Storage battery and case therefor

Claim 2

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein the thickness of said substantial portions of said corners should be at least about 20 percent less than the thicknesses of the adjacent portions of the side and end walls.

Claim 3

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said substantial portions of said corners have thicknesses in the range between about .025 inch and .080 inch.

Claim 4

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said substantial portions of said corners are generally intermediate between said bottom and the upper free edges of said side walls and said end walls.

Claim 5

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein polyolefin flow lines within said side walls and said end walls adjacent said substantial portions of said corners is generally transverse to said corners.

Claim 6

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said side walls and said end walls are of generally uniform thickness not in excess of about .100 inch.

Claim 7

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.

Claim 8

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said side and end walls have thicknesses within the range between about .060 inch and about .100 inch and are of molded polypropylene and said substantial portions of the corners are thinner than said side walls and said end walls and have thicknesses within the range between about .025 inch and .080 inch.

Claim 9

The storage battery case of claim 1 including partition means wherein the cavity defined by said bottom, side walls and end walls is subdivided into a plurality of cell cavities by said partition means which sealingly engage said bottom and said walls.

Claim 10

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said substantial portions of said corners comprise arcuate webs having inner and outer radii, the outer radius being significantly greater than the inner radius plus the minimum thickness of the walls adjacent said substantial portions of said corners.

Claim 11

The storage battery case of claim 11 wherein said outer radius is at least about 20 percent greater than the inner radius plus the minimum thickness of the walls adjacent said substantial portions of said corners.

Claim 12

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said substantial portions of said corners comprise webs having an outer radius and an inner shape selected to provide a reduced web thickness intermediate said side and end walls.

Claim 13

The storage battery case of claim 1 wherein said substantial portions of said corners comprise webs having an outer generally cylindrical surface and an inner surface which extends outwardly into said corners a predetermined distance to provide a reDuced web thickness intermediate said side and end walls.

Claim 14

A storage battery comprising a flexible case made of a polyolefin and having bottom, side and end walls, said side and end walls extending upwardly from said bottom to a free edge, said side and end walls being sufficiently thin to normally bow inwardly by forces and stresses in said case and being connected together along adjacent edges to form corners and define a generally rectilinear cavity, said side and end walls having predetermined thicknesses, the improvement wherein said corners, over a substantial portion of their length, have thicknesses sufficiently less than the thicknesses of said side and end walls to substantially relieve said forces and stresses in said case to substantially reduce the bowing of said end walls to thereby producing a substantially straight end wall adjacent said free edge, electrical battery elements disposed within the cavity defined by said bottom, side walls and end walls, and a cover made of a polyolefin and sealed to the free edge of said case to substantially seal said cavity, and electrically conductive means extending from said cavity for connection of said battery for use.

Claim 15

A storage battery of claim 15 including partition means wherein said cavity is subdivided into a plurality of cell cavities by said partition means which sealingly engage said bottom and said walls, electrical battery elements in each of said cavities and electrically conductive means interconnecting the elements in said plurality of cavities.

Claim 16

The storage battery of claim 16 wherein said cell cavities are substantially filled with electrolyte, said polyolefin being substantially inert in the presence of said electrolyte and the thickness of said walls and said corners being proportioned to contain said electrolyte within said cavities in the presence of substantial impact forces.

Claim 17

The storage battery of claim 16 wherein said wall thicknesses, said corner thicknesses and the physical parameters of the polyolefin are correlated whereby said end and side walls retain substantially the shape of the mold cavity in which they are fabricated.