High rate sealed lead-acid battery with ultrathin plates

Claim 2

A normally sealed rechargeable lead-acid cell of the starved electrolyte type which internally recombines oxygen on charging, comprising: porous positive and negative electrode plates, each having major faces and a thickness of from about 0.007 to about 0.027 inches and formed of electrochemically active material respectively joined to high hydrogen overvoltage foraminous lead grids, each grid having a thickness of from about .005 inches to no more than .019 inches; porous, electrolyte-absorbent compressible separator interposed between the positive and negative plates and compressed against the major faces of such plates to define, in combination, a cell pack; the geometric surface area of the major faces of such plates being at least about 28 square inches per cubic inch of volume of the cell pack; liquid acid electrolyte in a starved amount absorbed in the pores of the plates and separator; and a container encapsulating the cell pack in a normally sealed configuration.

Claim 3

The lead-acid cell of Claim 1 wherein the average spacing between the positive and negative electrode plates in the cell pack is from about 0.005 to 0.020 inches.

Claim 4

The lead-acid cell of Claim 1 wherein the ratio of the average spacing between the plates to the thickness of the negative plate is less than about 0.8.

Claim 5

The lead-acid cell of Claim 1 wherein the grid of the negative plate has a minimum Pb purity of at least 99.9 percent by weight.

Claim 6

A normally sealed rechargeable lead-acid cell of the recombinant type, comprising: porous positive and negative electrode plates having substantially equal thicknesses in the range from about 0.007 to about 0.027 inches and formed of electrochemically active material respectively pasted on high hydrogen overvoltage foraminous lead grids, each grid having a thickness of from about .005 inches to no more than .019 inches; porous, electrolyte-absorbent compressible separator interposed between the positive and negative plates and compressed there against under firm mutual stacking pressure; the average spacing between oppositive polarity plates being between about 0.005 and about 0.020 inches; liquid and electrolyte in a starved amount absorbed in the pores of the plates and separator; and a container encapsulating the plates and separators in a normally sealed configuration.

Claim 7

A normally sealed rechargeable lead-acid cell of the recombinant type, comprising: porous positive and negative electrode plates having substantially equal thicknesses in the range from about 0.007 to about 0.027 inches and formed of electrochemically active material respectively pasted on high hydrogen overvoltage foraminous lead grids, each grid having a thickness of from about .005 inches to no more than .019 inches; porous, electrolyte-absorbent compressible separator interposed between the positive and negative plates and compressed there against under firm mutual stacking pressure; the average spacing between oppositive polarity plates being between about 0.005 and about 0.020 inches; liquid and electrolyte in a starved amount absorbed in the pores of the plates and separator; and a container encapsulating the plates and separators in a normally sealed configuration.

Claim 8

The lead-acid cell of Claim 5 wherein the ratio of the average spacing between the plates to the thickness of the negative plate is less than about 0.8.

Claim 9

The lead-acid cell of Claim 5 wherein the grid of the negative plate has a minimum Pb purity of at least 99.9 percent by weight.

Claim 10

The lead-acid cell of Claim 5 wherein the separator is comprised of a mat of acid-wettable binder-­free glass fibers, individual fibers of which have average diameters of from about 0.2 to about 10 microns, and the mat having a porosity of from about 85 to about 95 percent.

Claim 11

The lead-acid cell of Claim 5 wherein a thin layer of electrolyte is homogeneously distributed throughout the negative plate.

Claim 12

A normally sealed rechargeable lead-acid cell of the starved electrolyte type which internally recombines oxygen on charging, comprising: porous positive and negative electrode plates, each having major faces and thickness of from about 0.007 to about 0.027 inches and formed of electrochemically active material respectively pasted on high hydrogen overvoltage foraminous lead grids having a purity of at least about 99.9 percent by weight lead, each grid having a thickness of from about .005 inches to no more than .019 inches; porous, electrolyte-absorbent compressible separator of silica base and having a surface area (BET method) of from about 0.1 to about 20m²/g, interposed between the positive and negative plates and compressed against the major faces of such plates to define, in combination, a cell pack; the geometric surface area of the major faces of such plates being at least about 28 square inches per cubic inch of volume of the cell pack; liquid acid electrolyte in a starved amount absorbed in the pores of the plates and separator; and a container encapsulating the cell pack in a normally sealed configuration.

Claim 13

A normally sealed rechargeable lead-acid cell of the starved electrolyte type which internally recombines oxygen on charging, comprising: porous positive and negative electrode plates, each having major faces and thickness of from about 0.007 to about 0.027 inches and formed of electrochemically active material respectively pasted on high hydrogen overvoltage foraminous lead grids having a purity of at least about 99.9 percent by weight lead, each grid having a thickness of from about .005 inches to no more than .019 inches; porous, electrolyte-absorbent compressible separator of silica base and having a surface area (BET method) of from about 0.1 to about 20m²/g, interposed between the positive and negative plates and compressed against the major faces of such plates to define, in combination, a cell pack; the geometric surface area of the major faces of such plates being at least about 28 square inches per cubic inch of volume of the cell pack; liquid acid electrolyte in a starved amount absorbed in the pores of the plates and separator; and a container encapsulating the cell pack in a normally sealed configuration.