Battery temperature sensor and housing therefor

• US 4,572,878 A
• Filed: 12/19/1984
• Issued: 02/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Daugherty, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US06/683,349
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 429/61, 429/62, 429/1, 429/8, 429/9, 429/100, 429/178, 429/179, 429/120, 429/121, 429/122, 320/35, 320/36
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/5877 with provisions for direct mounting on a battery pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/043 Mountings on controlled apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Battery temperature sensing device including a sensor embedded in a housing and together secured to the underside of a battery cable terminal for pressing against the side wall of the battery beneath the electrolyte level therein when the terminal is coupled to the battery. The housing conforms to the underside of the terminal and is detachably secured to the terminal by means of a cap which conforms to the topside of the terminal and is adjoined to the housing via snap-in fasteners.

Claims

1. Device for externally sensing the approximate temperature of the electrolyte of an electrical storage battery through a wall of the battery'"'"'s container for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a discrete housing embedding said sensor, said housing being adapted for mounting to the underside of a battery cable terminal and for pressing against said wall, and

means astride said terminal for securing said housing to said terminal such as to position said sensor in heat conductive relation to said wall beneath the electrolyte level in said container when said cable is coupled to said battery.

2. Device for externally sensing the approximate temperature of the electrolyte of an electrical storage battery through a wall of the battery'"'"'s container for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a housing embedding said sensor, said housing being adapted for mounting to the underside of a battery cable terminal which presses said housing against said wall such as to position said sensor in heat conductive relation to said wall beneath the electrolyte level in said container when said cable is coupled to said battery, the shape of said housing conforming substantially to the shape of the underside of said terminal confronting said battery;

a cap conforming substantially to the shape of the topside of said terminal facing outwardly of said battery; and

fastener means on said housing and said cap for securing each to the other snugly about said terminal.

3. Device for externally sensing the approximate temperature of the electrolyte of an electrical storage battery through a wall of the battery'"'"'s container for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a housing embedding said sensor and positioning said sensor in heat conductive relation to said wall, said housing being adapted to engage the underside of a battery cable terminal which presses said housing against said wall below the electrolyte level in said container when said cable is coupled to said battery, the shape of said housing conforming substantially to the shape of the underside of said terminal confronting said battery;

a cap conforming substantially to the shape of the topside of said terminal facing outwardly of said battery; and

fastener means on said housing and said cap for securing each to the other detachably from said terminal.

4. Device for externally sensing the approximate temperature of the electrolyte of an electrical storage battery through a wall of the battery'"'"'s container for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a housing embedding said sensor and positioning said sensor in heat conductive relation to said wall, said housing being adapted to engage the underside of a battery cable terminal which presses said housing against said wall below the electrolyte level in said container when said cable is coupled to said battery, the shape of said housing conforming substantially to the shape of the underside of said terminal confronting said battery;

a cap conforming substantially to the shape of the topside of said terminal facing outwardly of said battery; and

fastener means on said housing and said cap for separably securing each to the other and detachably from said terminal.

5. An SLI battery and cable assembly including an electric storage battery having a terminal on a side wall thereof, a cable having a connecting terminal thereon secured to said battery terminal, and discrete means engaging said side wall for sensing the temperature of the battery for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures, said means comprising a temperature sensor, a housing embedding said sensor, and means for securing said housing to the underside of said connecting terminal confronting said side wall, said housing being snugly held in position by said connecting terminal between said connecting terminal and said wall such that said sensor is in heat conductive relation to said wall beneath the electrolyte level in said container for substantially directly sensing the temperature of said electrolyte.

6. An SLI battery and cable assembly including an electric storage battery having a terminal on a side wall thereof, a cable having a connecting terminal thereon secured to said battery terminal, and means for sensing the temperature of the battery for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures, said means comprising a temperature sensor embedded in a housing which conforms substantially to the underside of said terminal and is snugly positioned between said connecting terminal and said wall such that said sensor is in heat conductive relation to said wall beneath the electrolyte level in said container, a cap which conforms substantially to the topside of said terminal and engages said housing to secure said housing to said terminal, and a snap-in fastener coupling said cap and housing one to the other onto said terminal.

7. An SLI battery and cable assembly including an electric storage battery having a terminal on a side wall thereof, a cable having a connecting terminal thereon secured to said battery terminal, and means for sensing the temperature of the battery for controlling the recharge of the battery at various temperatures, said means comprising a temperature sensor embedded in a housing which conforms substantially to the underside of said terminal and is snugly positioned between said connecting terminal and said wall such that said sensor is in heat conductive relation to said wall beneath the electrolyte level in said container, a cap conforming substantially to the topside of said terminal and engaging said housing to secure said housing to said terminal, first and second bifurcated, tongue-like snap-in male members projecting from said cap along opposite sides of said terminal and female receptacle members on opposite sides of said housing interlockingly receiving said male members for coupling said housing to said cap and terminal.