US3929505A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Formation of battery plates
Assignee: Mcculloch Corp
•
Filing: 1973-06-27
•
Granted: 1975-12-30
•
Expires: 1993-06-27
Abstract
Abstract Plates for batteries are formed by applying formation current and intermittently depolarizing the plates and electrolyte at either preselected intervals or in response to one or more monitored characteristics of the plates and electrolyte. Plates for lead-acid batteries are formed while immersed in either a dilute solution of sulfuric acid or the solution to be used as the electrolyte in the battery. The formation current for plates for lead-acid batteries is in excess of 20 times the usual formation current and may be more than 100 times the usual formation current.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilford B Burkett
- 👤 Joseph A Orsino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:05
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/04; H01M4/0438; H01M4/044; H01M4/0445; H01M4/0447; H01M4/14; H01M4/16; H01M4/22; H01M4/24; H01M4/26; H01M10/00; H01M10/06; H01M10/24; H01M10/30; H01M2300/00; H01M2300/0002; H01M2300/0005; H01M2300/0011; H01M2300/0014; H01M4/36; H01M4/48; H01M4/56; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for forming battery plates by an electrochemical formation reaction comprising the steps of: immersing unformed positive and negative plates in a formation electrolyte; passing a formation current having a density in excess of 50 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by electrolyte through the plates and formation electrolyte; and, intermittently reversing the current through the plates for a period sufficient to depolarize the plates and electrolyte without effecting a significant change in extant quantities of non-ionic reaction products of the formation reaction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for forming battery plates by an electrochemical formation reaction comprising the steps of: immersing unformed positive and negative plates in a formation electrolyte; passing a formation current having a density in excess of 50 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by electrolyte through the plates and formation electrolyte; and, intermittently reversing the current through the plates for a period sufficient to depolarize the plates and electrolyte without effecting a significant change in extant quantities of non-ionic reaction products of the formation reaction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the time interval during which the formation current is passed between reversals is a predetermined constant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the time interval during which current is reversed is predetermined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the interval of time of current reversal is less than 1 percent of the preceding time interval during which formation current is passed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of monitoring a condition of a positive plate and controlling the reversal of formation current responsively thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the density of the formation current is in excess of about 100 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by electrolyte.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of electrochemically forming a battery comprising: assembling unformed positive plates including at least one pasted positive plate with an outer surface comprising lead, lead dioxide and lead sulfate and unformed negative plates including at least one pasted negative plate with an outer surface comprising lead dioxide and lead sulfate and separators for a battery in a battery container; adding an electrolyte to said container; passing a formation current having a density of not less than 20 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by the electrolyte through the unformed plates and electrolyte; monitoring at least one physical characteristic of the battery indicative of the progress of the formation reaction; and, reversing the current through the plates responsively to the monitored characteristic to depolarize the plates and electrolyte without effecting a significant change in extant quantities of non-ionic reaction products of the formation reaction to thereby convert the negative plates to spongy lead and the positive plates to lead dioxide.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of electrochemically forming a battery comprising: assembling unformed positive plates including at least one pasted positive plate with an outer surface comprising lead, lead dioxide and lead sulfate and unformed negative plates including at least one pasted negative plate with an outer surface comprising lead dioxide and lead sulfate and separators for a battery in a battery container; adding an electrolyte to said container; passing a formation current having a density of not less than 20 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by the electrolyte through the unformed plates and electrolyte; monitoring at least one physical characteristic of the battery indicative of the progress of the formation reaction; and, reversing the current through the plates responsively to the monitored characteristic to depolarize the plates and electrolyte without effecting a significant change in extant quantities of non-ionic reaction products of the formation reaction to thereby convert the negative plates to spongy lead and the positive plates to lead dioxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said formation electrolyte comprises an aqueous sulfuric acid solution having a specific gravity in excess of 1.150 and wherein the current density of the formation current is not less than about 50 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by the electrolyte.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the current density of the formation current is not less than about 100 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by the electrolyte.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
51 words
A METHOD OF ELECTROCHEMICALY FORMING BATTERY PLATES COMPRISING: IMMERSING UNFORMED BATTERY PLATES IN AN ELECTROLYE; PASSING A FORMATION CURRENT THROUGH THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE; AND INTERMITTENTLY REVERSING THE CURRENT THROUGH THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE FOR AN INTERVAL OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO DEPOLARIZE THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY DISCHARGING THE BATTERY.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
51 words
A METHOD OF ELECTROCHEMICALY FORMING BATTERY PLATES COMPRISING: IMMERSING UNFORMED BATTERY PLATES IN AN ELECTROLYE; PASSING A FORMATION CURRENT THROUGH THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE; AND INTERMITTENTLY REVERSING THE CURRENT THROUGH THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE FOR AN INTERVAL OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO DEPOLARIZE THE PLATES AND ELECTROLYTE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY DISCHARGING THE BATTERY.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 10 comprising the further steps of monitoring at least one physical characteristic of the battery indicative of The rate of a formation reaction and reversing the formation current responsively to the occurrence of a preselected value in the monitored characteristic.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the current reversal occurs not less than three times an hour and wherein the periods of current reversal occurs more frequently as the formation progresses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the formation current has a density in excess of 50 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by electrolyte.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the formation current has a density in excess of 100 amperes per square foot of positive plate surface covered by electrolyte and wherein the interval of time of current reversal is less than 1 percent of the immediately preceding time interval during which formation current was passed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-29 | 1979-06-30 | 1979-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-29 | 1983-06-30 | 1983-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-29 | 1987-06-30 | 1987-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |