Abstract: A battery system for battery powered vehicles which utilize valve-regulated, lead-acid cells, each cell being of the type that includes multiple positive and negative plates with separators therebetween assembled in a separate casing having exterior terminals outside the casing whereby the cells may be electrically interconnected. The flexible walls of the cells bulge outwardly when initially filled with electrolyte and uncompressed. The system includes a battery housing having at least one restraint extending horizontally between and attached to the side walls of the housing for preventing the bowing thereof, the restraint dividing the housing into at least two sections.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making a valve regulated lead-acid battery cell including forming a flooded electrolyte lead-acid cell having an interior head space, positive and negative plates and fibrous plate separators positioned between the plates. The plates and the separators are housed in a container having flexible side walls. A vacuum is then drawn in the cell interior sufficient to create a flexure force on the cell side walls sufficient to push excess electrolyte from the fibrous mat separators leaving an amount of residual and absorbed electrolyte in the cell corresponding to proper saturation of the fibrous plate separators. The vacuum is then released thereby permitting any residual electrolyte to be absorbed into the fibrous separator material. Desirably the vacuum drawn in the cell interior is up to about 28 inches of mercury.

Abstract: This invention relates to a battery cell housing for valve-regulated, lead-acid batteries. The housing includes a tray base, vertical side walls attached to the base so that the tray base and vertical side walls define a single battery compartment. A top wall is secured to the side walls and has at least one opening. A compression member is positioned in the battery compartment beneath the top wall for movement between the side walls so as to compress a stack of battery cells stacked in a horizontal position in the battery compartment. At least one internally threaded member is included with the top wall and is aligned with at least one opening. At least one compression bolt extends through the top wall opening and contacts the compression member while threadedly engaging at least one internally threaded member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lead-acid battery cell construction including a container; a plurality of positive plates positioned in the container; and a plurality of negative plates arranged in alternating order with the positive plates. A plurality of separators are provided with the plate separators being wrapped around the positive or the negative plates such that the vertical side walls of the wrapped plates are covered with at least a single layer of separator material.