Johnson Controls Technology Company

Globe-union Inc.

Jack Bruss

Jerome R Heiman

Gerald A Cummins

A battery for a vehicle that includes a housing comprising a top portion and a cover coupled to the top portion. The battery also includes a plurality of containers extending below the top portion and arranged in a plurality of rows, with each of the plurality of rows comprising a plurality of containers and being offset from an adjacent row. A portion of the top portion is not provided above one of the plurality of containers and includes at least one rib for providing enhanced strength for the portion of the top portion.

Battery and battery container

A housing for a vehicle battery includes a top portion configured for attachment to a battery cover and a plurality of containers extending from the top portion for containing elements of a battery. The plurality of containers are arranged in an offset configuration such that at least a portion of the top portion extends away from the plurality of containers due to the offset configuration. A structure for reinforcing the portion of the top portion is provided that extends away from the plurality of containers. According to one embodiment, the structure includes at least one rib for providing enhanced structural integrity for the portion of the top portion.

A flexible rib plaque is provided for insertion between battery cell elements and the end and/or an interior wall of the battery container. The plaque improves performance by limiting the harmful effects caused by flexing of the container walls due to hydraulic pressure changes of the electrolyte contained within the battery. The ribs of the plaques may be located on one or both sides of the plaque. If ribs extend from only one side, they may contact the cell element or the container wall.

Flex-rib plaques for batteries

A flat, rigid sheet of predetermined configuration is provided for insertion between each end cell element and the corresponding container end wall of a battery during production line manufacturing. The battery is thus protected from the harmful effects resulting from the flexing of the container end walls due to oscillating hydraulic pressure of the electrolyte contained within the outermost cells of the battery.

Growing community of inventors

Elm Grove, WI, United States of America

Jack Bruss