Johnson Controls Technology Company

Globe-union Inc.

Edward N Mrotek

Wen-Hong Kao

Thomas J Dougherty

Glenn W Andersen

Kenneth A Adams

Jeffrey P Zagrodnik

David A Thuerk

Eric M Taylor

Gerald A Cummins

Benjamin Reichman

Randy K Hulsebus

William J Wruck

Michael G Andrew

Dennis L Marshall

Guy L Pfeifer

Majid Taghikhani

Lisa M Franklin

Helmuth Faust

Daniel P Heil

Alan J Klebenow

Kenneth R Davis

Shu Jen F Kao, Legal Representative

Nels R Smith

Scott Allen Hansen

Jeffrey L Troxel

Mark S Inkmann

James S Symanski

Dean R Walsten

William J Ross

M Eric Taylor

Richard T Johnson

James J Bolstad

James T Daley

David J Novak

Paul J Buckethal

Matthias Geibl

Gerald D Slayton

Ronald C Miles

Edward C Frelka

James A Lenz

Maurice C Michaud

Douglas C Brown

Stephen J Kepler

MengPing Yin

Noreen D Gilbertsen

Norbert Schilling

Zoe H Jin

Terry W Joyce

Bella Gorelik

Maurice G Michaud

Michael S Baxa

Arch A Pope

Ronald F Kirby

Lanny D Lower

Bradley R Niemuth

Joerg A Kuempers

Uwe Koehler

Eric Taylor M

Nels Richard Smith

The present disclosure relates to lead-acid batteries and the manufacture of lead-acid batteries containing acid pump devices to promote the circulation of electrolyte within the battery and/or battery cells to reduce acid stratification and improve battery performance. In various embodiments, battery cell components are assembled within an acid pump assembly that encloses the battery cell components on at least the bottom and ends. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the acid pumps may be integrally molded with or secured to various parts of the battery housing including the cover, side walls, and cell walls. In various embodiments; space for the acid pumps is created by varying the shape of the battery housing (e.g., the side walls or cell walls) and/or by modifying the shape, size, and or position of one or more of the battery electrodes or separators.

Secondary battery with improved destratification

A battery grid is provided having a frame having a top element, a bottom element, a first side element, and a second side element. A current collection lug is coupled to the top element. The battery grid includes a plurality of wires provided within the frame and defining a plurality of open areas. The plurality of wires includes a vertical grid wire continuously extending from the bottom element toward the top element, and a plurality of horizontal grid wires continuously extending from the first side element or second side element, wherein the vertical grid wire intersects the plurality of horizontal grid wires, but does not intersect the first side element, second side element; or top element.

Battery grid

A battery grid includes a frame that includes a top element, a bottom element, a first side element, and a second side element. The battery grid also includes a plurality of wires provided within the frame and defining a plurality of open areas and a current collection lug extending from the top element in a first direction. The battery grid further includes at least one feature provided in the battery grid that is configured to reduce the amount of growth of the battery grid in the first direction due to corrosion of the battery grid during the life of the battery grid.

A lithium battery for use in a vehicle includes a container, a plurality of positive terminals extending from a first end of the lithium battery, and a plurality of negative terminals extending from a second end of the lithium battery. The plurality of positive terminals are provided in a first configuration and the plurality of negative terminals are provided in a second configuration, the first configuration differing from the second configuration. A battery system for use in a vehicle may include a plurality of electrically connected lithium cells or batteries.

Battery system including batteries that have a plurality of positive terminals and a plurality of negative terminals

A battery grid is provided having a frame that includes a top element, a bottom element, a first side element, and a second side element. A current collection lug is coupled to the top element. The battery grid includes a plurality of wires provided within the frame and defining a plurality of open areas. The plurality of wires includes a plurality of linear vertical wire members which extend from the top element toward the bottom element, first side element, or second side element. At least one of the linear vertical wire members includes a discontinuity terminating the linear vertical wire member before reaching the bottom element, first side element, or second side element, the discontinuity being defined by parallel horizontal wire members defining an open space.

A device for electrically connecting a plurality of batteries includes a member including a handle and two arms extending from the handle. The handle includes a first portion, a second portion spaced apart from the first portion, and a connector extending between the first portion and the second portion. The member also includes a contact coupled to a first of the two arms for contacting at least a portion of a battery terminal when the device is secured to a battery. The first of the two arms is configured for securing the device to a first side of a battery and a second of the two arms is configured for securing the device to a second side of the battery.

Battery connector

An improved vent cap system for use in an electrochemical battery is provided which includes a ring flange for forming a ring seal between the vent cap assembly and the fill tube. When the vent cap assembly is positioned in the battery housing, the ring flange and the fill tube deform to create a seal therebetween to provide a fluid tight seal.

Battery with vent cap assembly

A battery system includes a battery with a pair of terminals extending from one side of the battery case, and a tray-like battery holder. The terminals have hollow sockets inserted therein which are engaged by posts extending from conductive plugs that extend through an end wall of the holder. A threaded connection is formed in the plug and opens to the outside of the holder. Alignment posts are formed in the holder to be disposed within cylindrical wells in the bottom of the battery case and ensure proper alignment of the battery in the holder. A hinged latch is formed in the holder and engages a projection on the battery case. When in place in the holder, the battery case rests on resilient pads located on a floor of the holder.

Battery system

A composite battery container for housing one or more cell elements comprising positive and negative plates alternately interleaved with separator material includes a battery housing defining one or more cell compartments. The cell compartments have resilient, flexible spacer and plate-rest ribs integrally formed in the sides and bottom of the cell compartments, but having different material properties than the battery housing. The battery housing is made of a rigid, low cost plastic material, while the ribs are a flexible thermoplastic elastomer. The flexible ribs elastically deform when a cell element is disposed within the cell compartment and return to a substantially non-deformed, originally molded position when the cell element is removed. The ribs are formed in any suitable orientation and at any suitable acute or obtuse angle from the cell compartment walls.

Composite battery container with integral flexible ribs

A battery grid, suitable for use in a lead-acid battery, with a grid upper portion having a grid wires defining a first grid pattern, and a grid lower portion electrically connected to the grid upper portion. The grid lower portion having grid wires defining a second grid pattern, wherein the first grid pattern is different from said second grid pattern to improve the conductivity of the grid.

Battery grid and method of making

A stamped grid for a lead-acid battery having a grid pattern that is optimized for electrical performance. The stamped grid includes an electrically conductive grid body having opposed top and bottom frame elements, opposed first and second side frame elements and a plurality of interconnecting grid wire elements forming a grid pattern. The grid wire elements include a plurality of vertical wire elements connected to both top and bottom frame elements, a plurality of vertical wire elements connected to the top frame element and one of either the first or second side frame elements and a plurality of cross grid elements that interconnect the vertical wire elements. Each of the vertical grid elements that is connected to the top frame element and one of either the first or second side frame elements includes a plurality of the cross frame elements connected thereto at a substantially 90&deg; angle. Optionally, the cross grid elements in the middle portion of the grid are arranged in an offset or staggered relationship. The vertical grid elements and the cross frame elements define open areas for supporting electrochemical paste where most of the open areas are within the two percent of being the same size.

Stamped grid having offset horizontal wires

Cover for battery anti-theft control module

Growing community of inventors

Grafton, WI, United States of America

Edward N Mrotek