Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Current producing cell – elements – subcombinations and... – Cell enclosure structure – e.g. – housing – casing – container,...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-29
2002-05-07
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,...
C429S181000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06383681
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns an improved sealing unit for electric batteries, which is particularly fit for preventing the blow-by of the electrolyte.
As it Is known in the electric batteries the poles to which the external electric connections are connected, project from the cover, said poles being placed through the inside of holes which are made in the same cover.
According to an embodiment of a known type which is shown in
FIG. 1
in the enclosed drawings and relating to a pole of an improved type which is described in the Italian application VI94A000023 and in the corresponding PCT/EP95/00530 in the name of the same applicant of the present invention, the locking of each pole A in the respective hole B occurs through a tubular ring nut C which is placed in the interspace between the hole B and the pole A. Said tubular ring nut C locks them reciprocally through the interference which it realizes forcing an annular shoulder D. Said annular shoulder D is realized in the pole A against a corresponding shoulder E which is realized in the cover F, opposed to said shoulder E and projecting towards the inside of the hole B which is realized in the cover.
In order to realize the seal, a gasket G is placed between said shoulders whereas a further gasket H, housed in an annular housing I which is realized in the ring nut C, is placed between said ring nut C and the wall of the hole B.
It can be observed that each gasket realizes the seal against two opposed surfaces. Said opposed surfaces, as regards the gasket which is housed between said shoulders, are composed by two annular opposed and coaxial surfaces, one belonging to the pole and the other belonging to the cover whereas, as regards the gasket which is housed in the ring nut, said annular surfaces are composed by two annular concentric surfaces, one belonging to the lateral surface of the hole and the other belonging to the bottom surface of the annular housing which is realized in the ring nut.
Other realizations in which the gaskets are more than two and are placed in different positions, as regards those which have been described, are also known, but all of them present the peculiarity that the seal is realized always on two opposed surfaces, one belonging to the pole and the other to the cover, or one belonging to the ring nut and the other to the cover hole in which said ring nut is coupled, or also one belonging to the pole and the other to the ring nut.
In any case, moreover, the seal is assured by the shrinking through which said tubular ring nut, or a mechanically equivalent element, forces reciprocally said pole and said cover.
It has been found out that the seals which are realized this way do not always assure an adequate protection to the electric battery against the electrolyte outlet and that is the reason why the present invention is realized. Its aim is to improve, in the electric batteries, the seal against the electrolyte blow-by along the lateral surface of the poles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The said object is attained through the realization of an improved sealing unit for the electrolyte of electric batteries, said electric batteries including a container which is closed by means of a cover. Said cover is provided with annular elements circumscribing the holes which let the poles pass by and be coupled to the elements which are housed in said container. Said sealing unit, according to the main claim, includes a tubular ring nut which is coupled in the interspace existing between said pole and said hole, in which said pole is inserted and cooperating with at least a first sealing gasket, and wherein said at least first sealing gasket is included between said pole, said cover and said ring nut, and realizes with them an annular sealing area preventing the electrolyte blow-by along the lateral surface of said poles, when said ring nut clamps said pole to said cover.
According to a preferred embodiment, said at least first gasket is composed by a gasket of the OR type which is housed in an annular housing, which is coaxial to said pole, presenting a triangular cross sectional shape being circumscribed by:
the plain surface of an annular shoulder belonging to said cover and projecting radially towards the inside of said hole;
the lateral surface of a depressed diameter area of said pole;
the annular plain surface of a bevel which is realized at the end of said ring nut.
Connected with each said surface, said first gasket realizes an annular sealing surface so that three annular sealing surfaces are defined as a whole, one of which is connected with the ring nut, the other connected with the cover and still another connected with the pole.
Said ring nut presents in an intermediate position a conical annular surface which is coupled against a corresponding conical annular surface which is made in the pole. The axial position of said conical annular surfaces, when the ring nut is coupled to the pole, determines the interference degree through which said gasket forces said three surfaces wherewith it is in contact in order to realize the seal.
Advantageously the contact of said first gasket with all the three surfaces belonging to the cover at the same time, one to the pole and the other to the ring nut, determines a larger sealing degree which, as regards to the seals of a known type, is more reliable in order to prevent the electrolyte blow-by towards the outside of the electric battery. Still advantageously the seal of said first gasket can be completed by assembling further gaskets of the previously described type too.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4164609 (1979-08-01), Jensen
patent: 4683647 (1987-08-01), Brecht et al.
patent: 4775604 (1988-10-01), Dougherty et al.
patent: 3035655 (1982-05-01), None
patent: 86 00 312 (1986-08-01), None
patent: 0 228 503 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 90 05999 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 94 13023 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 95 22178 (1995-08-01), None
Brouillette Gabrielle
Creapeau Jonathan
Dykema Gossett PLLC
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