Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Cell support for removable cell – For plural cells
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-30
2001-01-16
Nuzzolillo, Maria (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Cell support for removable cell
For plural cells
C429S100000, C429S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174618
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a battery holder which holds a plurality of sealed-type batteries in a bundle.
A prior art battery holder has a structure such as that shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. SH060-22752. In the battery holder, a plurality of cylindrical batteries are arranged in such a manner that their peripheral side faces are adjacent to each other, a frame surrounds the periphery of the arranged batteries, and a cover is attached to each of the end faces of the cylindrical batteries through which the positive and negative terminals of the cylindrical batteries are exposed. The frame consists of a side wall surrounding the periphery of the batteries, and a number of partition walls which are inwardly projected from the side wall. The cylindrical batteries are supported by inserting them into the spaces between the side wall and the partition walls, respectively. In some cases, a plurality of holes are formed in a block-like frame and cylindrical batteries are respectively fitted into the holes, or alternatively a large hole having a shape which is obtained by coupling such holes to each other is formed and a plurality of cylindrical batteries are fitted in a bundle into the hole. In the covers, elastic connecting plates are adequately disposed on the faces respectively opposing the end faces of the cylindrical batteries in the frame, so that the cylindrical batteries are electrically connected to each other.
In Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. HEI2-99561, proposed is a battery box in which a plurality of battery housing portions are formed by a case outer wall and a case partition wall so as to respectively house a plurality of batteries as one unit. In each of the battery housing portions, a stay is inserted into a center portion of the unit of the plural housed batteries, so that the plural batteries are fixed with being closely contacted with the partition wall.
When a battery is discharged, heat is generated as a result of an internal chemical reaction. In the case of a heavy current drain, particularly, the amount of generated heat is increased. In a sealed-type secondary battery such as a nickel cadmium battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, the heat generation occurs also when the battery is charged. When the temperature of the battery is raised as a result of the heat generation, self-discharge may reduce the battery capacity or shorten the service life of the battery. Therefore, it is previously determined that such a battery is used in a temperature range of −10 to 60° C. during a discharging process and 0 to 35° C. during a charging process.
In the prior art battery holder, however, each cylindrical battery is surrounded by the frame and both the ends are covered by the covers so that the interior of the holder is substantially hermetically sealed, and hence heat generated from the cylindrical batteries during the discharging or charging process cannot be sufficiently dissipated to the exterior. This produces a problem in that the temperature of the cylindrical batteries may be raised to a level higher than the specified range. In the case where battery packs are to be used, when the battery packs are longitudinally held by a battery holder, a large space is required. In some cases, in order to eliminate this problem, batteries are held by a battery holder so as to constitute a battery pack, and the battery pack is used with being laterally arranged with a number of similar battery packs. When battery packs are to be connected to each other, the connection must be surely conducted so that connecting portions where a terminal is connected to another terminal are not short-circuited. When battery packs are to be connected to each other, furthermore, the connection is requested so to be unaffected by vibration or shock as much as possible. These problems are also applicable to sealed-type batteries of other types such as those of rectangular batteries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been conducted in order solve the above-discussed problems. It is an object of the invention to provide a battery holder which allows a number of battery holders to be arranged under a state where both the ends of batteries are supported by the support members and the support members are laterally arranged, which allows a number of battery packs to be connected to each other while a short-circuit is surely prevented from occurring, which is advantageous in view of a space, and in which heat generated from sealed-type batteries can be rapidly dissipated to the exterior.
In order to solve the problems, the battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (1)} in which the battery holder comprises a plate-like support member (
2
′) wherein a plurality of battery holes (
2
a
) of a predetermined depth into which sealed portions of a positive or negative side of sealed-type batteries that are clamped at one side by the support member are to be respectively fitted are formed in one face of the support member (
2
′), one row of the battery holes being a row for positive terminals, another row of the battery holes being a row for negative terminals, an terminal hole (
2
b
) is formed in a bottom face of each of the battery holes (
2
a
), a groove (
2
c
) is formed between adjacent paired positive-terminal and negative-terminal holes among the terminal holes (
2
b
) disposed in the bottom faces of the terminal holes of the rows, the paired positive-terminal and negative-terminal holes (
2
b
) being communicated with each other through the groove, and vent holes (
2
d
) which pass through from one face to another face are opened at appropriate places among the battery holes of the support member (
2
′).
The battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (2)} in which the battery holder comprises a support member (
2
) wherein a plurality of battery holes (
2
a
) of a predetermined depth which are formed in one side face of the support member so that one row of the battery holes is a row for positive terminals of sealed-type batteries and another row of the battery holes is a row for negative terminals, and, in each of the one and other rows, only a battery hole (
2
a
) for a positive terminal or a negative terminal is formed at each of opposite end portions.
The battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (3)} in which the battery holder comprises a pair of plate-like support members which support one and another sides of batteries, respectively, one of the support members is the support member (
2
′) of the configuration {circle around (1)}, and the other support member is the support member (
2
) of the configuration {circle around (2)}.
The battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (4)} in which, among the terminal holes (
2
b
) disposed in the bottom faces of the terminal holes (
2
a
) of the rows, the paired positive-terminal (
2
b
) and negative-terminal holes (
2
b
) which are communicated with each other through the groove (
2
c
) are inclinedly disposed.
The battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (5)} in which a recess groove (
2
e
) is formed at an appropriate place of a side face of the plate-like support member (
2
,
2
′).
The battery holder of the invention is characterized in that it has configuration {circle around (6)} in which terminals (
1
a
,
1
b
) of different heights are disposed on the positive and negative sides, and the battery holes (
2
a
,
2
a
) which are adjacent to each other are respectively formed at depths having a height difference which is equal to a height difference of the terminals of different polarities.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5096788 (1992-03-01), Bresin et al.
patent: 5578392 (1996-11-01), Kawamura
patent: 5763116 (1998-06-01), Lapinski et al.
Matsubara Takehito
Nishiyama Koichi
Tanaka Yoshinori
Crepeau Jonathan
Jacobson Price Holman & Stern PLLC
Japan Storage Battery Co., Ltd.
Nuzzolillo Maria
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