Temperature regulating enclosure for telecommunication batteries

• US 6,294,721 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Champion Products, Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oravetz, Thomas A., Thompson, Clyde J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorgos, Kathryn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parsons, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US09/326,770
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 136/203, 136/201, 136/242, 429/62, 429/120, 429/96, 429/100, 62/33
• US Class Current: 136/242
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/10 operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/80 Constructional details

Abstract

A new device is provided for controlling and maintaining the ambient air temperature within a remote telecommunications battery enclosure. A thermoelectric device located in intimate contact with heat exchangers and fans configured such that at least one heat exchanger is positioned within or spaced in thermal communication with the interior of the battery enclosure, and at least one heat exchanger is positioned outside of or spaced in thermal communication with a thermal dissipation arrangement exterior to the battery enclosure. The system further has a sensor or microprocessor connected to the thermoelectric device and configured to control the system to heat or cool the battery enclosure by responsively reversing polarity of the thermoelectric device as indicated by ambient air temperature or battery temperature to maintain the air temperature within predetermined limitations. A hydrogen vent is provided to maintain sub lower explosive levels of hydrogen gas within the battery enclosure.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric temperature regulator for external installation on a commercial battery enclosure, comprising:

a) a housing having at least one aperture;

b) a thermoelectric device within the housing, the thermoelectric device comprising a thermal transfer surface and at least one heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy; and

wherein said at least one thermal transfer surface is proximate said aperture; and

c) a sensor configured to ascertain ambient air temperature, and a microprocessor configured to selectively reverse polarity within said thermoelectric device responsive to the ambient air temperature.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said battery enclosure is configured to house parallel or serially connected telecommunication batteries.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hydrogen gas vent configured to limit hydrogen gas accumulation within said battery enclosure below a predetermined level.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a powered vent means configured to limit hydrogen gas accumulation within said battery enclosure below a predetermined level.

5. A thermoelectric temperature regulator for external installation on an enclosure, comprising:

a) a housing provided with at least one aperture, removably mounted to a battery enclosure;

b) a thermoelectric mechanism within said housing having at least one thermal transfer surface, and at least one thermal transfer device configured to transfer thermal energy between the thermal transfer surface and a fan, wherein said at least one thermal transfer surface is proximate said aperture;

c) a sensor configured to ascertain ambient air temperature and selectively reverse polarity within said thermoelectric device responsive to the ambient air temperature; and

d) a vent in the battery enclosure configured to vent hydrogen gas produced by batteries selected from the group consisting of valve regulated lead acid batteries or sealed gel cell batteries.