Rechargeable lead-acid battery with compound and sludge leveling and shedding capability
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMarc H. Coq, Richard John Fishbune, Mark Maresh, Eric Swenson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rechargeable lead-acid battery is provided. The rechargeable lead-acid battery includes a casing, a grid structure and an electro-mechanical assembly. The casing defines an interior configured to accommodate plates and a supply of fluid that is electrically reactive with the plates to generate electricity. The grid structure is interposed between lower edges of the plates and a bottom of the casing. The electro-mechanical assembly is coupled with the grid structure and operable to agitate the grid structure.
Claims19
A rechargeable lead-acid battery, comprising:
- a casing defining an interior configured to accommodate plates and a supply of fluid that is electrically reactive with the plates to generate electricity;
- a grid structure interposed between lower edges of the plates and a bottom of the casing;
- and
- an electro-mechanical assembly coupled with the grid structure and operable to agitate the grid structure by vibrating the grid structure,
- wherein:
- the electro-mechanical assembly comprises a stepper motor at an exterior of the casing, a mixer disposed in contact with the grid structure, a rod connecting the mixer to the stepper motor and piercing the casing at a piercing location and a seal disposed to seal the casing at the piercing location, and
- the stepper motor is configured to drive bi-directional rotation of the mixer via the rod.
A rechargeable lead-acid battery, comprising:
- a casing defining an interior configured to accommodate plates and a supply of fluid that is electrically reactive with the plates to generate electricity;
- a grid structure interposed between lower edges of the plates and a bottom of the casing;
- an electro-mechanical assembly comprising a mixer disposed in contact with the grid structure and a motor to which the mixer is connected and which is configured to drive bi-directional rotation of the mixer to thereby agitate the grid structure;
- and
- a controller configured to activate the motor when a charging condition of the battery is in effect.
A rechargeable lead-acid battery, comprising:
- a casing defining an interior configured to accommodate plates and a supply of fluid that is electrically reactive with the plates to generate electricity;
- a grid structure interposed between lower edges of the plates and a bottom of the casing, the grid structure comprises edges which are displaced from interior surfaces of the casing;
- an electro-mechanical assembly comprising a mixer disposed in contact with the grid structure and a motor to which the mixer is connected and which is configured to drive bi-directional rotation of the mixer, which is accommodated by respective spaces between the edges of the grid structure and the interior surfaces of the casing, to thereby agitate the grid structure;
- and
- a controller configured to activate the motor when a charging condition of the battery is in effect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.