Gnb Technologies, Inc.

Gould Inc.

Gnb Incorporated

Gnb Battery Technologies Inc.

Gnb Batteries Inc.

Purushothama Rao

Thomas F Uhlemann

George W Mao

William H Kump

Steven R Larsen

Frederick L Marsh

Clarence Walt Fowler

Anthony Sabatino

Jing-Yih Cherng

Benny E Jay

John Larson

James F Trenter

Francis M Dunlevey

Wendy J Nelson

A sealed lead-acid cell utilizes a separator made with modified plastic microfibers having a contact angle of no more than 1.5&deg; to the sulfuric acid electrolyte used and having a diameter of 1.1 to 5.0&mgr;, the separator having a porosity of 87 to 94%, a surface area of 1.0 to 2.2 meters /gm., and a maximum pore diameter of 8 to 20&mgr; and a mean pore diameter of 1.2 to 5.0&mgr;.

Lead-acid separators and cells and batteries using such separators

A method for making positive grids for lead-acid batteries from calcium-tin-silver lead-based alloys comprises casting an alloy strip and then rolling the strip at a temperature between about the solvus temperature and the peritectic temperature of the alloy, quenching the rolled strip, then, preferably, heat aging at a temperature of 200&deg; F. to 500&deg; F., and fabricating into the positive grid, such grids having enhanced mechanical and high temperature corrosion resistance characteristics.

Method for making positive grids and lead-acid cells and batteries using such grids

A lead-acid cell or battery includes positive plates made from a lead-based alloy containing calcium, tin, and silver in amounts selected based upon the type of application and the plate fabrication method utilized, starting, lighting and ignition battery grids being directly cast and having calcium present in an amount of 0.03% to 0.050%, tin in an amount of 0.65% to 1.25%, and silver in an amount of from 0.018% to 0.030%, and the grids used in sealed, lead-acid cells comprising, when made by gravity casting, from about 0.035% to 0.055% calcium, 0.95% to 1.45% tin, and 0.018% to 0.030% silver, and, when made by continuous strip casting, calcium in the range of from 0.030% to 0.050%, tin in the range of from 0.95% to 1.25%, and silver in the range of from 0.017% to 0.030%, all of the alloy percentages being based upon the total weight of the grid.

Lead-acid cells and batteries

Positive grids for lead-acid batteries for SLI, industrial battery, and electric vehicle batteries are disclosed in which the positive active material paste pellet openings have a reduced area and the number per square inch of the grid area are increased, the individual areas and the number of paste pellets varying with the intended application, and the preferred embodiments including reduced distances from the center of the paste pellet to the adjacent grid wires, as well as an optimized amount of positive active material per area of the grid wire surface area so as to allow enhanced electrical performance, if desired, or substantial savings in grid weight while achieving electrical performance commensurate with conventional lead-acid cells and batteries.

Positive lead-acid battery grids and cells and batteries using such grids

A sealed lead-acid cell or battery includes positive plates made from an alloy consisting essentially of lead, from about 0.025% to about 0.06% calcium, from about 0.3% to about 0.9% tin, and from about 0.015% to about 0.045% silver.

Sealed lead-acid cells and batteries

Automotive SLI lead-acid batteries are disclosed which are characterized by enhanced resistance to intercell connection corrosion, even when exposed to the relatively high under-the-hood service temperatures in use with recent model automobiles. The straps are formed from a lead-based alloy including from about 2.0 to 2.6% or so antimony, from about 0.04 to 0.07% tin, from about 0.04 to about 0.07% arsenic, and from about 0.012 to about 0.030% selenium, the percentages being based upon the weight of the alloy.

Antimony-arsenic-tin-selenium lead-based strap alloys for lead-acid

A lead-acid storage battery for starting, lighting and ignition applications is disclosed which minimizes convection-induced, heat transfer from the vehicle underhood environment surrounding the battery to the battery itself and comprises an injection-molded, integral plastic container, or a two-piece container, having a multi-wall configuration in which an inner container includes the cell elements of the battery and at least one outer container spaced from the inner container provides at least one fluid compartment for allowing fluid flow through the fluid compartment to achieve the desired thermal regulation, the fluid flow path being created by a series of spaced fluid baffles.

Lead-acid battery having a fluid compartment for reducing

A lead-acid storage battery for starting, lighting and ignition applications is disclosed which minimizes convection-induced, heat transfer from the vehicle underhood environment surrounding the battery to the battery itself and comprises an injection-molded, integral plastic container having a multi-wall configuration in which an inner container includes the cell elements of the battery and at least one outer container spaced from the inner container provides at least one fluid compartment for allowing fluid flow through the fluid compartment to achieve the desired thermal regulation, the fluid flow path being created by a series of spaced fluid baffles.

A continuous method for making starting, lighting and ignition lead-acid battery positive plates and the resulting battery is disclosed which utilizes a direct cast alloy strip wherein the alloy consists essentially of lead, from about 0.02 to 0.05% calcium, from about 0.3 to about 0.5% tin, and from about 0.02 to 0.05% silver, the percentages being based upon the weight of the alloy strip, as well as related alloys utilizing calcium and strontium or strontium in place of calcium.

Battery grids and plates and lead-acid batteries made using such grids

A co-doped lead oxide for use in the manufacture of storage battery plates, the use of such lead oxides improving the efficiency of lead-acid batteries, comprising, as co-dopants, based upon the total weight of the lead oxide, copper in an amount of from about 0.01 to 0.1% and either tin in an amount of from about 0.008 to 0.1% or antimony in an amount of from about 0.005 to 0.08%.

Lead oxide composition for use in lead-acid batteries

A bipolar lead-acid is disclosed in which a conductive metal substrate is used for the bipolar plates which may comprise either a multi-layer metallic substrate defined as C/A/B/D, layer C having a layer of positive active material adhered thereto and layer D having a layer of negative active material adhered thereto, C can be lead or lead alloy or a conductive tin, titanium dioxide or ruthenium oxide, A is titanium or tin, B is copper or tin, and D is lead, a lead alloy or tin, or a conductive metal substrate-fiber or mesh composite in which the fiber may be glass fibers or the like. A preferred embodiment provides a bipolar lead-acid battery having enhanced capacity by utilizing a central bi-negative or bi-positive plate so that the capacity can be increased without increasing the size of the plates.

Bipolar lead-acid battery

Automotive SLI lead-acid batteries are disclosed which are characterized by enhanced resistance to positive grid corrosion, even when exposed to the current, relatively high under-the-hood service temperatures in use with recent model automobiles. The grids are formed from either a cast lead-based alloy including from about 0.025 to 0.06% calcium, from about 0.3 to 0.7% tin and from about 0.015 to 0.045% silver, the percentages being based upon the weight of the alloy prior to casting or a wrought lead-based alloy including from about 0.02 to 0.05% calcium, from about 0.3 to 0.5% tin and 0.02 to 0.045% silver, the percentages being based upon the weight of the alloy. Aluminum in an amount of from about 0.008 to about 0.012%, based upon the as-added total weight of the alloy may be used to maintain the desired calcium content during casting.

Calcium-tin-silver lead-based alloys, and battery grids and lead-acid

Automotive SLI lead-acid batteries are disclosed which are characterized by enhanced resistance to intercell connection corrosion, even when exposed to the current, relatively high under-the-hood service temperatures in use with recent model automobiles. The straps are formed from a lead-based alloy including from about 3.0 to 3.3% antimony, from about 0.04 to 0.07% tin, from about 0.04 to 0.07% arsenic and from about 0.014 to 0.020% selenium, the percentages being based upon the weight of the alloy.

Antimony - arsenic-tin-selenium lead-based strap alloys for lead-acid

An electric storage battery is provided having a monitoring device for indicating the state-of-charge of the battery and particularly indicating whether a discharged battery is healthy and capable of being recharged or unhealthy and impending on a state of failure. The monitoring device achieves the foregoing by testing the open circuit voltage of the battery and determining if the voltage of the battery drops below a first preset value after application of a load and subsequently fails to rise above a second preset value after the load has been removed. Also, the monitoring device for the battery includes the capability of sensing when the battery has been placed into a system such as an engine system for an automobile and in response thereto modifying testing certain parameters. Preferably, the monitoring device is made integral with the battery case by providing a receptacle for receiving the device and a pair of connecting arms at least partially embedded in the battery container or cover.

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Purushothama Rao