Storage battery for vehicles

• US 3,895,964 A
• Filed: 07/18/1973
• Issued: 07/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Akira Sakamoto
• Original Assignee: Akira Sakamoto
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, John H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Feeley, H. A.
• Application Number:
  US05/380,337
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 136/182
• US Class Current: 429/91
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/10 by observing bodies wholly or partially immersed in fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In a storage battery for vehicles, each of the battery caps comprises a cylindrical body having its lower end immersed in electrolyte and which contains a colored spherical float having a specific gravity of about 1.2 which indicates the level or specific gravity of the electrolyte due to reflection of the color of the float from the bottom of the float chamber.

Claims

1. IN A STORAGE BATTERY HAVING AT LEAST ONE CELL CONTAINING A LIQUID ELECTROLYTE WHICH SHOLULD BE MAINTAINED AT AT LEAST A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM LEVEL AND A CAP FOR SAID CELL, THE IMPROVEMENT ACCORDING TO WHICH THE LOWER PART OF SAID CAP EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY TO SAID MINIMUM LEVEL AND DEFINES A CENTRAL CHAMBER OPEN AT ITS BOTTOM TO ADMIT SAID ELECTROLYTE, THE PORTION OF SAID CAP DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID CHAMBER BEING TRANSPARENT AND SAID CHAMBER HAVING A LIGHT REFLECTIVE BOTTOM WALL PORTION INCLINED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD AND ENCIRCLING SAID OPENING, AND A TRANSPARENT COLORED FLOAT IN SAID CHAMBER WHICH IS LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN SAID OPENING BUT SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID INCLINED WALL PORTION AND HAS A SPECIFIC GRAVITY LESS THAN THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SAID ELECTROLYTE WHEN SAID CELL IS FULLY CHARGED, WHEREBY WHEN SAID COLORED FLOAT IS RESTING ON SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION, ONLY THE COLOR OF SAID FLOAT MAY BE SEEN THROUGH SAID TRANSPARENT MATERIAL DUE TO REFLECTION OF SAID COLOR BY SAID BOTTOM WALL PORTION, WHAREAS A RING OF A DIFFERENT COLOR MAY BE SEEN ENCIRCLING SAID FLOAT WHENSAID FLOAT IS ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL

2. A cap for a storage battery having at least one cell containing a liquid electrolyte which should be maintained above a predetermined level, said cap comprising a body portion dimensioned to project downwardly into said electrolyte when said cap is mounted on said cell and said electrolyte is above said predetermined level, said body portion defining a chamber therewithin having a bottom, an opening in said bottom for admitting electrolyte to said chamber and an inwardly and downwardly inclined light reflective upper surface on said bottom around said opening, the portion of said cap above said chamber being transparent, and a transparent float in said chamber which is larger in maximum diameter than said opening, but smaller in diameter than said collective surface, whereby only the color of said float may be seen through said transparent portion when said float is resting on said bottom, due to reflection of said color by said reflective surface, but a ring of a different color may be seen encircling said float when said float is riding above said bottom.

3. A cap as claimed in claim 2 in which said specific gravity of said float is equal to the specific gravity of said electrolyte when said cell has a predetermined charge.

4. A cap as claimed in claim 2 in which the specific gravity of said float is about 1.2.

5. A cap as claimed in claim 2 in which said float is a hollow sphere.

6. A cap as claimed in claim 2 in which said float is made of a material resistant to corrosion by said electrolyte.

7. A cap as claimed in claim 2 in which said transparent portion is encircled by an opaque portion by means of which said cap may be mounted on said battery.

8. A cap as claimed in claim 2 defining a vent leading from the interior of said battery to its exterior when said cap is mounted on said battery.