Patent US5693505A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0244683A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0244683A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for sealing a battery terminal post
Assignee: Globe Union Inc
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Filing: 1987-04-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-04-16
Abstract
Abstract The interface between the plastic cover (3) of a battery container and the lead (2) or other metal terminal post which extends therethrough is sealed with a rubber bushing (10) which is compressed and extruded along the terminal post during installation and locked tightly in its compressed and extruded state. The bushing preferably has a pair of oppositely angled intersecting frustoconical surfaces (12, 15) on its exterior surface which are adapted to cooperate with mating surfaces surrounding the opening in the cover and on a locking retainer (16). The assembly provides a flexible seal which will accommodate the inevitable vertical movement of the terminal post as a result of battery element expansion. Most importantly, the assembly provides an extremely effective barrier to the migration of electrolyte along the terminal post to prevent outer terminal corrosion. The rubber bushing is preferably impregnated with silicone oil which, when the bushing is installed, fills the surface voids in the cast terminal post which otherwise provide paths for electrolyte migration. The silicone oil also provides a lubricant for the controlled compression and extrusion of the bushing.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas John Dougherty
- 👤 Matthias Geibl
- 👤 Richard A. Hamann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:30
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M50/00; H01M50/10; H01M50/183; H01M50/172; H01M50/174; H01M50/176; H01M50/147; H01M50/166; H01M50/184; H01M50/186; H01M50/188; H01M50/19; H01M50/193; H01M50/198; H01M50/50; H01M50/543; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
A battery terminal seal assembly for sealing the interface between a battery container cover and a cylindrical terminal post extending therethrough from the interior of the container comprising: a. an integral sleeve extending downwardly from the underside of the cover, said sleeve having an upwardly opening interior portion defining an annular space around the terminal post and a lower portion extending generally radially inwardly toward and terminating adjacent the terminal post; b. a compressible elastomer bushing having a cylindrical interior surface with a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the terminal post and a first frustoconical exterior surface defining in axial cross section a base end and a narrower lip end, said bushing adapted to be inserted around the terminal post within the annular space; c. an annular retainer having a downwardly depending flange portion adapted to be inserted downwardly around the terminal, into the annular space and over the bushing; d. the flange portion of the retainer, the lower portion of the sleeve and the terminal post providing coextensive encapsulation of all but the lip end of the bushing such that downward insertion of the retainer compresses the bushing radially and causes axial extrusion of the bushing in the direction of the lip end thereof along the terminal post; and, e. means on the retainer and the sleeve for securing the bushing in its compressed and extruded state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
A battery terminal seal assembly for sealing the interface between a battery container cover and a cylindrical terminal post extending therethrough from the interior of the container comprising: a. an integral sleeve extending downwardly from the underside of the cover, said sleeve having an upwardly opening interior portion defining an annular space around the terminal post and a lower portion extending generally radially inwardly toward and terminating adjacent the terminal post; b. a compressible elastomer bushing having a cylindrical interior surface with a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the terminal post and a first frustoconical exterior surface defining in axial cross section a base end and a narrower lip end, said bushing adapted to be inserted around the terminal post within the annular space; c. an annular retainer having a downwardly depending flange portion adapted to be inserted downwardly around the terminal, into the annular space and over the bushing; d. the flange portion of the retainer, the lower portion of the sleeve and the terminal post providing coextensive encapsulation of all but the lip end of the bushing such that downward insertion of the retainer compresses the bushing radially and causes axial extrusion of the bushing in the direction of the lip end thereof along the terminal post; and, e. means on the retainer and the sleeve for securing the bushing in its compressed and extruded state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention as described in claim 1 wherein the first frustoconical exterior surface of the bushing extends from the lip end thereof along a major portion of its axial length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention as described in claim 2 wherein the base end of the bushing includes a second frustoconical exterior surface oppositely angled with respect to and intersecting the first frustoconical surface and disposed at a greater angle to the bushing axis than the first frustoconical surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention as described in claim 3 wherein the lower portion of the sleeve and the flange portion of the retainer include frustoconical bearing surfaces which lie substantially coextensive with and are adapted to bear on the first and second frustoconical surfaces of the bushing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention as described in claim 4 wherein the lower end of the tapered lower portion of the sleeve is spaced radially from the terminal post and the bushing is inserted with its lip end extending downwardly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention as described in claim 4 wherein the upper end of the annual retainer is spaced radially from the terminal post and the bushing is inserted with its lip end extending upwardly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention as described in claim 1 wherein the bushing is impregnated with silicone oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention as described in claim 7 wherein the elastomer bushing material is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, ethylene terpolymer, vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and butyl-N.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention as described in claim 8 wherein the bushing material has a Shore A durometer rating in the range of 35 to 80.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a storage battery or cell including a container, a cover and one or more cell elements having a cylindrical terminal post extending from the interior of the container through an annular sleeve in the cover, the method of sealing the space between the sleeve in the cover and the terminal post comprising the steps of: 1. inserting a compressible annular bushing around the terminal post and into the space; 2. inserting an annular retainer around the terminal and over the bushing to encapsulate between the retainer, the sleeve and the terminal post, all of the bushing except a free axial end thereof; 3. moving the retainer downwardly relative to the sleeve and the terminal post to compress the bushing radially and to extrude the bushing axially along the terminal post in the direction of the free axial end thereof; and, 4. securing the retainer to the sleeve to maintain the bushing in its compressed and extruded state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
In a storage battery or cell including a container, a cover and one or more cell elements having a cylindrical terminal post extending from the interior of the container through an annular sleeve in the cover, the method of sealing the space between the sleeve in the cover and the terminal post comprising the steps of: 1. inserting a compressible annular bushing around the terminal post and into the space; 2. inserting an annular retainer around the terminal and over the bushing to encapsulate between the retainer, the sleeve and the terminal post, all of the bushing except a free axial end thereof; 3. moving the retainer downwardly relative to the sleeve and the terminal post to compress the bushing radially and to extrude the bushing axially along the terminal post in the direction of the free axial end thereof; and, 4. securing the retainer to the sleeve to maintain the bushing in its compressed and extruded state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as defined in claim 10 including the preliminary step of impregnating the bushing with a silicone oil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method as defined in claim 11 including the steps of: 1. forming the bushing with a first frustoconical exterior surface defining in axial cross section a base end and a narrower lip end; 2. orienting the bushing such that the lip end comprises the free axial end threof; and, 3. providing bearing surfaces on the sleeve and retainer to engage the first frustoconical exterior surface and the base end of the bushing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1386946A
Cited
US1498080A
Cited
FR2140104A1
Cited
DE2426142A1
Cited
GB1603193A
Cited
DE3035655A1
Cited
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