Vent plug having an integal seal
AssigneeGNB Technologies, Inc.
InventorDuane D. Hakarine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides for a wet, multicell, lead-acid electric storage battery comprising a venting system having vent plugs comprising an inventive sealing arrangement. Specifically, the vent plugs provide a seal to be molded onto the vent body as a permanently attached feature. The present invention consequently eliminates the need to separately manufacture and apply a gasket to a vent body, thus reducing manufacturing costs and greatly improving reliability and safety during both use and handling.
Claims11
A venting plug for use with a wet, lead-acid electric storage battery comprising a container and a cover defining at least one cavity, the cover defining at least one cylindrically shaped process hole associated with said cavity, said venting plug being adapted for insertion into said process hole to provide gaseous communication between said cavity and the atmosphere, the venting plug comprising:
- a body being made of a first material and having a cylindrical portion and a top portion, said cylindrical portion having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being closed off by the top portion and said lower end being open;
- an integrally molded seal being made of a second material and being disposed circumferentially about said upper end and subjacent said top, said seal being molded directly to the body such that said seal adheres to the body, the seal being elastically deformable in a passage between the body and the process hole to seal the passage.
A wet, lead-acid storage battery comprising a container and a cover defining at least one cavity, the cover defining at least one cylindrically shaped process hole associated with said cavity, and venting plug being adapted for insertion into said process hole to provide gaseous communication between said cavity and the atmosphere, the venting plug comprising:
- a body being made of a first material and having a cylindrical shape, said body having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being closed off by a top portion and said lower end being open;
- a seal being made of an elastomeric material and being disposed circumferentially about said upper end of said body and subjacent said top, said seal being molded directly to the body such that said seal adheres to the body, the seal being elastically deformable in a passage between the body and the process hole to seal the passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.