# US 7,077,876 B2 · Method of installing an edgepiece on a battery plate

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- Number: US 7,077,876 B2
- Document ID: US7077876B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/723,597
- Filed: 2003-11-24
- Published: 2004-06-24
- Granted: 2006-07-18
- Earliest claimed: 2000-09-27
- Assignees: Mitek Holdings, Inc.
- Inventors: David A. Johnson; Peter E. Johnson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7077876B2

## CPC

- B26D 1/305: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like}
- B29C 53/043: {using rolls or endless belts}
- B29C 63/0034: {the strip material being folded}
- B29L 2031/3468: {Batteries, accumulators or fuel cells (battery cases B29L2031/7146)}
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y10T 29/10: Battery-grid making
- Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making
- Y10T 29/4911: including sealing
- Y10T 29/49112: including laminating of indefinite length material
- Y10T 29/4987: Elastic joining of parts
- Y10T 29/49915: Overedge assembling of seated part
- Y10T 29/51: Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for metal shaping or assembling
- Y10T 29/5142: and means to sever work from supply
- Y10T 29/5191: Assembly
- Y10T 29/53135: Storage cell or battery
- Y10T 29/53139: including deforming means
- Y10T 29/53278: Storage cell or battery
- Y10T 83/2096: Means to move product out of contact with tool
- Y10T 83/647: With means to convey work relative to tool station
- B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for placing an edge piece on a battery plate includes bending a thin strip of bendable plastic material into an open top, U-shaped channel. The channel is then cut into an edge piece having a length which is substantially equal to the edge of the battery plate which is to be covered. The edge piece is supported with this open top oriented towards a battery plate that is transported toward it in a manner such that the battery plate edge will be inserted into it. Once the edge of the battery plate has been inserted into the edge piece the edge piece is released so that the battery plate can be carried out of the apparatus. An apparatus for accomplishing this includes a feed mechanism which transports the strip of bendable plastic material. A bending mechanism forms this strip into the open top, U-shaped channel. The channel is then fully inserted into an assembly station where a first sensor stops the feed mechanism and a cutter cuts the channel into the proper-sized edge piece. An in-feed conveyor transports a battery plate toward the edge piece, and a support mechanism supports the edge piece while the edge of the battery plate is inserted into it. The support mechanism then releases the edge piece so that it can travel out of the insertion station with the battery plate. A second sensor restarts the feed mechanism once the battery plate is completely out of the assembly station.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for applying an edge piece to the edge of a battery plate, comprising:
(a) providing a thin strip of bendable plastic material;
(b) bending said strip into an open top U-shaped channel having opposed sides which are interconnected by a bottom element;
(c) cutting said channel into an edge piece having a length substantially equal to the length of the edge of the battery plate which is to be covered;
(d) supporting said edge piece with said open top oriented in a particular direction;
(e) transporting a battery plate toward said open top of said supported edge piece such that the edge of the battery plate will be inserted into said supported edge piece; and
(f) releasing said edge piece once the edge of the battery plate is inserted therein.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including the additional step of placing said channel over a funnel before it is cut into an edge piece and the edge of the battery plate is inserted therein, said funnel having an inlet with an opening which is large enough to freely pass the battery plate, and an outlet which fits into said open top of said edge piece.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein said bending causes said sides of said channel to be angled inwardly toward one another extending away from said bottom element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein said bottom element of said channel is resilient so that said sides can be moved outwardly with respect to one another and return to the original orientation when released, including the step of spreading apart said sides of said channel before it is placed over said funnel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including the additional step of covering the edge of the battery plate with a fiberglass mat prior to inserting it into said edge piece.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, including the step of stopping said strip of material when said channel is in position to be cut into an edge piece, and restarting said strip when a battery plate has been inserted into said edge piece and has been moved out of the path of said channel.