POLAR ELEMENT FOR STORAGE BATTERIES

Abstract: The invention discloses a polar element (1) for storage batteries comprising a pole (2) made of lead and electrically connected with the internal elements of the battery, an insert (4) lodged in said pole, supporting the connection (7) between the polar elements connected to one another, said polar element being characterized in that said pole (2) is obtained by means of cold-forming casting process and in that the insert (4) is connected to said pole through connecting means such that it becomes removable.

Description: POLAR ELEMENT FOR STORAGE BATTERIES The present invention concerns a polar element for lead- acid storage batteries presenting an insert supporting the connections between polar elements, said insert being apt to be inserted or removed in relation to the pole. The polar elements belonging to the known technique, with reference to the traction batteries and to the stationary batteries in particular, present a pole made of lead which is obtained by means of a casting process and is electri- cally connected with the internal elements of the battery. An insert, usually made of copper or brass, is buried into the pole during the casting process itself. It is a known fact that the copper insert overhangs the actual lead pole and said insert forms the supporting and resting base of the connections which connect several polar elements with one another. During the life of the battery it has been noticed that the polar elements, the lead poles of which are obtained by means of a casting process, present considerable porosity which allow the electrolyte to filter through the casting until it reaches the copper insert. When the copper insert comes into contact with the electro- lyte, there is a high oxidation of the copper itself thus considerably reducing the electrical conductivity of the copper until the electrical efficiency of the battery becomes irreparably impaired. In this case it is necessary to proceed to the replacement of the poles, so as to eliminate the cause of the poor performance of the battery, due to the loss of conductivi- ty of the copper inserts. It is easy to understand what inconvenience and what cost such operation involves, so that often it is more convenient to replace the battery. The purpose of the present invention is to obviate the inconveniences now mentioned. It is, therefore, the intention of the invention to reali- ze a polar element in which the conductor insert, linked to the connections of the battery elements, does not suffer because of the previously mentioned aging process, or at least it may be removed and replaced very quickly and at a low cost, in case of failure. It is also the intention to reduce drastically, if not entirely to eliminate, the phenomenon causing the insert to deteriorate and that is to eliminate the porosity of the material made of lead which forms the base of the pole. All the purposes previously mentioned and others which will be better explained hereinafter, are reached thanks to the construction of a polar element for lead-acid storage batteries, realized according to the invention, wherein the polar element comprises: - a pole made of lead and electrically connected with the internal elements of the battery; - an insert, lodged in said pole and supporting the connec- tion between polar elements connected to one another, wherein said insert is characterized in that it is connec- ted with the pole, so that it can be removed therefrom, through connecting means interacting between the pole and the insert, said insert being removable in relation to the pole. According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the pole is obtained by means of a cold forging process and has its hole threaded through roll forming, so that the insert can be screwed into it. According to another embodiment, not represented in the drawings, the pole and the insert are connected to one another through a bayonet coupling. Moreover, the pole according to the invention can be obtai- ned through the known casting method. Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific example, while indicating a preferred embodiment of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifica- tions within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description and from the drawings, wherein: - Fig. 1 represents a view of the polar element according to the invention; - Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the polar element; - Fig. 3 shows two polar elements according to the inven- tion connected to one another within a battery. With reference to the mentioned Figs., the polar element is indicated as a whole with 1 and presents a pole 2 which is electrically connected with the battery internal elements at the base. Said pole is made of lead and is formed by means of cold forging, or by casting process. Thus the external forming of the pole and also the central hole 3 of the pole 2 are obtained. Subsequently the cen- tral hole 3 of the pole 2 is roll-formed, so as to obtain a thread suited to match the brass insert 4 which presents a thread 41, as can be observed in the Figs. 2 and 3. The insert 4 is also provided with an internal hole 5 being threaded, too, which, as can be observed in Fig. 3, mat- ches the screw 6 fixing the ring 7 belonging to the con- necting element 8 which connects two poles 1 belonging to elements of storage batteries. If the pole 2 is obtained by means of cold forging it does not present any characteristics of porosi-y and suction, because of the capillarity of the electrolyte in which it is immersed and, therefore, the electroly e is generally prevented from reaching the insert 4, which it would damage if it did. Should it happen, however, that because of some capillarity the electrolyte on the pole does reach the insert, said insert can be quickly unscrewed and replaced with a new unoxidized insert, because of the presence in the insert 4 of the thread 41, thus obtaining the advantage proposed by the present invention, that is to quickly replace possible inserts belonging to the poles which may have been oxidized by the electrolyte. The same advantage of quickly replacing and disassembling it can be obtained if the thread 41 of the insert 4 is replaced with a bayonet joint inserted in a corresponding hollow obtained in the hole 3 of the pole 2, εaid insert being realized according to the known technique. It will be pointed out that the insert of the polar ele- ment, which is usually made of brass, can also be made of plastic material charged with dispersions made of metal, or aluminium or other materials which can however insure the electrical conduction between the polar base 2 and the connection 7.

Claims: o CLAIMS 1) A polar element (1) for lead-acid storage batteries comprising: - a pole (2) made of lead and electrically connected with the internal elements of the battery; - an insert (4) made of conducting material lodged in said pole supporting the connection (7) between polar elements connected to one another, characterized in that said insert (4) is suited to be connected with the pole (2) through connecting means inte- racting between pole and insert, said insert being remova- ble in relation to the pole. 2) A polar element according to claim 1, character- ized in that the pole (2) is obtained by means of press- work. 3) A polar element according to claim 1 or 2, charac- terized in that the connecting means between pole and insert consist of a thread. 4) A polar element according to claim 1 or 2, charac- terized in that the connecting means between pole and insert consist of a bayonet coupling. 5) A polar element according to claim 1 or 2, charac- terized in that the insert is made of plastic material becoming conductive through metallic charges. 6) A polar element according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the insert presents a central hole (5) matching the screw (6) which fixes the connection of the insert.

Inventors: STOCCHIERO OLIMPIO, STOCCHIERO, OLIMPIO
Applicants: STOCCHIERO OLIMPIO, STOCCHIERO, OLIMPIO
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H01M2
IPC codes: H01M2