Johnson Controls Technology Company

Yu-Lin Chen

Jeffrey L Troxel

Wen-Hong Kao

M Eric Taylor

Bart William Sauer

Christian P Hansen

Charles J Schaeffer

Dan J Cantillon

A grid network for a battery plate is provided. The grid network includes a plurality of spaced apart grid wire elements, each grid wire element having opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes. Each node includes the juncture of one of the opposed ends of a plurality of the grid wire elements to define a plurality of open spaces in the grid network. At least one of the grid wire elements has a first transverse cross-section intermediate its opposed ends that is a different shape than a second transverse cross-section at at least one of the grid wire element's opposed ends.

Battery grid

A method of forming battery grids or plates that includes the step of mechanically reshaping or refinishing battery grid wires to improve adhesion between the battery paste and the grid wires. The method is particularly useful in improving the past adhesion to battery grids formed by a continuous batter grid making process (such as strip expansion, strip stamping, continuous casting) that produces grid wires and nodes with smooth surfaces and rectangular cross-section. In a preferred version of the method, the grid wires of battery grids produced by a stamping process are deformed such that the grid wires have a cross-section other than the rectangular cross-section produced by the stamping process. The method increases the cycle life of a battery.

Method of making a battery grid

A grid network for a battery plate is provided. The grid network includes a plurality of spaced apart grid wire elements, each grid wire element having opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes. Each node includes the juncture of one of the opposed ends of a plurality of the grid wire elements to define a plurality of open spaces in the grid network. At least one of the grid wire elements has a first transverse cross-section intermediate its opposed ends that is a different shape than a second transverse cross-section at least one of the grid wire element's opposed ends.

A method of forming battery grids or plates that includes the step of mechanically reshaping or refinishing battery grid wires to improve adhesion between the battery paste and the grid wires. The method is particularly useful in improving the paste adhesion to battery grids formed by a continuous battery grid making process (such as strip expansion, strip stamping, continuous casting) that produces grid wires and nodes with smooth surfaces and a rectangular cross-section. In a preferred version of the method, the grid wires of battery grids produced by a stamping process are deformed such that the grid wires have a cross-section other than the rectangular cross-section produced by the stamping process. The method increases the cycle life of a battery.

Method of producing battery plates

A method of making a plurality of battery plates includes forming a strip including a plurality of battery grids. Each battery grid includes a grid network bordered by a frame element and includes a plurality of spaced apart grid wire elements. Each grid wire element has opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes to define a plurality of open spaces in the grid network. The method also includes deforming at least a portion of a plurality of the grid wire elements such that the deformed grid wire elements have a first transverse cross-section at a point intermediate their opposed ends that differs from a second transverse cross-section taken at least one of their opposed ends. The method also includes applying a lead alloy coating to the strip, applying battery paste to the strip, and cutting the strip to form a plurality of battery plates.

Method for making battery plates

A method of making a plurality of battery plates includes forming a strip including a plurality of battery grids. Each battery grid includes a grid network bordered by a frame element and includes a plurality of spaced apart grid wire elements. Each grid wire element has opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes to define a plurality of open spaces in the grid network. The method also includes deforming at least a portion of a plurality of the grid wire elements such that the deformed grid wire elements have a first transverse cross-section at a point intermediate their opposed ends that differs from a second transverse cross-section taken at at least one of their opposed ends. The method also includes applying a lead alloy coating to the strip, applying battery paste to the strip, and cutting the strip to form a plurality of battery plates.

A method of forming battery grids or plates that includes the step of applying a lead alloy coating to a continuous strip of interconnected battery grids formed from a lead alloy grid material is disclosed. The battery grids may be formed by a continuous battery grid making process such as strip expansion, strip punching, or continuous grid casting. In one version of the method, the grid wires of a continuous strip of battery grids produced by a punching process are immersed in a melt of the lead alloy coating. In another version of the method, the grid wires of a continuous strip of battery grids produced by a punching process are deformed such that the grid wires have a cross-section other than the rectangular cross-section produced by the punching process and the strip of interconnected grids is immersed in a melt of the lead alloy coating. The method increases the cycle life of a battery.

A method of making a battery includes forming a strip of interconnected grids from a grid material by feeding a continuous strip of the grid material along a linear path aligned with the longitudinal direction of the strip and punching grid material out of the strip. Each interconnected grid includes a plurality of wires, with each wire having opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes to define a plurality of open spaces. The method also includes modifying at least one of the wires at a position intermediate the opposed ends of the wire such that a first transverse cross-section taken intermediate the opposed ends of the wire differs from a second transverse cross-section of the wire taken at one of the opposed ends of the wire. The method further includes applying paste to the strip and cutting the strip to form a plurality of plates.

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Menomonee Falls, WI, United States of America

Yu-Lin Chen