Battery terminal construction and method for forming battery terminals

Claim 2

In an electrical battery having a container, a cell element within the container, the cell element comprising positive active material, negative active material, separation means between the positive and negative active materials, at least one metallic current collector disposed in at least one of said active materials and at least a portion of the container wall made of a thermally deformable material, the improvement comprising: a. a metallic terminal insert defining a terminal for the battery, the terminal insert having a stem portion passing through the thermally deformable portion of the container wall material and being embedded in the current collector within the confines of the battery container; and b. the container wall material through which the insert passes being locked between portions of the insert and portions of the current collecting electrode.

Claim 3

In a storage battery having a container of thermally deformable material with at least one cell compartment therein, a cell element comprising positive plates and negative plates, a positive strap connecting the positive plates together and a negative strap connecting the negative plates together, the container having four sidewalls, a bottom wall and a cover wall, and at least one metallic terminal post therewithin attached to one of the straps and abutting at one of the container walls, the improvement comprising: a. a metallic terminal insert defining a terminal for the battery, the terminal insert having a flange portion and a stem portion, the stem portion passing through one of the battery walls and being embedded in the terminal post; and b. the container wall through which the insert passes being locked between the insert and the terminal post.

Claim 4

In a storage battery having a container of thermally deformable material with at least one cell compartment therein, a cell element comprising positive plates and negative plates, a positive strap connecting the positive plates together and a negative strap connecting the negative plates together, the container having four sidewalls, a bottom wall and a cover wall, and at least one metallic terminal post therewithin attached to one of the straps and abutting at one of the container walls, the improvement comprising: a. a metallic terminal insert defining a terminal for the battery, the terminal insert having a flange portion and a stem portion, the stem portion passing through one of the battery walls and being embedded in the terminal post; and b. the container wall through which the insert passes being locked between the insert and the terminal post.

Claim 5

A battery as defined in claim 2 in which the flange on the insert has a collar projecting from its underside penetrating into the container wall.

Claim 6

A battery as defined in claim 2 wherein the stem portion of the insert is a conical frustum in configuration and the terminal post has a cylindrical portion and a flared end portion, said stem portion of the insert being partially embedded in the end of said post, and the diameter of the flared end surface of the terminal post being greater than the diameter of the portion of the conical frustum embedded in the end of the terminal post.

Claim 7

A battery as defined in claim 2 in which a sealing material is located in the interface defined by the battery container wall and the terminal post.

Claim 8

A battery as defined in claim 2 further characterized by a socket formed on the inside of a container wall and enclosing a portion of the terminal post.

Claim 9

A battery as defined in claim 6 in which a sealing material is located in the interface defined by the socket on the inside of the container wall and the metallic terminal post.

Claim 10

A battery as defined in claim 6 in which the terminal post has circumferential projections in the area adjacent to its upper end.

Claim 11

In a lead acid storage battery having a container with a plurality of cell compartments, a cover sealed to the container and closing the cell compartments, a cell element in each cell compartment comprising positive plates, negative plates, separators therebetween, positive straps connecting the positive plates in each cell compartment and at least one terminal post disposed within the container adjacent the cover and attached to one cell element, the improvement comprising: a metallic terminal insert passing through the container cover and engaged in permanent mechanical and electrical contact with the terminal post within the container, the insert further characterized by having an electrical contact surface beyond the confines of the container and having a metallic externally threaded member embedded partially within the metallic insert and partially within the terminal post, the axis of the threaded member being on the axis of the metallic insert.

Claim 12

In a lead acid storage battery having a container with a plurality of cell compartments, a cover sealed to the container and closing the cell compartments, a cell element in each cell compartment comprising positive plates, negative plates, separators therebetween, positive straps connecting the positive plates in each cell compartment and at least one terminal post disposed within the container adjacent the cover and attached to one cell element, the improvement comprising: a metallic terminal insert passing through the container cover and engaged in permanent mechanical and electrical contact with the terminal post within the container, the insert further characterized by having an electrical contact surface beyond the confines of the container and having a metallic externally threaded member embedded partially within the metallic insert and partially within the terminal post, the axis of the threaded member being on the axis of the metallic insert.

Claim 15

A method as defined in claim 10 in which the insert is forced into the metallic current collector until the container wall is locked by The insert and terminal post.

Claim 18

A method as defined in claim 12 in which a hot melt sealing material is disposed in the interface formed by the lead composition terminal post and the adjacent container wall.

Claim 19

A method as defined in claim 12 in which the stem portion of the insert includes a drill member of hard metal protruding from the end and on the axis thereof.

Claim 22

A method as defined in claim 15 in which the insert includes a flange, a sharp-edged collar formed at the rim of the flange, the sharp-edged collar facing in the same direction as the stem portion; and in which the forcing of the insert into the container wall and terminal post is continued until the sharp-edged collar is at least partially embedded in the container material.

Claim 23

A method as defined in claim 15 in which the terminal post is caused to expand by its engagement with the stem portion of the insert until it engages the surface of the socket formed on the inner wall of the container.

Claim 24

A method as defined in claim 15 in which a hot melt sealing material is disposed in the interface fixed by the lead composition terminal post and the surface of the socket formed on the inner wall of the container.