Battery cover for retention of dielectric fluid
AssigneeDoyle Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorMichael A. Doyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A battery cover includes a sealing member configured to provide a fluid-tight sealing member with a battery casing. The sealing member has a top surface and a bottom surface. A vent aperture is formed through the sealing member. A condensation chamber is disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the sealing member and is fluidly coupled to the vent aperture via an outlet. The condensation chamber receiving a flow of a fluid therethrough.
Claims20
A battery cover comprising:
- a sealing member configured to provide a fluid-tight seal with a battery casing, the sealing member having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a vent aperture formed through the sealing member;
- a condensation chamber disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the sealing member and fluidly coupled to the vent aperture via an outlet, the condensation chamber receiving a flow of a fluid therethrough;
- and
- a lid covering at least a portion of the vent aperture and the condensation chamber, the lid including a rim visible through the vent aperture.
The battery cover of claim 11, wherein the rim is frustoconical in shape and facilitates visual verification of a maximum fill level for electrolyte.
A battery cover for covering a battery casing comprising:
- a sealing member configured to provide a fluid-tight seal with the battery casing, the sealing member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a vent aperture formed therethrough, and a terminal aperture formed therethrough;
- an inner vent wall surrounding the vent aperture and extending outwardly from the bottom surface of the sealing member;
- an inner chamber wall extending outwardly from the bottom surface of the sealing member, the inner chamber wall defining a condensation chamber fluidly coupled to the vent aperture via an outlet, the condensation chamber conveying a flow of a fluid therethrough;
- a medium disposed within the condensation chamber;
- and
- a lid including a frustoconical rim and a protruding tube.
The battery cover of claim 14, wherein the condensation chamber is divided into a pair of condensation chambers each extending laterally outwardly from the inner vent wall.
The battery cover of claim 15, wherein each of the pair of condensation chambers has a substantially polygonal cross-sectional shape.
A method of retaining electrolyte in a battery comprising the steps of:
- sealing a battery casing containing the battery with a battery cover;
- venting gases released by the battery through a vent aperture formed through the battery cover;
- condensing electrolyte entrained within the gases in a condensation chamber disposed on the battery cover before the gasses exit through the vent aperture, the condensation chamber fluidly coupled to the vent aperture, the gases contacting a surface area of a medium disposed within the condensation chamber;
- determining a size of the surface area of the medium dependent on the amount of electrolyte necessitating retainment within the battery;
- and
- a lid including a rim and a protruding tube, wherein the gases are caused to pass through the medium instead of through the protruding tube.
The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of visually obtaining a level of electrolyte within the battery through the vent aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.