BATTERY ACID STATUS INDICATOR AND METHOD FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF

• US 20100047675A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarios Germany GmbH & Co. KG (Michael Tojner, PhD, LLD)
• Original Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Richter, Gerolf, Streuer, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,440,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/91
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1657 using means for adhering or bonding the layers or parts to each other mechanical anchoring B29C37/0082
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

An acid status indicator for a battery, in particular for a lead-acid rechargeable battery, having a sight glass and a holder for holding the sight glass and for attaching the acid status indicator to a housing of the battery, wherein the sight glass and the holder are produced by two-component injection molding, with the holder being produced by insert molding of the sight glass.

Claims

1. An acid status indicator for a lead-acid rechargeable battery, having:

(a) a sight glass (14) and

(b) a holder (12) for holding the sight glass (14) and for attaching the acid status indicator (16) to a housing (10) of the battery (11),

wherein the sight glass (14) and the holder (12) are produced by two-component injection molding, with the holder (12) being produced by insert molding of the sight glass (14).

2. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) comprises a first plastic and the holder (12) comprises a second plastic, with the first plastic shrinking less than the second plastic when it cools down.

3. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) comprises styrene/acrylonitrile.

4. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder (12) comprises polypropylene.

5. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holder (12) and the sight glass (14) are connected to one another by an interference fit.

6. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the interference fit is acid-tight, gas-tight, or a combination thereof.

7. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) has a bead (24), and the holder (12) surrounds the bead (24) in an interlocking manner.

8. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) has a projection, and the holder (12) surrounds the projection in an interlocking manner.

9. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) has a stepped end in order to indicate different acid levels.

10. The acid status indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sight glass (14) has a projection at the lower end, which projection is used to hold a ball cage to indicate the acid density.

11. A lead-acid rechargeable battery, having an acid status indicator (16) as claimed in claim 1.

12. A method for the production of an acid status indicator (16) for a lead-acid rechargeable battery comprising the following step:

insert molding of a sight glass (14) with a holder (12) for holding the sight glass (14) and for attaching the acid status indicator (16) to a housing (10) of the battery (11), with the injection molding of the sight glass (14) and its insert molding being carried out as a two-component injection-molding method.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sight glass (14) is insert molded with the holder (12) in such a way that an interference fit is created between the sight glass (14) and the holder (12), where the interference fit is acid-tight, gas-tight, or a combination thereof.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sight glass (14) is injection molded from a first plastic and the holder (12) is injection molded from a second plastic which shrinks more than the first plastic to form an interference fit between the sight glass (14) and the holder (12), where the interference fit is acid-tight, gas-tight, or a combination thereof.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first plastic comprises styrene/acrylonitrile, and the second plastic comprises polypropylene.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sight glass (14) comprises a bead (24), which is circumferential around the sight glass (14), and the sight glass (14) is insert-molded such that a projection which engages in the bead (24) is created on the holder (12).

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sight glass (14) comprises a projection, which is circumferential around the sight glass (14), and the sight glass (14) is insertion molded such that the holder (12) surrounds the projection in an interlocking manner.

18. A method for the production of a battery (11), having the steps of production of an acid status indicator (16) as claimed in claim 12 followed by connection of the acid status indicator (16) to a housing (10) and to other components, thus creating a battery (11).