Battery equipped with an indicator for the lowering of the electrolyte level

• US 3,891,465 A
• Filed: 08/16/1973
• Issued: 06/24/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eiji Muto, Hitoshi Tamura, Koichi Matsumura, Tsuneo Kawarabayashi
• Original Assignee: Eiji Muto, Hitoshi Tamura, Koichi Matsumura, Tsuneo Kawarabayashi
• Inventors: Tamura, Hitoshi, Muto, Eiji, Kawarabayashi, Tsuneo, Matsumura, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, John H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Feeley, H. A.
• Application Number:
  US05/389,037
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 136/182
• US Class Current: 429/61
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The battery of this invention is equipped with an electrode for detecting the lowering of the level of the electrolyte. A circuit for detecting the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on and off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' of the electric current is attached to the battery and actuated an alarming device in the circuit when the level of the electrolyte is lowered below the predetermined level. Then electric power for this circuit is obtained from the battery itself through said electrode. According to this invention, the lowering of the electrolyte level in the battery can be automatically alarmed.

Claims

1. In a vent plug of a battery having an electrolyte leveldetecting electrode, the improvement wherein the plug comprises:

an upper hollow cap portion and a lower, vertically extending fume-protecting tube which extends into the electrolytecoNtaining portion of the battery, said tube containing a slot for passing gas generated within the battery through the interior of said tube to a gas vent in said cap; and

an electrolyte levelsensing electrode supported in said hollow cap portion for rotation relative thereto and extending interiorly through and beyond the lower end of said tube, whereby the lower end of said electrode is in contact with the battery electrolyte when the electrolyte is at an acceptable level;

so that said electrode remains stationary when the vent plug is rotated for removing it from, or inserting it in, an electrolyte filling hole of the battery.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said plug further comprises a support member in which said electrode is embedded except for said lower end thereof, said cap portion having a top opening for receiving said support member;

said support member having a projection received in a groove in said cap portion, whereby said support member is retained within said cap portion but is free to rotate relative thereto.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein the upper end of said electrode has a recess therein, and further comprising an external lead projecting through the top of said support member and soldered to said electrode in said recess, and filler material filling said recess.