Abstract: A lightweight, bipolar battery construction for lead acid batteries in which a plurality of thin, rigid, biplates each comprise a graphite fiber thermoplastic composition in conductive relation to lead stripes plated on opposite flat surfaces of the plates, and wherein a plurality of nonconductive thermoplastic separator plates support resilient yieldable porous glass mats in which active material is carried, the biplates and separator plates with active material being contained and maintained in stacked assembly by axial compression of the stacked assembly. A method of assembling such a bipolar battery construction.

Abstract: A laminated alkaline battery grid has two thermoplastic outer gridwire network layers and a thermoplastic inner gridwise network layer sandwiched between the outer layers. A plurality of elongated intersecting welds extend as narrow channels in criss-cross fashion across the faces of the grid and bond the networks together. The channels are defined by walls formed by the fusion and exudation of the thermoplastic from the networks during welding and serve to divide the networks into a plurality of substantially symmetrical gridwire pockets. A metal coating on the gridwires and walls renders the thermoplastic grid conductive.

Abstract: A metal/synthetic-resin composite electrode for a storage battery or the like comprises a perforate metal support which is flanked on both sides by openworks of polyolefin, e.g. partially fluorinated polyolefin, which are welded together within the openings of the support and carry the active material. The polyolefin openworks, together with the active material, are covered in turn with polyester fabric or polyester felt permeable fine porous cover layers.

Abstract: Lightweight grids for lead-sulfuric acid type storage batteries are characterized by their laminated reticulated open meshed portions for retaining chemically active, lead-based paste materials. The laminated portions comprise a support layer of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic, an electrically conductive lead foil layer coextensive with the plastic layer, and a sulfuric acid resistant adhesive bonding layer between the plastic support and foil layers. In a preferred embodiment, the grid wires and nodes are twisted relative to the principal plane of the grid so that the lead foil layer is oriented to face the grid header portion and act as a ledge for retaining a desired battery paste. Such laminated grids may be rapidly and inexpensively formed by expanded metal processes of the type used to make battery grids made entirely of lead.

Abstract: A multi-cell battery is disclosed which comprises a stacked arrangement of frames having a number of side-by-side active paste support areas which form plates. Electrolyte-porous separator members are provided between adjacent plates in adjoining frames. The separator members are spaced from the positive active material by spacer elements which are connected to the frames and extend partly over and project from the faces of the separator members. The spacer elements are preferably inclined upwardly from their points of connection to the frames to define particle-trapping pockets.

Abstract: A metal/synthetic-resin composite electrode for a storage battery or the like comprises a perforate metal support which is flanked on both sides by openworks of polyolefin, e.g. partially fluorinated polyolefin, which are welded together within the openings of the support and carry the active material. The polyolefin openworks, together with the active material, are covered in turn with inorganic-fiber fabric or felt permeable fine porous cover layers. The inorganic fiber, although preferably glass, can also be mineral wool or asbestos fiber.

Abstract: An improved storage battery of the lead-acid class includes grid structures provided with grid complement means in the form of enclosure bodies of a chemically inert material selectively arranged about portions of the grid structure to protectively reinforce same. These protectively reinforced grid structures, embodied in either a negative plate or a positive plate, may be utilized advantageously in making and operating the lead-acid battery, and are desirable for plates in which an active material is contained in tubes or occurs in pasted form. The enclosure bodies may be a material impermeable to electrolyte. Where the grid structure for a positive plate is provided with an antimony content, the enclosure bodies constitute a barrier which substantially inhibits release of antimony from all portions of the grid structure which are not in contact with the active material.

Abstract: An electric accumulator or storage cell whose positive and negative plates are composed of a multiplicity of thin lead plates or lead foils which are spaced apart from thin separators in a receptacle adapted to receive an electrolyte (dilute sulfuric acid), the receptacle having dimensions closely conforming to those of the stacked plates. The thin lead plates or foils which form both the positive and negative electrodes are formed at juxtaposed regions with exactly coextensive electrically nonconducting and electrolyte impermeable masks of a material adhering strongly to the electrodes.

Abstract: A lithium-iodine cell comprising a casing of electrically conducting material, an anode including a lithium element within the casing, an electrical conductor operatively connected to the lithium element and extending out from the casing, and a cathode comprising iodine-containing material in operative contact with both the casing and the lithium element. The anode electrical conductor is completely sealed from the rest of the cell, and the casing serves as the cathode current collector. The anode operative surface is provided with a coating of an organic electron donor material. The anode conductor is enclosed within the combination of an insulator element within the casing, an isolator element between the insulator and the conductor, and a ferrule having one end within the insulator and the other end extending from the casing.

Abstract: A composite electrode for storage batteries and the like comprises a metal current-carrying support provided with a surface array of perforations and covered on opposite sides with perforate synthetic-resin layers of net, screen, fabric or the like. These synthetic-resin layers are fused together at points through the openings of the metal support. The synthetic-resin layers may form retaining pockets for the active mass and the latter may be covered on both sides or one side of the electrode with additional layers of porous synthetic-resin material, preferably a fleece or mat of nonwoven synthetic-resin fibers.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrode structure for an electrochemical cell comprising a fibrous support made of organic polymeric material, which is 0.1 to 3 mm. thick, carrying a pattern of solid conductors extending over the surface of the porous support from a current take off region to regions spaced therefrom, and containing electrochemically active material deposited on the fibrous support, in contact with the conductors, in an amount of at least 0.1 grams/sq. cm/mm thickness in such a manner that electrical energy produced by the electrochemical reaction can be conducted out of the electrode. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for making the structure.

Abstract: An improved battery plate comprises a grid or web of woven non-conductive material having lead metal or other electrically conductive material wires as some of the weft and possibly some of the warp threads. By alternately applying positive and negative active materials at laterally spaced locations across a wide web of such material and gathering portions of lead wires to form terminals, plate pairs are produced which are joined by a length of woven material of suitable strength for supporting the plates in a battery. Thus, pure lead metal wires may be used for improved electro-chemical properties, while simultaneously a great reduction in plate weight is achieved. A method of making such plates is also disclosed.

Abstract: A composite battery plate grid comprising a plastic support molded to engage portions of a metallic conductive member. Using first and second mold halves, the conductive member is cast in a first pattern in the first and/or second mold halves. The plastic support is then injection molded in a second pattern in the first and/or second mold halves. In the alternative, after casting the conductive member in the first pattern, the second mold half is replaced by a third mold half with the conductive member remaining in the first mold half, and the plastic support is injection molded in a second pattern in the first and/or third mold halves. In all cases, during injection molding, the plastic material is caused to flow at selected portions of the conductive member, where, upon solidifying, the plastic support engages portions of the conductive member.

Abstract: In a conductor-electrolyte-active material electrochemical environment, the conductor is protected against corrosion by that portion of the conductor in contact with the electrolyte and active material being formed of plastic filled with vitreous carbon. Adequate conductivity is obtained by finely dividing the vitreous carbon and loading the plastic with 40%-80% carbon by volume. The filled plastic is particularly effective as a bipolar plate substrate. A layer of lead-antimony foil bonded to the carbon-filled plastic provides a good surface for adhering active materials. A lead sheet can be bonded to the substrate to define a low resistance terminal. Forming the edges of the substrate of thicker sections of unfilled -- hence nonconductive -- plastic allows the plates to be stacked to define a battery.

Abstract: Relates to battery grids for storage battery plates of the accumulator type, wherein the grids are initially die cast-injection molded in joined pairs of lead and plastic in a single mold. Each grid of the pair includes a plastic latticework with a lead conductor embedded therein, and a common lead lug extends between the grids and is connected at its ends with the conductors. Plastic lugs extend outward from opposite sides of the pair of grids to facilitate support of the grids during transport through subsequent manufacturing (pasting, drying, etc.) to form battery plates. The plastic lugs are later severed from the grids, and the lead lugs are cut in half between each pair of grids to form two separate battery plates, with each half of the severed lead lug providing a separate lug for each plate.

Abstract: The positive electrode for an air/zinc element is a depolarizer mass attached to a perforated plastic carrier with interposition of a conductive foil and a metal foil take-off conductor, both also perforated. The perforations in the plastic carrier are in the form of hollow rivets extending toward the foils, the foils are engaged by their own perforations concentrically upon said rivets, and the rivets have outwardly protruding collars extending over the foils, whereby the foils are attached and all perforations are aligned.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to a lead-acid storage battery comprising positive plates having the characteristic of both paste type and clad type plates and pasted negative plates which are alternately arranged and separators each disposed between the adjacent positive and negative plates. The positive plates each comprise a grid or substrate having spaced longitudinal members of electrically conducting material and spaced latitudinal members formed integrally with the longitudinal members, the latitudinal members having the thickness smaller than that of the longitudinal members. The latitudinal members may be omitted if the substrate can be filled with active material without any latitudinal members. Each of the positive plates comprises pasted active material filled in the grid; and active material holder composed of porous insulating sheets mounted on active material.

Abstract: A multi-cell battery comprises a plurality of frames each divided into a number of side by side active paste support areas. The frames are assembled and secured together in a stacked formation so that the perimeter portions of the frames form the top, bottom and two opposite sides of the battery, and the divisions in the frames form cell partitions.Each frame is pasted with active material to form plates with adjacent plates in each frame being of opposite polarity and adjacent plates in each frame being of opposite polarity and adjacent plates in adjoining frames also being of opposite polarity. Electrolyte-porous separator material is provided between adjacent plates in adjoining frames.