Globe-union Inc.

Bipolar Power Corporation

Portable Energy Products, Inc.

Julio A Aldecoa

Robert G Gruenstern

Ronald J Bast

Lawrence F Miller

Jeffrey L Arias

An improved bipolar lead-acid battery including a novel 'cup' design of a bipolar plate, a resilient sliding rim seal for each battery cell, spring conductors for achieving both high compression and current collection, unique current collecting plates, and a self-sealing venting port on the external container.

Bipolar lead-acid battery

A rechargeable battery module is disclosed that is particularly well adapted for use in multi-module battery packs. The module includes top and bottom cover plates. At least a portion of each cover plate is formed from electrically conductive materials so that when the battery module is integrated into a stack, the contacts between adjacent battery units are formed by the cover plates. A positive plate that has a positive surface is placed in electrical contact with a first cover plate. A negative plate having a negative surface is also provided. The negative plate is arranged in electrical contact with the second cover plate. The battery includes a plurality of active paste layers. Each active paste layer is applied to an associated surface. One or more separators are provided to isolate the paste layers. The first and second cover plates are electrically isolated by at least the paste layers and the separator means. The cover plates may be ribbed to provide structural support. The ribbing in the first cover plate is complementary to the ribbing in the second cover plate to facilitate stacking. In another preferred embodiment, the cover plates each have lips that serve as side contacts. The described modules may be arranged multidimensional arrays that form parallel connections between laterally adjacent modules and series connections with longitudinally adjacent modules.

Rechargeable battery

The present invention relates to rechargeable batteries which include cell casing components enclosing positive and negative plates, separator material and acid electrolyte. The battery includes a plurality of support members extending from one or the other of the casing components, or from both casing components, the support members passing through the plates to permit uniform compression of the internal components. In its preferred embodiment, the battery includes one or more intermediate cell partitions which permit stacking of individual cells to increase voltage. The partition continues the utilization of the support members. In another disclosed embodiment, the electrode plates contained within any particular cell are punched to permit the support members to pass therethrough, with hole sizing selected so that a small hole will remain at each support location, while also insuring that for each support member, only one of the positive and negative plates will touch it, but not both. Shorting along the support member is thereby prevented.

Multiple cell flat pack battery and short protection therefor

Thermal management of flat pack rechargeable batteries is accomplished by providing extensions on individual cell housing components, which extensions are connected to provide open air channels between individual cells. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, cells within the stack are filled with a thermally conductive liquid, such as a silica gel, to assist in heat dissipation from adjacent cells.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Julio A Aldecoa