Battery acid level alarm

• US 6,653,843 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacer Engineered Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacer Engineered Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Whitchurch, Norton W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vincent Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/092,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 324/446, 324/440, 324/444, 324/445, 324/439, 324/429, 324/425, 324/430, 324/432, 324/433, 324/437, 324/636
• US Class Current: 324/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/243 Schematic arrangements of probes combined with measuring circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/5061 Cells combined with sound indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a reduction of a level of electrolyte in a wet cell battery includes an electrically conductive sensing rod in contact with an electrolyte in a battery cell, a voltage comparator connected to the rod for generating a first output signal when an input voltage is greater than a reference voltage and generating a second output signal when an input voltage is less than the reference voltage, and an indicator responsive to the output signals for generating a green visual signal when the rod is immersed in the electrolyte and generating a red visual signal when the rod is not immersed in the electrolyte. The apparatus also include an audio alarm device sounding an audio indication when the red visual signal is generated. A sensing circuit can be connected between the voltage comparator and a pair of battery voltage input terminals to selectively connect the terminals to the comparator when a voltage of a battery connected to the terminals exceeds a predetermined voltage level.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a reduction of a level of electrolyte in a wet cell battery comprising:

an electrically conductive sensing rod adapted to be disposed within a cell of a battery in contact with an electrolyte in the cell;

a voltage comparator means having an input connected to said rod and having output, said voltage comparator means generating a first output signal when a voltage at said input is greater than a reference voltage and generating a second output signal when a voltage at said input is less than the reference voltage;

an indicator means being responsive to said first output signal for generating a first visual signal and being responsive to said second output signal for generating a second visual signal whereby when said rod is immersed in the electrolyte, said first visual signal is generated and when said rod is not immersed in the electrolyte, said second visual signal is generated;

a circuit housing enclosing said voltage comparator means and said indicator means, said circuit housing being generally cup-shaped with an open end closed by a cover; and

an audio alarm device connected to said output of said voltage comparator means and being responsive to said second output signal for generating an audio indication, said audio alarm device being positioned in said circuit housing and said cover having at least one sound opening formed therein.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first visual signal is a green color light and said second visual signal is a red color light.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said voltage comparator means includes a first comparator having hysteresis characteristics with an input connected to said rod and an output for generating said second output signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said voltage comparator means includes a second comparator having hysteresis characteristics with an input connected to said output of said first comparator and an output for generating said first output signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a cap shell attached to said circuit housing and adapted to be mounted in an opening of the cell.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said indicator means extends through said cover.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a sensing means connected between said voltage comparator means and a pair of battery voltage input terminals, said sensing means selectively connecting said terminals to said voltage comparator means when a voltage of a battery connected to said input terminals exceeds a predetermined voltage level.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined voltage level is above a normal operating voltage of the battery and is below a charging voltage generated when the battery is connected to a battery charger.

9. An apparatus for detecting a reduction of a level of electrolyte in a wet cell battery comprising:

an electrically conductive sensing rod adapted to be disposed within a cell of a battery in contact with an electrolyte in the cell;

a voltage comparator means having an input connected to said rod and having output, said voltage comparator means generating a first output signal when a voltage at said input is greater than a reference voltage and generating a second output signal when a voltage at said input is less than the reference voltage;

an indicator means being responsive to said first output signal for generating a green color visual signal and being responsive to said second output signal for generating a red color visual signal;

an audio alarm device connected to said output of said voltage comparator means and being responsive to said second output signal for generating an audio indication whereby when said rod is immersed in the electrolyte, said first visual signal is generated and when said rod is not immersed in the electrolyte, said second visual signal and said audio indication are generated;

a sensing means connected between said voltage comparator means and a pair of battery voltage input terminals, said sensing means selectively connecting said terminals to said voltage comparator means when a voltage of a battery connected to said input terminals exceeds a predetermined voltage level, wherein said predetermined voltage level is above a normal operating voltage of the battery and is below a charging voltage generated when the battery is connected to a battery charger.

10. An apparatus for detecting a reduction of a level of electrolyte in a wet cell battery comprising:

an electrically conductive sensing rod adapted to be disposed within a cell of a battery in contact with an electrolyte in the cell;

a voltage comparator means having an input connected to said rod and having output, said voltage comparator means generating a first output signal when a voltage at said input is greater than a reference voltage and generating a second output signal when a voltage at said input is less than the reference voltage;

an indicator means being responsive to said first output signal for generating a first visual signal and being responsive to said second output signal for generating a second visual signal whereby when said rod is immersed in the electrolyte, said first visual signal is generated and when said rod is not immersed in the electrolyte, said second visual signal is generated;

a generally cup-shaped circuit housing enclosing said voltage comparator means and said indicator means and having an open end;

a cap shell attached to said circuit housing and adapted to be mounted in an opening of the cell; and

a cover closing said open end of said circuit housing, said indicator means extending through said cover.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first visual signal is a green color light and said second visual signal is a red color light.

12. The apparatus according claim 10 including an audio alarm device connected to said output of said voltage comparator means and being responsive to said second output signal for generating an audio indication.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said voltage comparator means includes a first comparator having hysteresis characteristics with an input connected to said rod and an output for generating said second output signal and a second comparator having hysteresis characteristics with an input connected to said output of said first comparator and an output for generating said first output signal.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 including a sensing means connected between said voltage comparator means and a pair of battery voltage input terminals, said sensing means selectively connecting said terminals to said voltage comparator means when a voltage of a battery connected to said input terminals exceeds a predetermined voltage level.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said predetermined voltage level is above a normal operating voltage of the battery and is below a charging voltage generated when the battery is connected to a battery charger.