JPS6144382B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to multi-cell secondary batteries such as lead-acid batteries.

One of the major drawbacks of current lead acid battery construction is the weight and expense of the cell plates made of lead alloy grids filled with a paste of active battery material. Also, because of the low mechanical strength of the lead alloy used as the grid, the cross section of the grid alloy element must be relatively large, making the resulting battery bulky as well as heavy and expensive.

The production of conventional lead-acid batteries and similar multi-cell secondary batteries also involves manufacturing individual grids, filling individual grids with paste, assembling grids of different polarity and isolation members to form each tank, and pre-forming. A large number of separate operations are required, including assembling the vessels into the battery case, making electrical connections between the vessels within the case, and closing the case with a lid or the like, resulting in high costs. Furthermore, it is difficult in mass production to form effective durable connections between the plates within each cell and between the plates of adjacent cells. The current trend is to make connections between adjacent vessels through openings in the vessel walls, but this has created problems in achieving a durable seal between the connecting member and the vessel wall.

Our pending patent application proposes a multi-cell battery structure consisting of a plurality of frames formed of a suitable moldable or moldable material, each frame forming a frame. defines or forms a plurality of active material support regions arranged in side-by-side relationship across the width of the active material support region. After filling the support areas in each frame with the paste of active substance such that adjacent support areas in each frame are of opposite polarity, such frames are Can be assembled side by side. The paste filling of the frames is such that when the frames are assembled side by side, adjacent portions of adjacent frames are of opposite polarity. The support area of each frame is defined by a delimiter molded as an integral part of the frame. The dividing portions of adjacent frames are secured together in a sealed relationship to form a partition between adjacent cells of the battery in the finished frame assembly.

As is customary in secondary batteries using liquid electrolytes, isolation members of porous material are required between adjacent plates of opposite polarity. The cell specified in the pending patent application includes a plurality of strips formed of conventional separator members, which strips are arranged so that when the frames are assembled in side-by-side relationship, the strips are separated from each other in adjacent frames. placed between the polar active battery material parts. However, no special arrangements have been made in the pending patent application to facilitate simple and rapid assembly of the isolation strip or its accurate positioning relative to the frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery structure which is simpler to manufacture and which eliminates or reduces many of the production problems of currently known multi-cell battery structures.

To achieve the above object, the multi-tank storage battery according to the present invention has a mold that is electrically insulated at the working voltage of the battery and is inert to the active substances of the battery and any substances generated during use of the battery. a plurality of frames formed of a material capable of forming a substance, each frame forming a plurality of material storage areas separated from each other and aligned in the width direction of the frame, the frames forming a plurality of substance storage areas that are separated from each other and arranged in the width direction of the frame; A plurality of frames are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the width of the frame, and the part forming the partition wall between adjacent storage areas has a part that forms a partition wall between adjacent storage areas. are fixed in a sealed manner to corresponding parts of the cell, thereby forming a partition between adjacent cells of the cell, and the active substance is supported in each receiving area of each frame, each area forming a plate of the cell. and the active substance in each region is such that adjacent receiving regions of each frame form plates of opposite polarity, and adjacent regions of adjacent vessels also form plates of opposite polarity. selected to form,
A porous isolation member for the electrolyte is inserted between the receiving regions of active substances of opposite polarity in adjacent frames, so that only every other frame supports active substances and the other frames do not support active substances. The body is identical to the previously described frame and supports said separator element which is porous for the electrolyte, said separator element being between the sides of the frame body and the partition wall portion adjacent thereto or between adjacent partitions of the frame body. extending between wall sections and rigidly attached to them;
The partition-forming part of the frame supporting the separating member is connected to the corresponding partition-forming part of the adjacent frame supporting the active substance without intervening any porous material between them. , is characterized by being hermetically fixed.

The battery frame must be formed of a moldable material that is electrically insulated at the battery's intended operating voltage and inert to the battery's active materials and any materials generated during battery operation; Thermoplastic materials suitable for use in forming the body are high impact polystyrene, ABS and polypropylene.

Each frame is conveniently of rectangular form with a continuous circumferential member and a number of partitions parallel to two opposite sides of the frame defining a plurality of support areas. The surrounding members and partition portions of adjacent frames fit into each other and are sealed together, so that the surrounding members form two opposing walls, the top and the bottom of the cell, and the partition portions form the cell's plurality of tank partitions. form. Adjacent frames may be secured by ultrasonic welding, which provides the necessary sealing between the surrounding members and the partition.

In this way, a number of column-like spaces are formed within the frame for accommodating the active substance or sequestering material.

The frame supporting the separator material may be generally thicker than the frame supporting the active substance, and while the separator material is conveniently made of thin sheet material, the thicker the frame, the greater the electrolyte capacity. . A frame can also be molded "in situ" around the isolation material, with the edges of the isolation material embedded within the frame.

An electrically conductive element is embedded in the frame member during formation of the frame member and extends into the area containing the active material, forming an electrical collection device for the active material and, if necessary, connecting the positive and negative electrodes. It may also be provided to provide electrical connections between regions of active material.

As mentioned above, the cell formed by the frame assembly has a number of reservoirs determined by the number of active material regions within each frame. Adjacent active material areas in two adjacent frames of opposite polarity form a basic cell with a nominal voltage of 2 volts in the case of a lead-acid battery. The voltage and capacity of the cell are thus determined by the number of active material areas in each frame within the assembly and the number of frames supporting the active material, respectively.

Although it is possible to connect the basic cells in any way, the structure of this battery is such that the basic cells formed by two adjacent frames are connected in series and the ends of the frames are connected in parallel. suitable for When connecting the cells in this manner, suitable connecting members may be placed during molding to electrically connect the cells to each other in the completed frame assembly. If the basic cells formed by the two frames supporting the active substance are connected in series, the inter-vessel connections are provided in every other partition, and the inter-vessel connections in each frame are connected in series. are staggered with respect to connecting members in adjacent frames.

The terminal elements can also be placed on the sides of the frame during molding, the position and number of terminal elements being determined by the number of active material areas within the frame. If there is an even number of active material areas within each frame, a terminal element is provided at each end of every other frame carrying active material. If there is an odd number of active material regions within each frame, terminal elements are provided at alternate ends of adjacent frames carrying active material. The electronic elements of the individual frames are connected to each other by welding to a connecting band or by other convenient means, to which the main terminals of the battery are connected as appropriate.

As previously indicated, the frame perimeter and partition portions fit between adjacent frames such that the frame assembly forms the top, bottom, two opposing walls and tank partitions of the battery case. Sealed to each other with or without elements. The battery case is then completed by joining cover plates to the exposed surfaces of the frame at the two ends of the assembly. Also, if the frame has terminal elements projecting from the sides of the frame which are joined by a connector band, a suitable cover is provided.

Batteries made according to the invention have the following advantages.

1. Reduction of battery weight and size by removing bulky lead alloy grid.

2. Omission of forming connections between tanks during assembly and avoidance of sealing problems associated with this.

3. Possibility to dispense with a separate battery case.

4. Additional support for the active substance to eliminate shedding of the active substance.

5 Increase in capacity per unit weight of battery.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in the drawings, the battery 10 has a housing 11
The housing 11 surrounds the frame member 12 assembly. The frame members 12 are each frame member 1
The cells 14 are arranged and connected to each other so as to form a plurality of cells 14 separated from each other by a partition wall 13 composed of two abutting vertical elements.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a frame member 12 containing the active substance is shown. This frame member 12 comprises top, bottom elements 16, 17 and opposing side elements 1.
A surrounding member 15 having numbers 8 and 19 is provided. From the top element 16 to the bottom element 17 there is a dividing element 20 extending parallel to the side elements 18 and 19. The frame and vertical dividing elements together define or form three columnar regions 22, 23 and 24 which are filled with a paste of suitable active cell material in the completed cell.

The top and bottom elements and the side and delimiting elements are continuous tongues 27 at right angles to the general plane of the frame.
on one side and a continuous groove 28 on the opposite side, so that when the frames are assembled in side-by-side relationship as shown in FIG. Fits into the groove on the frame. The mating tongues and grooves are glued or otherwise secured together with or without a separate sealing compound, so that the interlocking tongues and grooves are bonded together with or without the use of a separate sealing compound, so that there is a gap between the top and bottom elements and between the sides of the adjacent frame. The connections between the elements and the separation elements do not allow leakage of electrolyte between the cells in the completed battery.
The frames may be secured together by the use of a suitable adhesive or solvent applied to the mating tongues and grooves. Ultrasonic welding may be used to secure and seal the frame. When a plurality of frames having such a structure are assembled, a box-like structure with internal partitions and open ends is created. The sides, top and bottom of the box are formed by interfitting side, top and bottom elements of the frame, and the partition is formed by interfitting dividing elements.

The frame also includes a plurality of vertically spaced support elements 30 extending between the opposing side elements 18, 19 and integral with the separation element 20. The frame shown in FIG. 2 has three support elements 30, which are thinner than the side and dividing elements so that when a group of frames is assembled in side-by-side relationship, adjacent Support element 30 of the mating frame
There is now a gap between them. Support element 3
0 divides the area between each delimiter element 20,
As a result, additional support is given to the material subsequently placed between the dividing elements, so that it does not shift during use of the cell.

In a preferred embodiment, the grid-like structure 2
6, 26a may extend over some or all of the area between the dividing elements to provide additional support for the active cell material in the area that will form the active material area in the completed cell. The grid may be formed of the same material and molded as an integral part of the rest of the frame, but it should be made of an electrically conductive material that is not adversely affected by the battery materials, such as a lead alloy, and Preferably, it is embedded within the frame element during molding.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the grid 26 extends through the side element 18 of the frame while being embedded in the adjacent dividing element 20.
I haven't penetrated it. Grid 2 outside the frame
The portion 6 constitutes a terminal for electrically connecting the tank constituted by the frame assembly. The grid 26a extends through the other delimiting element 20a and is embedded in, but not through, the side element 19. Grid 26a thus forms an inter-vessel connection between plates 23 and 24. Grids 26 and 26a thus support the active cell material and also act as current collectors for the respective plates, and also provide intercell connections as required for the cells formed by frame assembly. forming means or terminals;

When filling the frames with the paste of active substance, the part of each frame above the upper support element 30 is not filled with paste, so that when the frames are assembled together,
An electrolyte catch 31 is formed (FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG.
The isolation member frame 45 supporting the
It is located between the frames supporting the active cell material described with reference to the figures. Frame 4 supporting isolation member 46
5 is of generally the same construction as the frame supporting the active cell material, but preferably thicker. Isolation member 46 is preferably made of sheet material and is sealed around its periphery to frame perimeter member 15 and bulkhead element 20. All standoff members within a single frame may be formed from a single sheet of suitable material. In that case, it may be molded "in situ" onto the sheet. By appropriate selection of the frame and separator materials, the separator material can be made non-porous in the portion of the frame embedded within the dividing element 20, so that the electrolyte between adjacent cells of the completed cell can be kept in a common isolation. Leakage through the seat is prevented. The isolation member may be formed from a material that melts when heated so that the portion of the sheet that contacts the hot frame material during molding melts and becomes non-porous.

To assist the escape of generated gases from between the plates when the battery is in use, exhaust strips 33 are provided which are made of porous material and extend vertically through the active cell material forming each plate. It is being The vent piece may be added to the frame before or during paste filling, or it may be placed in the mold such that the vent piece is connected to the support element 30 during molding of the frame.

To form a battery as shown in FIG.
A plurality of active material containing frames of the configuration shown are filled with a paste of active cell material so that adjacent regions of each frame are of opposite polarity. Each frame thus forms a plurality of aligned plates of alternating positive and negative polarity. A number of these active substance receiving frames are then assembled such that a separator frame 45 is located between each two active substance receiving frames 12.
For a plate of active material in one frame, a plate of active material of opposite polarity is located on the opposite side of the separator frame. When assembling the frames, the tongues and grooves of adjacent frames are fitted together and sealed together. The rows of vessels thus formed are electrically connected in series by grids such as 26a, with positive and negative terminal fittings 37 at each end, as shown in FIG. Terminal fittings 37 at opposite ends of the frame assembly are then connected to respective connector ferrules 35 carrying main terminals such as 36.

The frame assembly forms a top, bottom and two opposing side walls with the remaining two sides having active material exposed and two side plates 38 forming a top, bottom and two opposing side walls. to complete the battery case. In some applications it may be desirable to provide cover plates 39 for the terminal fittings and connector straps, which may be secured to the side plates 38. A cover 40 is further provided, with openings 41 aligned with openings 42 cut in the top surface of the frame assembly to allow electrolyte to be introduced into each cell of the cell.
is provided.

By appropriately adjusting the structure of the frame, it may be possible to eliminate the need for a cover plate or a top cover.

The embodiments of the present invention can be summarized as follows.

1. A battery according to claim 1, wherein an isolation member made of a porous material is welded to the side of the frame and the partition, so that the fused portion of the isolation member is non-porous.

2 the electrical connection members extend through alternating partitions of the frame supporting the active cell material, each area of two active cell materials being equal to the number of partitions plus one;
2. A cell according to claim 1, wherein the connecting members are arranged to form a series connected cell having a number of cells equal to .

3. At least some of the frames supporting active battery material include terminal members extending from the area of the active battery material on one side of the frame and through said one side of the frame, and the connecting member extends from said one side of said frame. It extends through every other partition part counted from the side of the
2. A battery according to claim 1, wherein regions of active material of opposite polarity separated by every other partition are electrically connected.

4. A battery according to claim 1 or claim 2 or 3 above, wherein the frame members are adapted to fit into each other when assembled in side-by-side relationship.

5. Each partition of each frame has a laterally projecting tongue on one side and a groove on the opposite side, said tongue and groove extending over the entire length of the partition so that the frames are in side-by-side relationship. Claims 1, 2 and 3 above, wherein when assembled, the tongue on one frame engages the groove on the adjacent frame.
The battery according to item 1 or item 4.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially in section, of a battery according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of one of the active material support frames suitable for use in the battery shown in FIG. , FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the assembled active agent support frame and separation member support frame. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10...Battery, 11...Enclosure, 12...Frame member, 1
3... Partition wall, 14... Cell, 15... Surrounding member, 16
...Top element, 17...Bottom element, 18, 19...Side element, 20...Partition element, 22, 23, 24...Column-like part (polar plate), 26, 26a...Grid, 27
... tongue piece, 28 ... groove, 30 ... support element, 35 ... connection strap, 36 ... terminal, 37 ... terminal band, 4
5... Frame, 46... Isolation member, 40... Cover.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Electrically insulated at the working voltage of the battery,
and comprises a plurality of frames formed of a moldable material that is inert to the active substance of the battery and any substances generated during use of the battery, each of the frames being separate from each other and A plurality of substance storage areas are formed in a line in the width direction, the frame has a portion forming a partition wall between adjacent storage areas, and the plurality of frames are lined up in a direction perpendicular to the width of the frame. Said part arranged to form a partition wall between adjacent storage areas is fixed in a sealed manner to a corresponding part of an adjacent frame body, thereby forming a partition wall between adjacent cells of the battery, and to activate the battery. a substance is supported in each receiving area of each frame so that each area forms a plate of the battery; the active material in each area is such that adjacent receiving areas of each frame form plates of opposite polarity; , and adjacent areas of adjacent cells are also selected to form plates of opposite polarity, and the porous isolation member for the electrolyte is selected to form plates of opposite polarity in adjacent frames. inserted between the active substance receiving areas, only every other frame supports the active substance, the other frames being identical to the previously described frames, and said separator porous for the electrolyte. supporting a member, the isolation member extending between a side of the frame and an adjacent partition wall portion or between adjacent partition wall portions of the frame and being rigidly attached thereto; The partition-forming portions of the frame supporting the member are connected to the corresponding partition-forming portions of the adjacent frames supporting the active substance, without any porous material being distributed between them. , a multi-tank storage battery characterized by being hermetically fixed.