Abstract:
The invention relates to a water filling connector for automatically filling battery cells, having a cylindrical connector housing ( 12 ) comprising a connector fitting ( 26 ) for water inlet into the housing ( 12 ) and a valve actuated by a swimmer and having a ring-shaped valve body ( 38 ) and a conical valve seat ( 42 ) disposed between an inlet channel ( 34 ) and an outlet channel ( 68 ) leading into the battery cell. Swirl-generating deflection channels ( 64 ) are disposed around the circumference between the ring-shaped inlet channel ( 34 ) and the conical valve set ( 42 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a water refilling plug for automatically filling battery cells. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    European Patent EP-B 763 262 discloses a filling apparatus for filling battery cells of the species indicated, in which apparatus the water is directed, behind the connector fitting, on a U-shaped upward path that acts as a siphon, to a spillover partition, from whence it travels through a lateral overflow channel under the open valve body. 
         [0003]    A refilling plug of this kind, and plugs of similar design, serves for automatically refilling battery cells with distilled water. This is brought about in practical terms substantially using three different methods: 
         [0004]    1. By means of gravity-fed water from a tank that is attached at a specific height above the battery to be filled. The outflow opening of the tank is connected via a quick-connect coupling to the filling system that is mounted above the battery surface, and the installed refilling plugs control water inflow into the battery cells via a valve-and-float system. 
         [0005]    2. By means of a pump, which is often driven by a motor at low voltage (approx. 12 volts) and provides water from a tank at a pressure of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 bar. The outflow opening of the pump is connected by means of a quick-connect coupling to the filling system, which is mounted on the battery surface. Here as well, the installed filler plugs control water inflow into the battery cells via a valve-and-float system. 
         [0006]    3. By means of tap water from the public water system. In this case the water pressure (approx. 4 bar) available from the public water system is used as filling pressure, and after prior preparation of the water by means of an ion exchanger, the water is connected via a quick-connect coupling to the filling system, which is mounted on the battery surface. A valve-and-float system controls water inflow through the filler plugs into the battery cells. 
         [0007]    The above three examples indicate that a filling system must be used, and must function, under a wide variety of conditions. The object underlying the invention is therefore that of making available a water refilling plug that works reliably at all practically occurring pressures, so that it can be used without difficulty not only for very low filling pressures, but also for relatively high pressures. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To achieve this object, provision is made according to the present invention that in the context of the water refilling plug of the species indicated, swirl-generating deflection channels are arranged, in a manner distributed over the circumference, between the annular inflow channel and the conical valve seat. 
         [0009]    As a result, a rotary motion is imparted in controlled fashion, via the deflection channels, to the water before it reaches the valve. This circular motion of the water stream generates a suction that has its highest rotational velocity in the peripheral region, and behaves neutrally at its core. The circular motion of the outflowing water provides the momentum for the closing operation of the valve body, so that the closing operation proceeds very exactly, in self-regulating fashion, and almost identically in all pressure ranges. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment of the invention, the deflection channels are recessed into a valve cylinder attached centeredly in the housing, and open substantially tangentially into its interior space above the valve seat. In a preferred embodiment, the deflection channels proceed obliquely upward from the annular inflow channel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Additional features and advantages are evident from the description below of an exemplifying embodiment that is depicted in the drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a water refilling plug in accordance with the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below of the plug of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal section through the refilling plug; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a section, rotated 90° as compared with  FIG. 3 , through the refilling plug; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a horizontal section through the plug at the height of the deflection channels. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Water refilling plug  10 , depicted externally in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , may be used for the automatic introduction of water into battery cells, and has a cylindrical plug housing  12  that, in accordance with  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is joined by snap engagement to a sleeve  14  that can be inserted into the refill opening of a battery cell (not shown). Fastening means  16 , for example for bayonet connection in the refill opening of the battery cell, are shaped onto the sleeve  14 . A cover  20  is articulated at the upper end of plug housing  12  via a hinge  18 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , inserted into plug housing  12 , which may be manufactured from plastic, is an inner housing  22  that is manufactured as an injection-molded part from a transparent plastic in one or two pieces. Joined thereto or integrally configured therewith, on one side, is a T-shaped connector piece  24  (see  FIG. 5 ) that carries two horizontal connector fittings  26  for water delivery and for conveying water on to the adjacent battery cell. It is further evident from  FIG. 3  that connector fitting  26  for water delivery leads into an entry chamber  28 , and from that via a connecting opening  30  into a prechamber  32 . Prechamber  32  in turn leads from below into an annular inflow channel  34  that is shaped onto the outer side of a valve cylinder  36  that is part of inner housing  22 . 
         [0019]    Valve cylinder  36  is disposed centeredly within inner housing  22 , and receives a centeredly mounted, vertically movable valve body  38  that is shaped onto the upper end of a vertical shaft  40  and is installed in suspended fashion. The annular valve body  38  has a cup shape that is open at the top and, with the valve in the closed state, rests on a conical valve seat  42  that is evident in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0020]    As  FIG. 4  shows, the lower end of shaft  40  is connected, via a rocker lever  44  that is mounted on a rocker support  46 , to a float rod  48  that is mounted centeredly in inner housing  22  in vertically displaceable fashion. Lower end  50  of float rod  48  serves for the fastening of a float (not shown). The hollow float rod  48  is mounted vertically movably on a downwardly projecting guide mandrel  52 , and carries on one side an upwardly projecting rod  54  on which the long side of rocker lever  44  is mounted, and at whose upper end an indicating disk  56  is attached. Indicating disk  56  is visible through a circular window  58 , which is part of the transparent inner housing  22 , at the height of cover  20 . 
         [0021]    Located between valve cylinder  36  and an inner cylinder  60  of inner housing  22 , on which cylinder conical valve seat  42  is embodied, is a cylinder wall  62  into which deflection channels  64 , distributed over the circumference, are recessed at the height of valve seat  42 . These proceed out from the annular inflow channel  34  obliquely with respect to the radial direction (see  FIG. 5 ) and with an upward inclination (see  FIG. 3 ), and, as shown in  FIG. 5 , open substantially tangentially into a valve interior space  66  above the conical valve seat  42 . 
         [0022]    It is apparent from  FIG. 4  that when the valve is open, inflowing water travels out of the annularly embodied inflow channel  34  through the obliquely proceeding deflection channels  64  into interior space  66  located therebehind, from whence it flows via an outflow channel  68  below a cylindrical service opening  70  into the battery cell. 
         [0023]    Service opening  70  for introduction of a measurement probe or the like, located diametrically opposite indicating disk  56 , as well as a venting cylinder  72 , can be seen in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0024]    When the required water fill level in the battery cell is reached, the float (not depicted) lifts float rod  48 , and with it rod  54  protruding laterally therefrom, upward so that shaft  40 , and thus valve body  38 , are pulled downward by the short arm of rocker lever  44 . The water flowing in turbulently via deflection channels  64  travels onto the upper side of the plate-or cup-shaped valve body  38  and pushes it into its closed position on valve seat  42 . 
         [0025]    Deflection channels  64 , provided and oriented according to the present invention, impart to the water flowing in from inflow channel  34  a swirl that, when valve body  38  is raised and open, on the one hand accelerates the filling operation and on the other hand assists the closing motion in the valve&#39;s closing phase. The greatest possible flexibility in terms of filling speed and filling pressure is thereby achieved, during both filling and closing of the system. As already mentioned, the rotating motion of the outflowing water generates a suction, with the result that the outflowing water generates the momentum for the closing operation regardless of the filling pressure, and automatically regulates the closing operation. A further advantage of the invention consists in an increased self-cleaning effect in the region of the water outflow, because of the centrifugal forces generated by the swirl.