Two way battery vent cap using cup valves

A lead-acid battery vent valve apparatus to relieve excessive positive and negative gas pressure within the battery, comprising:

• a molded resinous housing comprising an upper cylindrical cup-shaped portion and a lower cylindrical tubular portion, the lower cylindrical tubular portion molded integrally and coaxially with a bottom of the upper cylindrical cup shaped portion;
• a barrier extending across a horizontal cross section of the lower cylindrical tubular portion, blocking the passage of gases therethrough;
• and
• a pair of oppositely directed valve openings through the barrier;
• and
• a pair of valves, each valve located on an opposite side of the barrier and covering the respective valve opening, each valve yielding to a higher pressure present on a side of the barrier opposite the respective valve and opening to relieve the higher pressure.

A lead-acid battery vent valve apparatus to relieve excessive positive and negative gas pressure within the battery, comprising:

• a hollow housing, a first part which fits within a vent in a battery case cover and a second part which overlies the battery case cover engaging a sealing member between the battery case cover and the housing;
• a barrier extending across the housing and blocking passage of gases;
• a pair of oppositely directed valve openings through the barrier providing vent passages defined by nozzles surrounding the respective valve openings and extending from the barrier in opposite directions, each nozzle covered by a resilient cup valve member having sidewalls embracing the nozzle and arranged to yield to a higher pressure of a predetermined level within the cup valve member;
• and
• limit means supported on and within the hollow housing and positioned to limit the amount of movement of each of the respective cup valve members.

A lead-acid battery vent valve apparatus to relieve excessive positive and negative gas pressure within the battery, comprising:

• a molded resinous housing comprising an upper cylindrical cup shaped portion and a lower cylindrical tubular portion molded integrally and coaxially with a bottom of the upper portion;
• a barrier extending across a horizontal cross section of the lower cylindrical tubular portion, blocking the passage of gases therethrough;
• and
• a pair of oppositely directed valve openings through the barrier providing vent passages defined by nozzles surrounding the respective valve openings and extending from the barrier in opposite directions, each nozzle closed by a resilient cup valve member having sidewalls embracing the nozzle and arranged to yield to a predetermined pressure within the cup valve member.

A recombinant lead-acid battery comprising:

• a. a case having at least one venting aperture therein;
• b. a plurality of positive and negative plates within the case;
• and
• c. a vent valve assembly communicating with the venting aperture including:
• i. a first valve relieving pressure internal of the battery in excess of a predetermined level above ambient;
• and
• ii. a second valve relieving partial vacuum internal of the battery in excess of a predetermined level below ambient.

A recombinant lead-acid battery comprising:

• a. a case having at least one venting aperture therein;
• b. a plurality of lead-acid cells within the case, each cell including positive and negative plates;
• c. a plurality of the cells being in vapor communication with one another;
• and
• d. a vent valve assembly in vapor communication with the aperture and with the vapor communicating cells, the vent valve assembly including:
• i. a valve relieving partial vacuum internal of the vapor communicating cells in excess of a predetermined level below ambient;
• ii. a catalyst cage located within the path of gases flowing through the assembly;
• and
• iii. catalyst material retained within the cage in vapor communication with the vapor communicating cells for enhancing recombination of hydrogen and oxygen evolved at the plates of the cells into water.

A recombinant lead-acid battery comprising:

• a. a case having at least one venting aperture therein;
• b. a plurality of positive and negative plates within the case;
• and
• c. a vent valve assembly communicating with the venting aperture including:
• i. a valve relieving partial vacuum internal of the battery in excess of a predetermined level below ambient;
• ii. a catalyst cage located within the path of gases flowing through the assembly;
• and
• iii. catalyst material retained within the cage in vapor communication with the plates for enhancing recombination of hydrogen and oxygen evolved at the plates into water.