Method of assembling a bipolar lead-acid battery and the resulting bipolar battery

• US 5,470,679 A
• Filed: 05/20/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exice Corporation
• Original Assignee: GNB Battery Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kump, William H., Lund, David L., Groff, Donald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NUZZOLILLO, MARIA
• Application Number:
  US08/246,730
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 429/72, 429/156, 429/157, 429/163, 429/159, 429/177, 429/210, 429/73
• US Class Current: 429/210
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/18 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/317 Re-sealable arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/627 Filling ports
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0273 with sealing or supporting means in the form of a frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49112 including laminating of indefinite length material

Abstract

A method of assembling a bipolar lead-acid battery includes assembling the electrochemical components necessary to provide the necessary voltage and capacity, maintaining the electrochemical components under the desired compression and then sealing such electrochemical components as a unit utilizing various assembly components. The resulting bipolar battery in the preferred embodiment includes an electrolyte fill/vent box that seals the top of the electrochemical component unit and a vacuum box that seals the bottom surface.

Claims

1. A bipolar lead-acid battery having a desired voltage and capacity which comprises a set of end frames each having a solid exterior surface, top, bottom and side surfaces and an interior surface comprising a peripheral border defining a central open area sized to accommodate a first conductive metal substrate, said first conductive metal substrate being embedded in each of said end frames and positioned in said central open area, a first layer of positive or negative active material adhered to each of said first conductive metal substrates, a series of other frames having top, bottom and side surfaces and a peripheral border defining a central open area sized to accommodate a second conductive metal substrate, said second conductive metal substrate embedded in each of said other frames and positioned in the central open area, a second layer of either positive or negative active material adhered to each surface of each of said second conductive metal substrates embedded in said other frames, said end frames and said other frames being juxtaposed adjacent one another and comprising an electrochemical component unit having top, side and bottom surfaces corresponding to the respective top, side and bottom surfaces of said frames with the exterior surfaces of the end frames comprising the end surfaces of the electrochemical component unit and the peripheral surfaces of adjacent frames forming peripheral surfaces therebetween, the frames in the unit being assembled so as to have each layer of positive active material in said first and second layers adjacent a negative active material layer in said first and second layers, a separator positioned between adjacent positive and negative active material layers from said first and second layers, an electrolyte fill/vent hole in the top and bottom surfaces of said unit in communication with a separator, a panel sealed to the side surfaces of said electrochemical component unit, an electrolyte fill/vent box comprising a base divided into compartments equal in number to the number of separators and having electrolyte fill/vent holes in alignment with the holes in the top surface of said electrochemical component unit, a front panel having a series of apertures, one aperture communicating with each compartment and an open top, the base of said electrolyte fill/vent box being sealed to the top surface of the electrochemical component unit and an electrolyte fill/vent box cover being sealed thereto to close the open top, a vacuum box comprising a base divided into compartments equal in number to the number of separators having holes aligning with the holes in the bottom surface of the electrochemical component unit, a front panel having a series of apertures, one aperture communicating with each compartment and an open top, the base of said vacuum box being sealed to the bottom surface of the unit via the base, a manifold cover for the electrolyte fill/vent box sealed to the front panel of said electrolyte fill/vent box and a vacuum box cover being sealed thereto to close the open top, a vacuum box manifold cover having closures for blocking off the front panel vacuum box apertures and sealed to the vacuum box so that said closures block off the front panel vacuum box apertures, and electrolyte being positioned between adjacent active material layers of positive and negative active material.

2. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein the bipolar lead-acid battery is a sealed battery, said separators being suitable for sealed lead-acid batteries and having an uncompressed thickness and wherein the thickness of said separator in said electrochemical unit is less than said uncompressed thickness.

3. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 2 wherein said other frames comprise active bipolar frames wherein said second layer of positive active material is adhered to one side and second layer of negative active material is adhered to the other side of said second conductive metal substrates and a central bi-plate frame having a third layer of active material adhered to each side of a third conductive metal substrate embedded in said bi-plate frame opposite in polarity to said first layer of active material adhered to said first conductive metal substrate embedded in said end frames.

4. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 3 wherein the conductive metal substrate in said central bi-plate extends through a side surface of the electrochemical component unit so as to provide either the positive or negative terminal and the conductive metal substrates in said end frames extend through the side of the electrochemical component unit so as to provide terminals of a polarity opposite to that of the central bi-plate.

5. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 3 wherein the peripheral border adjacent the side surfaces of each frame is configured to provide a thickness of said separator upon assembly of the electrochemical component unit less than said uncompressed thickness.

6. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 3 wherein the peripheral borders adjacent the side surfaces of each frame include a shoulder aligned to accept a separator.

7. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 5 wherein each of said first and second conductive metal substrates embedded in said end and bipolar frames includes an active material location restraint.

8. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte fill/vent hole in the top and bottom surfaces comprises suitably configured indentations in the appropriate frame surfaces.

9. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said peripheral borders of adjacent frames are sealed.

10. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein said electrolyte fill/vent box includes at least one compartment more than the number of separators and said additional compartment being without an aperture in the front panel, the manifold cover for the electrolyte fill/vent box includes an explosion-proof vent and the sealed manifold cover for the electrolyte fill/vent box is positioned such that the explosion-proof vent is juxtaposed adjacent to the compartment without an aperture in the front panel.

11. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein said end frames have strengthening ribs dimensioned and positioned to minimize bulging of the battery during service.

12. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 11 wherein each end frame is a unitary component.

13. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 12 wherein each end frame comprises two components, one component comprising the interior surface comprising the peripheral border defining the central open area with the conductive metal substrate positioned therein and the other component comprising the solid exterior surface having the strengthening ribs therein.

14. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 11 wherein a plastic stabilizing member is attached to the end frame.

15. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 11 wherein the electrolyte fill/vent and vacuum boxes have strengthening ribs aligning with the ribs on said end frames.

16. The bipolar lead-acid battery of claim 1 wherein the base of the electrolyte fill/vent and vacuum boxes are dimensioned and configured so as to provide a ridge fitting over, respectively, the top and bottom surfaces of the electrochemical component unit.