Resistance welding method and resistance welding device for lead acid battery

• US 5,140,126 A
• Filed: 09/06/1990
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Denchi Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Denchi Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US07/576,470
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 219/110, 219/108, 219/117.1, 219/118
• US Class Current: 219/110
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/256 the measured parameter being the inter-electrode electrical resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/529 Intercell connections through partitions, e.g. in a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A resistance welding method wherein a resistance welding between cells of others used in the manufacturing of a lead acid battery, is carried out by means of a constant power control system. There are provided a method and a circuit device (A) therefore to carry out at intervals of a predetermined cycle that a resistance value between the members (e), (e) to be welded is, while applied with a current, measured by a resistance measuring device (11). The measured value is then inputted to a constant power controller (13), and a current having a current value corresponding thereto is supplied to both the members (e), (e) for current application for welding, thereby performing a stable and good weld. In addition, an up slope controller (15) is incorporated in the weld resistance circuit device (A) so that the resistance welding is performed through a current application which is increased gradually from a small welding current amount for application to both the members (e), (e), thereby preventing the occurrence of sparks during the resistance welding.

Claims

1. A resistance welding device comprising:

a pair of resistance welding guns (4), (4) for pressing together two mutually facing surfaces of two members (e), (e) to be welded together and for applying an electric current to the members pressed together;

a resistance measuring device (11) for measuring an electric resistance value between the two members (e), (e) to be welded together while they are in pressure contact;

a constant power controller (13); and

means for providing a signal indicative of the measured resistance value to the constant power controller so that a controlled current set by the constant power controller (13) is applied through the resistance welding guns (4), (4) to both of the two members (e), (e) to be welded.

2. A resistance welding device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising:

an up slope controller (15) for applying a current to both of the two members (e), (e) to be welded together in such a manner than the amount of electric current applied to the two members is increased gradually over a few cycles of current application beginning with the start of the application of current for welding the two members together.

3. A method for resistance welding members comprising parts of a lead acid storage battery to each other, comprising the steps of:

placing two facing surfaces of two members comprising part of a lead acid storage battery in pressurized contact;

applying an electric current from a power control system to flow through said two members; and

maintaining the power of said power control system constant as said facing surfaces of said members are welded to each other.

4. The method for resistance welding as defined by claim 3, wherein said power control system provides said electric current at intervals of a predetermined cycle and further including the steps of:

measuring an electric resistance value between both of said members as said electric current is applied in one cycle;

providing a signal indicative of the measured resistance value to the power control system; and

applying an electric current of a magnitude set in the power control system to both of said members in a subsequent cycle so as to maintain a constant power supplying said current in said power control system.

5. The method for resistance welding as defined by claim 3, wherein said power control system provides said electric current at intervals of a predetermined cycle and including the steps of:

gradually increasing the magnitude of electric current applied to both of said members over a few cycles prior to maintaining the power of said power control system constant.