BATTERY TESTING METHOD EMPLOYING CAPACITANCE AND DISSIPATION FACTOR MEASUREMENTS
First Claim
1. A non-destructive method of testing a fully assembled, but electrolyte-free, electrical storage battery having a hollow casing, a pair of electrically conductive terminal posts extending through the casing from the interior to the exterior thereof in spaced, electrically insulated relationship to each other, a pair of pluralities of electrode plates within the casing, means for normally supporting the plates of one plurality thereof in spaced, interleaved, electrically insulated relationship with the plates of the other plurality thereof, and means for normally electrically connecting the plates of each respective plurality thereof together and with a corresponding terminal post, said method comprising the initial steps of:
- a. providing means for measurIng the electrical capacitance between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
b. electrically coupling said capacitance measuring means with said terminal posts of said battery to measure the electrical capacitance therebetween as an indication of the constructional quality of the battery; and
then the further steps of;
i. providing means for measuring the amount of dissipation in an electrical capacitance connected between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
ii. electrically coupling said dissipation measuring means with said terminal posts of said battery to measure the dissipation of the capacitance therebetween as an indication of the oxidation condition of said plates.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for testing electrical storage batteries employs a measurement of electrical capacitance between the battery terminal posts to indicate whether the constructional quality of the battery is acceptable and, if not, to further indicate the class of defect involved, and employs a measurement of the dissipation factor of electrical capacitance between the battery terminal posts to indicate whether the degree of oxidation of the electrode plates is within acceptable limits, which measurements and indications are preferably employed in conjunction with each other when full testing of a battery is desired but may also be used separately when only testing for a particular kind of defect is desired. The method is further characterized, in that, the measurements of capacitance and dissipation factor are made while the battery is in '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'dry'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' condition without any electrolyte present therein.
112 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A non-destructive method of testing a fully assembled, but electrolyte-free, electrical storage battery having a hollow casing, a pair of electrically conductive terminal posts extending through the casing from the interior to the exterior thereof in spaced, electrically insulated relationship to each other, a pair of pluralities of electrode plates within the casing, means for normally supporting the plates of one plurality thereof in spaced, interleaved, electrically insulated relationship with the plates of the other plurality thereof, and means for normally electrically connecting the plates of each respective plurality thereof together and with a corresponding terminal post, said method comprising the initial steps of:
- a. providing means for measurIng the electrical capacitance between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
b. electrically coupling said capacitance measuring means with said terminal posts of said battery to measure the electrical capacitance therebetween as an indication of the constructional quality of the battery; and
then the further steps of;
i. providing means for measuring the amount of dissipation in an electrical capacitance connected between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
ii. electrically coupling said dissipation measuring means with said terminal posts of said battery to measure the dissipation of the capacitance therebetween as an indication of the oxidation condition of said plates.
- a. providing means for measurIng the electrical capacitance between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
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2. The method as set forth in claim 1, including the further step of:
- iii. detecting whether the dissipation measured in step (ii) is below a predetermined value peculiar to the type of battery being tested, so as to indicate an absence of excessive oxidation of said plates.
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3. A non-destructive method of testing a fully assembled, but electrolyte-free, electrical storage battery having a hollow casing, a pair of electrically conductive terminal posts extending through the casing from the interior to the exterior thereof in spaced, electrically insulated relationship to each other, a pair of pluralities of electrode plates within the casing, means for normally supporting the plates of one plurality thereof in spaced, interleaved, electrically insulated relationship with the plates of the other plurality thereof, and means for normally electrically connecting the plates of each respective plurality thereof together and with a corresponding terminal post, said method comprising the steps of:
- i. providing means for measuring the amount of dissipation in an electrical capacitance connected between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
ii. electrically coupling said dissipation measuring means with said terminal posts of said battery to measure the dissipation of the capacitance therebetween as an indication of the oxidation condition of said plates.
- i. providing means for measuring the amount of dissipation in an electrical capacitance connected between a pair of electrical terminal points; and
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4. The method as set forth in claim 3, including the further step of:
- iii. detecting whether the dissipation measured in step (ii) is below a predetermined value peculiar to the type of battery being tested, so as to indicate an absence of excessive oxidation of said plates.
Specification