Single Filling Opening And Means To Equalize Fluid Level In Plural Cells Patents (Class 429/73)
  • Patent number: 8906541
    Abstract: A controller identifies a condition of a hazardous internal short by comparing patterns of series element voltages to the last known balance condition of the series elements. If the loaded or resting voltage of one or more contiguous series elements uniformly drop from the previously known condition by an amount consistent with an over-current condition, an over-current internal short circuit fault is registered. The desired response is to prevent the affected series elements from heating to a hazardous temperature by summoning the maximum heat rejection capability of the system until the short ceases and the affected elements cool, the cooling function is no longer able to operate due to low voltage, or the affected series string has drained all of its energy through the short. Also includes are responses that allow the battery pack to continue to power the cooling system even though it may enter an over-discharged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Faass, Eric Clough
  • Patent number: 8846228
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cover part (1) of an electrochemical accumulator (40), which cover part is designed to form an upper covering of the housing (1, 30) of the accumulator (40), the cover part (1) having a plurality of filling orifices (2, 3), to be closed by means of closing plugs, for filling the housing with liquid electrolyte, characterized in that the filling orifices (2, 3) are arranged so as to be offset to one another in at least two rows (8, 9) lying next to one another. The invention relates, moreover, to an accumulator having a cover part of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Anne-Laure Ledoux, Karsten Strassburg, Julius Martin Schwab
  • Patent number: 8263245
    Abstract: A cap assembly to prevent the leakage of an electrolyte and a secondary battery including the cap assembly. The cap assembly comprises a cap plate having an electrolyte inlet is formed, and an electrolyte inlet switch board to selectively cover the electrolyte inlet. The electrolyte inlet switch board can be shaped as a rectangular prism, can have a corrugated surface, or can have corrugations formed on two opposing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae-Kyu Kim
  • Publication number: 20120171599
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell for being implanted which enables a long time operation while reducing its size so as to be implanted in a living body. The fuel cell to be adopted includes: a container which contains a fuel such as glucose and an electrolyte solution therein; a pair of electrodes which are arranged in the container and have a noble metal catalyst fixed thereon; an aeration portion which is formed on at least one part of the outer surface of the container and has air permeability and waterproofness; and septa and for injecting the fuel from the outside into the container or discharging it from the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki KISHIDA, Toshimasa AKAGI, Hiroki HIBINO
  • Patent number: 6893771
    Abstract: A battery assembly includes a plurality of battery modules electrically connected together, each battery module acting as a secondary battery and including an electrode group, an electrolyte, a container for housing the electrode group and the electrolyte, and a safety valve operating in accordance with the internal pressure of the container. The working pressure of each safety valve is set so that the safety valve of at least one battery module is opened when the at least one battery module has its maximum internal pressure or less during the charge equalization. It is possible to provide a battery assembly that can improve the reliability of the container strength by keeping the working pressure of each safety valve lower than the pressure that the container resists even under elevated temperature conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Arai, Shinji Hamada, Munehisa Ikoma, Masayoshi Iwase, Tomokazu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 6764789
    Abstract: The present invention provides a redox flow type battery which a liquid-circulating battery comprising a battery cell and storage tanks for positive and negative electrolytes, wherein the battery cell is separated by a membrane to provide a positive cell and a negative cell, each cell having a liquid-permeable porous electrode disposed therein, wherein the positive and negative electrolytes are sulfuric acid aqueous solutions with vanadium ion concentrations of 0.5 mol/l to 8 mol/l and the electrolyte which migrates through the membrane over cycles of charge and discharge is returned from the storage tank where the liquid increases to the storage tank where the liquid decreases in order to keep the change in the amounts of the positive and negative electrolytes in a certain range while charge and discharge are carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sumie Sekiguchi, Kouichi Furusato, Mitsutaka Miyabayashi, Kanji Satou, Toshihiko Tanimoto, Shouzou Naitou
  • Patent number: 6689507
    Abstract: A battery comprising powdered active materials and capable of storing a large power, and equipment or device having the battery as parts of its structure, wherein an anode cell (2) of two vessels connected via an ion-passing separator (1) is filled with an anode powdered active material and an electrolytic solution (4), a cathode cell (3) is filled with a cathode powdered active material and an electrolytic solution (5) and conductive current collectors (6, 7) in contact with the powdered active materials are provided in the two vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Tsutsumi, Toshio Atsuta, Chikanori Kumagai, Mitsuharu Kishimoto, Atsushi Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 6622744
    Abstract: A filling pod, a vehicle and a method for supplying fluid to a battery. The filling pod includes a filling pod housing having a filling pod port fluidly connectable to a fluid source for receiving fluid from the fluid source, a first fluid supply member fluidly connectable to a first cell and for supplying fluid from the filling pod port to the first cell, a second fluid supply member fluidly connectable to a second cell and for supplying fluid from the filling pod port and to the second cell, and an integral channel in fluid communication between the filling pod port, the first fluid supply member and the second fluid supply member. The channel includes a first channel portion in fluid communication between the filling pod port and the first fluid supply member and a second channel portion in fluid communication between the filling pod port and the second fluid supply member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Club Car, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal L. Crook, Daniel T. Aron, Michael A. Vassily, James R. Kerlin, Gerald C. Skelton
  • Patent number: 6482542
    Abstract: In an integrated sealed secondary battery 1 in which a plurality of cells 2 are arranged in a row, cooling medium passages 21 are formed on both sides of the row of the cells 2, and cooling medium passages 18 are formed between adjacent cells such as to effect communication between the cooling medium passages 21, 21 on both sides. The cross-sectional areas of the cooling medium passages 21, 21 on both sides are made different so as to generate pressure difference at both ends of the cooling medium passages 18 between the cases. The cooling medium passages 21 on both sides are formed in a meandering manner by the provision of projection strips that extend alternately downwards from the top wall and upwards from the bottom wall of the cooling medium passages 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsugu Takaki, Shinsuke Fukuda, Shinichi Yuasa, Shinji Hamada
  • Patent number: 6472096
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a can into which an electrode assembly is inserted, a cap assembly mounted to an opening of the can; and an electolyte injection hole formed on at least one of the can and cap assembly, and safety member to close the electolyte injection hole. The electolyte injection hole is formed on a negative portion of the cap assembly. The safety member is inserted into and welded on the electolyte injection hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Un-Sick Park, Young-Bae Song
  • Publication number: 20020045075
    Abstract: A refuelable electrochemical power source includes one or more electrochemical cells adapted to employ particulate material electrodes. The one or more cells include a cell body defining an interior cell cavity, a flow path in the cell cavity through which particulate material and fluid flow, an electroactive zone within the cell cavity, and a fluid mechanic device adjacent or within the flow path capable of filling the electroactive zone or maintaining the electroactive zone in a constantly full or maximum electroactivity condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Martin Pinto, Stuart Smedley, Jeffrey A. Colborn
  • Publication number: 20020028373
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid electrolyte battery, which is preferably used in moving vehicles, such as e.g. in cars, boats or aircraft. The battery contains devices bringing about a circulation of the electrolyte. This circulation is produced by means producing a pumping action and consequently a flow during battery movement. Devices are also provided which bring about a circulation by thermal convection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventor: Steffen Tschirch
  • Patent number: 6143442
    Abstract: A prismatic battery having high volumetric efficiency and good airtightness is achieved. The prismatic battery comprises a prismatic battery can, a power-generating element inserted into the prismatic battery can, which power-generating element is obtained by winding a belt form of positive electrode sheet and a belt form of negative electrode sheet with a separator interleaved therebetween, and an electrode header for sealing the prismatic battery can. The electrode header comprises a metal sheet having through-hole in a portion recessed in an upper surface thereof, through which an electrical connecting terminal passes, and insulating sheets provided on upper and lower surfaces of the recessed portion for making insulation between the metal sheet and the electrical connecting terminal. The electrical connecting terminal is crimped for fixation to the metal sheet, and is electrically connected to one electrode sheet of the power-generating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Moli Energy Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takahashi, Yuji Watanuki, Takayuki Endo
  • Patent number: 5841355
    Abstract: The optimum electrolyte level sensing method and the automatic topping up apparatus for storage wet cell are disclosed. The difference in the conductivities between the distilled water and the electrolyte is utilized. An injection outlet portion (15), an adjust ring (14), and two wires are used to detect the optimum electrolyte level to supply distilled water to storage cells. The feedback control to maintain the constant optimum electrolyte level of storage cells is carried out by a single microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute
    Inventors: Sang-Min Bae, Young-Joon Son, Jae-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 5803138
    Abstract: A device that serves to automatically fill battery cells with water includes a filler plug that can be placed in the cell. The plug has two connection members for the water supply as well as a valve operated by a float. The valve body is connected in articulated fashion to the float, which is arranged centrally in the plug housing, via a pivotally mounted amplifying lever. Between the valve with the valve body and the connection member there is a substantially vertical overflow wall with a free upper edge that is higher than the horizontal upper edge of the bore of the connection members so that a U-shaped feed duct is formed that leads to the overflow wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignees: Elke Oschmann, Anna Oschmann, Berta Oschmann
    Inventors: Elke Oschmann, Rainer Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5482794
    Abstract: A single point watering system for a battery having a plurality of cells is provided with a bracket secured to an end wall of a battery casing in overlying spaced relation to an upper surface of at least one cell of the battery. A clamp is provided for securing an inlet fitting on the filler tube of the single point watering system to the underside of the bracket for securely positioning the inlet fitting in a protected, readily accessible location for quick connection and disconnection with a water supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Inventors: Dennis Mead, Edward C. Ackroyd, Thomas J. Gemmell
  • Patent number: 5470679
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: GNB Battery Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Lund, William H. Kump, Donald W. Groff
  • Patent number: 4908282
    Abstract: A fibrous sheet useful as a battery plate separator is disclosed. The sheet, in a specific embodiment, is made from a mixture of Grade 210 glass fibers, Grade 206 glass fibers, Grade A-20 chopped glass strand, and Grade A-121 polyethylene fibers. The fine glass fibers impart a high absorbency to the sheet; the coarse glass fibers impart a lower absorbency; and the polyethylene fibers, which are hydrophobic, are essentially non-absorbent. The different fibers are used in such proportions that the sheet has the absorbency, usually from 75 to 95 percent, required for use in a recombinant battery, even in the presence of free electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Hollingsworth and Vose Company
    Inventor: John P. Badger
  • Patent number: 4696874
    Abstract: Plug for cells of electrical storage batteries comprising a cylindrical body (4), fastened to the vent stack (2) of the cover, capable of being connected by two pipes (7) to the immediately preceding and to the immediately following plug, and provided with two parallel cylindrical cavities (14 and 16): one central cavity (14), in the interior of which a toothed hollow stem (10) of a float (11) slides; and one lateral cavity (16), in the interior of which a smaller rod (17), which is also toothed, slides, on which a heavy metal sphere (18) rests. The stem (10) and the rod (17) are constrained to the two arms of a rocker lever (23) hinged on a pin (22) in the lower hollow portion (20) of the body (4). When the float (11) and its hollow stem (10) move upwardly, the rod (17) and the sphere (18) move downwardly. When the electrolyte is at its right level, the sphere (18) rests on a ring (19) and closes the access of filling-up water to the cavity (16) housing the rod (17) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: La Batteria di M. Tadiello S.r.l.
    Inventor: Mario Tadiello
  • Patent number: 4424263
    Abstract: A flame arrestor for a battery manifold through which gases are vented from cells and liquid is occasionally pumped to replenish electrolyte in the cells comprises two chambers connected by a liquid trap. The trap is connected to each chamber such that liquid tends to drain from the chamber into the trap and thereby seals the trap. The liquid seal suppresses any flame attempting to propagate through the manifold. Gas buildup in the manifold displaces liquid from the trap into the downstream chamber, whereupon gas flows through the chamber for venting and the liquid is returned to the chamber to reform the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Howell, Oscar H. Smith, Don G. Townsend
  • Patent number: 4421832
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell of the limited electrolyte type is described having a cell pack comprised of the normal absorbent separator interleaved and compressed between positive and negative plates, the electrolyte absorbed within pores of the separator and plates, and a container encasing the cell pack. The cell pack has an edge or edges which abut against at least one wall portion of the container, forming an interface in which is formed channels providing passageways which promote uniform distribution of electrolyte within the cell pack at least during filling of the cell with electrolyte. Filling time is also substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: The Gates Rubber Company
    Inventor: Toshio Uba
  • Patent number: 4421835
    Abstract: A system for storing electrical energy having a storage compartment containing a storage electrode made of tin, and further containing an alkaline sulfide solution containing tin in a soluble form.A battery made of a plurality of cells. Each of the cells is positioned within a container and separated by separating members adapted to slide within the container and includes a storage and a second compartment separated by a membrane. The membrane is adapted to compensate for volumetric variations within each of the compartments.A system comprising a plurality of electrolyte containing cells separated by separating members having orifices therein which permit fluid communication between the electrolyte of each of the cells.A battery made of a plurality of individual cells. Each of the cells comprises means for venting hydrogen generated in each of the cells.A method of assembling a battery made of a plurality of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Yeda Research and Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joost Manassen, Gary Hodes, David Cahen
  • Patent number: 4087590
    Abstract: A pack of ordinary, commercially-available batteries is provided with a con electrolyte-filled reservoir coupled to each battery by a small tube. The reservoir includes a compliant diaphragm which, when exposed to deep-sea pressure, applies the pressure to the reservoir electrolyte to force it into the battery. Forceful filling of the cells equalizes their internal and external pressures. Electrical discharge currents are reduced to a minimum by making the tubes as small as and as long as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Dennis W. Kraft
  • Patent number: 4008355
    Abstract: To prevent differential electrolyte levels in the various cells of a storage battery having a common expansion and filler chamber, while preventing internal short circuits through the electrolyte, each cell is formed with an overflow tube extending just below the normal electrolyte level of each cell, and an inlet tube flush with the expansion and filler chamber and having general U-shape, extending first downwardly and then upwardly, the U-shaped tube being at least partly filled with electrolyte to form resistance to flow of gases and electrolyte liquid from a particular cell back into the expansion and filler chamber through the inlet tube, rather than through the overflow tube, which extends above the wall separating the common expansion and filler chamber and the individual cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1977
    Assignee: AS-Motor GmbH KG
    Inventor: Wilhelm Perkams