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US 7,951,474 B2Granted
Gas release valve
AssigneeAbertax Reserach & Development Ltd
InventorsGeorge Schembri, Joseph Pule', Joseph Cilia, Werner Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas release valve to be mounted in an access port of a battery cell includes a housing, the upper side of which is closed by a lid. The lower side of the lid has an opening leading into the battery cell and is in communication, via degassing passageways closed by an elastic sealing element, with at least one vent provided in the lid. The elastic sealing element is a preloaded non-return element, the inner surface of which is urged into sealing contact with a seat provided in the housing by it s own elasticity and, in addition, by a pressure differential with the outer pressure that acts through the vent against the outer surface of the sealing element.
Claims19
A gas release valve for an access port of a battery cell comprising:
- a housing configured for coupling to an adapter plug disposed in the access port, the housing having a lid on a first side and an opening in a second side, the lid having a lower side in the direction of the opening and an upper side in the opposite direction, the opening being in flow communication with the battery cell;
- one or more degassing passageways providing flow communication between the opening and one more vents provided in the lid;
- a seat provided in the flow path between the opening and the one or more vents;
- and
- a sealing element disposed on the seat, the sealing element closing the one or more degassing passageways,
- wherein the sealing element is preloaded against the seat by elastic properties of the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element becomes further preloaded against the seat by in presence of a pressure differential acting from the one or more vents against the sealing element, and
- wherein the sealing element is an annular collar or an O-ring.
5 more elements
A gas release valve for an access port of a battery cell comprising:
- a housing configured for coupling to an adapter plug disposed in the access port, the housing having a lid on a first side and an opening in a second side, the lid having a lower side in the direction of the opening and an upper side in the opposite direction, the opening being in flow communication with the battery cell;
- one or more degassing passageways providing flow communication between the opening and one more vents provided in the lid;
- a seat provided in the flow path between the opening and the one or more vents;
- and
- a sealing element disposed on the seat, the sealing element closing the one or more degassing passageways,
- wherein the sealing element is preloaded against the seat by elastic properties of the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element becomes further preloaded against the seat by in presence of a pressure differential acting from the one or more vents against the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element is a disk having a thicker central part and a flexible annular outer edge,
- wherein the disk is disposed on the seat,
- wherein the seat is shaped as an annular support provided on a wall of the opening,
- wherein the annular support extends to form a radially inclined ridge sloping inward into the opening, and
- wherein the ridge causes a narrowing of the opening.
9 more elements
A gas release valve for an access port of a battery cell comprising:
- a housing configured for coupling to an adapter plug disposed in the access port, the housing having a lid on a first side and an opening in a second side, the lid having a lower side in the direction of the opening and an upper side in the opposite direction, the opening being in flow communication with the battery cell;
- one or more degassing passageways providing flow communication between the opening and one more vents provided in the lid;
- a seat provided in the flow path between the opening and the one or more vents;
- and
- a sealing element disposed on the seat, the sealing element closing the one or more degassing passageways,
- wherein the sealing element is preloaded against the seat by elastic properties of the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element becomes further preloaded against the seat by in presence of a pressure differential acting from the one or more vents against the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element is a flexible tubular skirt coupled to the housing,
- wherein an upper portion of the tubular skirt extends in the direction of the lid to be in sealing abutment against the seat, and
- wherein the seat is provided on an outer surface of a cylindrical element projecting from the lower surface of the lid.
7 more elements
A gas release valve for an access port of a battery cell comprising:
- a housing configured for coupling to an adapter plug disposed in the access port, the housing having a lid on a first side and an opening in a second side, the lid having a lower side in the direction of the opening and an upper side in the opposite direction, the opening being in flow communication with the battery cell;
- one or more degassing passageways providing flow communication between the opening and one more vents provided in the lid;
- a seat provided in the flow path between the opening and the one or more vents;
- a baffle element disposed in the proximity of an edge of the opening facing the battery cell, and
- a sealing element disposed on the seat, the sealing element closing the one or more degassing passageways,
- wherein the sealing element is preloaded against the seat by elastic properties of the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element becomes further preloaded against the seat by in presence of a pressure differential acting from the one or more vents against the sealing element, and
- wherein the baffle element is provided with one or more inlet channels having tubular extension conduits.
5 more elements
A gas release valve for an access port of a battery cell comprising:
- a housing configured for coupling to an adapter plug disposed in the access port, the housing having a lid on a first side and an opening in a second side, the lid having a lower side in the direction of the opening and an upper side in the opposite direction, the opening being in flow communication with the battery cell;
- one or more degassing passageways providing flow communication between the opening and one more vents provided in the lid;
- a seat provided in the flow path between the opening and the one or more vents;
- and
- a sealing element disposed on the seat, the sealing element closing the one or more degassing passageways,
- wherein the sealing element is preloaded against the seat by elastic properties of the sealing element,
- wherein the sealing element becomes further preloaded against the seat by in presence of a pressure differential acting from the one or more vents against the sealing element, and
- wherein the sealing element is coupled to a sensor detecting a deformation of the sealing element so to determine the actual gas pressure in the battery cell.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.