1.3 V, both metals preferably being vanadium which forms the redox pairs vanadium(IV)/(III) and vanadium (V)/(IV), respectively;carbohydrate being supplied as fuel to the first reactor (1) andthe reaction in the first reactor (1) being effected in the presence of platinum or ruthenium as the first catalyst (2).

Abstract: An non-sintered nickel electrode of alkaline batteries uses an active material powder which comprises composite particles comprising nickel hydroxide particles or solid solution particles consisting essentially of nickel hydroxide the surface of which is covered with a mixed crystal of cobalt hydroxide and the hydroxide of at least one metal (M) selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, indium and zinc. With this electrode, the cobalt hydroxide, which covers as a component of the mixed crystal the surface of the nickel hydroxide particles, minimally diffuses into them. Alkaline batteries using this electrode as positive electrode can therefore maintain, for a long period of time of charge-discharge cycles, the function of the cobalt hydroxide of increasing the conductivity of the electrode, thereby suppressing decrease in the discharge capacity in the course of charge-discharge cycles.

Abstract: A zinc negative electrode comprising first and second zinc electrode assemblies separated by a porous hydrophobic element: Each of the zinc electrode assemblies includes a zinc active element and is devoid of any catalytic material for promoting oxygen gas recombination by the zinc active element.

Abstract: A rechargeable lithium battery comprising at least an anode, a separator, a cathode, and an electrolyte integrated in a battery housing, characterized in that said electrolyte comprises a salt of an organic fluorine-silicon compound containing at least fluorine, silicon and carbon elements as the constituents.

Abstract: A battery having a cathode composite made of an ion-conductive high-molecular weight compound; an electrolyte made of the ion-conductive high-molecular weight compound; and an anode made of an electrode active material or a composite which includes the ion-conductive high-molecular weight compound. The amount of sulphate ion, para-toluenesulfonate ion, chlorine ion, polyethylene glycol, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid etc. inside the battery is controlled to 0.1 wt % or less.

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 button-type batter includes, a) a conductive first terminal housing member; b) a conductive second terminal housing member; c) an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte between the anode and cathode; the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte being collectively received intermediate the first and second terminal housing members; the first and second terminal housing members forming an enclosed housing which holds and protects the anode, the cathode and the electrolyte; and d) the anode having an operative surface within the enclosed housing which faces the cathode, the operative anode surface having been roughened prior to final assembly of the button-type battery.

Abstract: The viscosity of certain non-aqueous electrolytes comprising a first lithium salt which can gel on the addition of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 can be reduced substantially by incorporating therein a small amount of a suitable viscosity reducing salt. In particular, the viscosity of a LiPF.sub.6 salt based electrolyte can be reduced by orders of magnitude by incorporating a small amount of LiBF.sub.4 therein. Such electrolytes are suitable for use in lithium ion batteries.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus control output of an air-breathing fuel cell system which consists of an air supply line, a fuel cell, an air exhaust line, and a separate gas supply system for hydrogen gas. To control the fuel cell output, an adjustable rotary speed compressor is located in the air supply line and a variable absorption capacity expander is located in the air exhaust line. The compressor, the expander, and an additional electric motor are positioned on a common shaft. The expander converts the pressure energy contained in the exhaust air into mechanical energy and delivers that energy via the common shaft to the compressor. The air volume flow is controlled by the compressor rotary speed and adjusted to a preset value. A preset working pressure is established in the fuel cell system by adjusting the absorption capacity of the expander.

Abstract: A non-liquid proton conductor membrane for use in an electrochemical system, under ambient conditions, the electrochemical system comprising (a) an anode plate; (b) a cathode plate; and (c) a non-liquid proton conductor membrane interposed between the anode plate and cathode plate, such that an electrical contact is formed between the anode plate and cathode plate via the non-liquid proton conductor membrane and ions flow therebetween, the non-liquid proton conductor membrane including (i) a matrix polymer dissolvable in a first solvent; (ii) an acidic multimer dissolvable in the first solvent; wherein, the matrix polymer is selected such that when the non-liquid proton conductor membrane is contacted with a second solvent, the non-liquid proton conductor membrane swells and as a result the electrical contact improves.