Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Cell enclosure structure – e.g. – housing – casing – container,...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-28
2001-10-16
Brouillette, Gabrielle (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...
Cell enclosure structure, e.g., housing, casing, container,...
C429S163000, C429S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06303247
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to electric storage batteries generally, and, more particularly, to a cover portion thereof having a recessed attachment feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is often desirable to mount a component, such as an electronics module, in the engine compartment of an automotive vehicle. Conventionally, such components are attached using a separate bracket or the like. The separate bracket, however, generally increases the cost of the automotive vehicle and takes up space.
It is also known to provide an electric storage battery generally, and in particular one that includes an attachment hole for a terminal protector. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,076 issued to Poe discloses an electric storage battery that includes a case or housing the battery's active elements, wherein the case includes a base, a pair of opposing ends and a pair of opposing sides. Poe further discloses a battery cover secured to the case. Poe, however, does not disclose any features for mounting or securing components co the battery.
The other electric storage battery configuration referred to above includes a cylindrical recess adapted to receive a corresponding post of a so-called terminal protector for positioning and securing the terminal protector. Terminal protectors are known generally, as seen by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,125 issued to Davis. The cylindrical recesses, however, provide only a limited attachment mechanism, suitable only for the terminal protector for which it was designed. That is, the cylindrical recesses referred to above are not suitable, generally, for use in mounting other components that may be found in the engine compartment of an automotive vehicle. Moreover, even were the terminal protector referred to above not used, thus making the cylindrical recesses available for alternate mounting purposes, the basic cylindrical recesses are not very robust in terms of allowing components to be secured to the battery. Use of fasteners in these recesses may cause the recess wall to crack or split, compromising the seal established between the inside of the battery (e.g., electrolytes) and atmosphere.
According, there is a need to provide an electric storage battery that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems or shortcomings set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electric storage battery according to the present invention not only provides a conventional power-providing function, but, additionally, has an advantage of providing an attachment feature through which components destined for use in an engine compartment may be secured. Integration of such a mounting feature eliminates the need for a separate bracket or the like. In addition, the attachment feature is sufficiently robust to allow heavy components to be secured to the battery, using off-the-shelf fasteners.
According to the invention, a cover for an electric storage battery is provided. The storage battery is of the type that includes a case for housing the battery's active elements, and which includes a base, a pair of opposing ends and a pair of opposing sides. The cover is configured to be attached to the case to enclose the active elements in the case, characterized in that: the cover includes a blind bore having a deformation relief feature on an inner surface thereof so as to configure the blind bore to receive a fastener for mounting a component to the battery.
In a preferred embodiment, the blind bore is disposed along a longitudinal axis, and the deformation relief feature includes a plurality of longitudinally (i.e., vertically) extending, circumferentially-spaced ribs separated by intervening grooves. Through the foregoing, a conventional fastener, such as a threaded-type fastener, may be employed to secure a component to the battery. The deformation relief feature enhances the holding ability of the fastener to the inner wall of the blind bore as well as reduces the likelihood of cracks or the like during use.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4562125 (1985-12-01), Davis
patent: 4861687 (1989-08-01), Brantley et al.
patent: 5624772 (1997-04-01), McVey et al.
patent: 5691076 (1997-11-01), Poe
patent: 5804770 (1998-09-01), Tanaka
patent: 6124055 (2000-09-01), Stocchiero
patent: 6153329 (2000-11-01), Raschilla et al.
Carter Dane E.
Griffey Tammy M.
Brouillette Gabrielle
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Dobrowitsky Margaret A.
Dove Tracy
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