Charge indicator

• US 7,612,535 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarios Germany GmbH & Co. KG (Michael Tojner, PhD, LLD)
• Original Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
• Inventors: Streuer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/802,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/132, 320/149, 324/426, 324/427, 324/430, 324/433, 429/61, 429/90, 429/91
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A charge indicator for a battery includes a transparent inspection rod comprising an observation area at a first end and a tip formed by a conical reflection area at a second end. The charge indicator also includes a ball cage that includes a gas bubble collection channel beginning between the first upper channel boundary wall of the ball guidance channel and the tip, the gas bubble collection channel extending from the lower area of the ball cage to the tip and extending obliquely toward the top to the upper boundary wall oppositely to the adjoining ball guidance channel at least from the tip. The gas bubble collection channel has in an upper area of the gas bubble collection channel a plurality of gas diversion areas running to the outsides of the ball cage in the direction of the upper area of the ball cage, starting from a central plane level with the tip.

Claims

1. A charge indicator for a battery having a liquid electrolyte comprising:

a transparent inspection rod comprising an observation area at a first end and a tip formed by a conical reflection area at a second end;

a ball cage attached at the second end of the inspection rod and configured to allow electrolyte to flow therethrough, the ball cage comprising;

front-end and lower boundaries;

an upper boundary wall provided with an opening for the second end of the inspection rod;

at least one ball guidance channel extending obliquely to a longitudinal axis of the inspection rod in the direction of the upper boundary wall, the ball guidance channel comprising upper and lower channel boundary walls and lateral channel boundaries; and

at least one ball provided in the ball guidance channel which has a defined specific weight; and

a gas bubble collection channel beginning between the first upper channel boundary wall of the ball guidance channel and the tip, the gas bubble collection channel extending from the lower area of the ball cage to the tip and extending obliquely toward the top to the upper boundary wall oppositely to the adjoining ball guidance channel at least from the tip;

wherein the gas bubble collection channel has in an upper area of the gas bubble collection channel a plurality of gas diversion areas running to the outsides of the ball cage in the direction of the upper area of the ball cage, starting from a central plane level with the tip.

2. The charge indicator of claim 1, wherein the gas diversion areas extend radially outward from the central plane to the outsides of the ball cage.

3. The charge indicator of claim 1, wherein the gas diversion areas extend obliquely outward from the central plane to the outsides of the ball cage.

4. The charge indicator of claim 1, wherein the gas diversion areas have a roughened surface.

5. The charge indicator of claim 1, wherein the upper boundary wall of the gas bubble collection channel, running in the direction of the lower boundary at the central plane, changes into a support wall extending perpendicularly in the direction of the lower boundary, which has a narrow side pointing toward the tip.

6. The charge indicator of claim 5, wherein the support wall ends at the first part of the ball guidance channel and is integrally joined to the first part of the ball guidance channel.

7. The charge indicator of claim 1, further comprising a second upper channel boundary wall of the ball guidance channel extending obliquely upward in the direction of the upper boundary wall from the tip and adjoining the conical reflection area of the tip with a free intermediate space and the angle of inclination of the conical reflection area with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inspection rod is smaller than the angle of inclination of the ball guidance channel with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inspection rod.

8. The charge indicator of claim 1, wherein the ball guidance channel is configured to have two balls provided therein and extends beyond the tip of the inspection rod in the direction of the upper boundary wall.

9. The charge indicator of claim 1, further comprising two ball guidance channels extending oppositely diagonally to one another and open into one another adjoining the tip.