Cover assembly for rechargeable battery

A combination spacer/cover device for a multi-cell rechargeable battery having top and bottom surfaces and both upper and side terminal connection posts, the combination device comprising:

• a cover shell sized and shaped to substantially encase the battery top surface and upper terminal connection posts when secured to said battery to protect said upper terminal connection posts from damage as well as to prevent ready access to said upper connection posts when said side terminal connection posts are exposed, said shell having an upper platform with top and bottom surfaces and a pair of apertures disposed therein for alignment substantially with said upper terminal connection posts;
• means for spacing said upper platform from said battery top surface to recess said upper terminal connection posts relative to said platform in alignment with the apertures in said platform;
• resilient attachment means for removably securing said shell to the top surface of said battery in its covered position as well as for removably securing said shell to the bottom surface of said battery in a spacer position to provide elevated spacing of said battery for mounting purposes;
• and
• access means for permitting the electrical testing of said battery without removal of said shell from its cover position thereon.

A cover assembly for a multi-cell rechargeable battery including a battery casing having end and sidewall portions and a bottom plate secured to said end and sidewall portions, said cover assembly comprising:

• a casing lid interconnecting said end and sidewall portions opposite said bottom plate to form a top for said battery casing;
• a pair of positive and negative top terminal connection posts projecting upwardly from the top surface of said lid;
• a pair of positive and negative side terminal connection members projecting from said lid downwardly along one side wall portion of said casing;
• means for electrically interconnecting said positive top connection post with said positive side connection member and for electrically interconnecting said negative top connection post with said negative side connection member;
• a cover member member sized and shaped to fit over said casing lid to protect said top terminal connection posts as well as to prevent ready access to said top terminal connection posts when said side terminal connection members are exposed, said cover member having an upper surface with apertures disposed therein aligned substantially with said top terminal connection posts;
• means for spacing the upper surface of said cover member from said lid to recess said top terminal connection posts relative to said cover member upper surface for protection against surface contact and electrical shorting;
• and
• means for selectively attaching the cover member to said lid in its cover position as well as for selectively securing said cover member to said bottom plate to function as a spacer member for battery mounting.

In a battery housing for a multi-cell rechargeable battery having a battery casing in the form of a monobloc jar container with a plurality of integrally molded cylindrical cell compartments which merge together at tangential contact points therebetween to form the exterior sidewalls and end portions of said casing, and a bottom portion integrally molded with said cell compartments to form the bottom surfaces of said compartments as well as the bottom portion of said casing, the improvement comprising:

• a casing lid to form a top for said monobloc container and including a pair of positive and negative top terminal connection posts projecting upwardly from the top surface of said lid and a pair of positive and negative side terminal connection members depending from one side edge of said lid downwardly along one sidewall portion of said casing recessed into said tangential contact points between said cell compartments;
• means for electrically interconnecting said positive top and side connection members and for electrically interconnecting said negative top and side connection members;
• a cover sized and shaped to fit over said lid to protect said top terminal connection posts and prevent ready access to said posts when said side terminal connection members are exposed for operational use, said cover having an upper surface with apertures disposed therein aligned substantially with said top terminal connection posts;
• means for spacing the upper surface of said cover from said lid to recess the top terminal connection posts relative to the upper surface of the cover for protection against surface contact and electrical shorting;
• means for removably attaching said cover to said lid in a cover position over said lid as well as for removably securing said cover member to said battery casing bottom portion to selectively function as a spacer when mounting said battery;
• and
• means for carrying said battery in an upright position, said cover including a recess in the upper surface thereof sized and shaped to receive said carrying means substantially flush with the upper surface of said cover for storage and transportation purposes, said carrying means being adapted for selective movement between a storage position recessed in said cover and a carrying position positioned substantially above said cover.

A cap device for use with a multi-cell rechargeable battery, which battery has a top surface, a bottom surface, upper positive and negative terminal connections which project from the top surface, comprising:

• a removable cap, including a cover plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, said plate being sized and shaped to provide a substantially flat load bearing top surface which, when said cap is attached to the top of the battery, shields the top surface of the battery, including at least the upper positive and negative terminal connections of the battery, and which top surface also provides a flat surface for use in stacking batteries during shipping and storage;
• means, integral with said bottom surface of said plate, for spacing the bottom surface of said cover plate from the top surface of the battery, and for enclosing the upper terminal connections in recess relative to the upper surface of said plate for protection of the upper terminal connections against surface contact within the cap and also for protection of the upper terminal connections from exterior objects which may cause electrical shorting;
• and
• means carried by said cap device for removably attaching said cap device to the top of a battery;
• whereby, when said cap device is attached to the top of the battery, it provides a substantially flat load bearing top surface which shields the top surface of the battery, including the upper positive and negative terminal connections of the battery and provides a flat surface for use in stacking batteries during shipping and storage.