Abstract:
The battery charge indicator cage is molded as a single integral piece with two cores coming in and shutting off against each other. The battery charge indicator cage includes an internal diagonal channel in which a colored ball or balls traverse dependent upon the presence of a fluid of at least a predetermined density. A stem is formed within the diagonal channel in order to form the one-ball embodiment. This stem is removed in order to form the two-ball embodiment.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to a one-piece cage for a battery charge indicator which is used as a hydrometer and liquid level indicator. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In the prior art, it is known to form a cage to enclose and suspend one or more spherical balls within battery fluid in order to monitor both the battery fluid level and the specific gravity of the battery fluid. The cage is typically supported by an elongated transparent rod extending downwardly from the top surface of the battery. Incident light rays are transmitted through the transparent rod and various patterns or colors are transmitted to the viewing surface of the rod on the outer top level of the battery indicating whether or not the rod is immersed in battery fluid and whether or not a ball of a predetermined specific gravity is buoyant within the battery fluid and therefore contacting the transparent rod. Examples of prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,428 entitled “Remote Battery Cell Specific Gravity and Electrolytic Level Monitor Using Floats and Optical Couplers” issued on Sep. 12, 1989 to Hinkle; U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,282 entitled “Combined Level Indicator and Hydrometer” issued on Dec. 23, 1980 to Nelson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,753 entitled “Liquid Indicator for a Storage Battery with a Flame Barrier Vent Filter” issued on Oct. 28, 1975 to Melone; U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,339 entitled “Liquid Level Indicator” issued on Jul. 8, 1975 to Melone; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,597,972 and 3,597,973, both entitled “Combined Level Indicator and Hydrometer” and issued on Aug. 10, 1971 to Ryder. 
     In the prior art, typically these cages have been molded specifically for a one-ball design or for a two-ball design (wherein the balls have different densities to give greater detail in the specific gravity reading). Additionally, these cages have typically been molded as two different pieces which required additional assembly and were typically molded in an open position which required an additional manufacturing step of closing the cage by a cage closer machine. Further adding to the manufacturing and production expense in the prior art has been the difficulty in providing the cage in a consistent orientation to the automated vision inspection system. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator which can be adapted for a one-ball or a two-ball design. 
     It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator which can be molded as a single integral piece. 
     It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator which is molded in the closed rather than open position in order to eliminate a cage closing step in the manufacturing process. 
     It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator which can be reliably presented in a consistent orientation to a visual inspection system during the manufacturing process. 
     It is therefore a final object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator which has reduced manufacturing costs. 
     These and other objects are attained by providing a cage for a battery charge indicator which is molded by two passing cores which come in and shut off against each other resulting in an integral one-piece cage which is molded in the closed position. Additionally, a stem or insert is molded into the cage to provide for a one-ball model cage. This stem or insert prevents the single ball from traveling past the stem tip of the cage support. However, the insert can be removed for the cage to become a two-ball model cage. A notch is molded into a portion of the cage to orient the cage during the assembly process in order to present the cage to the vision inspection system in a consistent position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1A is a front plan view, partially in phantom, of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, showing the stem in place for a one-ball configuration. 
     FIG. 1B is a front plan view, partially in phantom, of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, showing the stem removed for a two-ball configuration. 
     FIG. 2 is a side plan view, partially in phantom, of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane  4 — 4  of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the one-ball embodiment of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane  5 — 5  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the two-ball embodiment of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane  5 — 5  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partially in phantom, of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the one-ball embodiment of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, similar to FIG. 5A, mounted on a transparent rod, showing the single ball in its uppermost position. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the two-ball embodiment of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, similar to FIG. 5B, mounted on a transparent rod, showing the two balls in their uppermost positions. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1A is a front plan view, partially in phantom, of the one-ball embodiment of the battery charge indicator cage  10  of the present invention. Battery charge indicator cage  10  is intended to be a one-piece integral structure of molded plastic. Battery charge indicator cage  10  is intended to be molded with two passing cores which come in and shut off against each other. Base plate  12  forms the bottom of cage  10 . As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, base plate  12  includes a lower lateral positioning notch  16  on the front  14  of cage  10  to aid in automated assembly, to provide a uniform element for the automated assembly devices to present cage  10  to the vision inspection system (not shown). Interior diagonal wall  18  rises from base plate  12  to form lower wall  20  of diagonal channel  22  in which, as can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8, ball or balls  200 ,  202  traverse. 
     End walls  24 ,  26  rise vertically from base plate  12  and, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, terminate with upper chamfered surfaces  28 ,  30 , respectively, surrounding mounting aperture  32  which is vertically oriented and is in communication with diagonal channel  22  via oblique throat  35  of somewhat reduced diameter. Circumferential detent groove  33  is formed on cylindrical wall  48  within mounting aperture  32  in order to engage circumferential detent ridge  101  formed upon transparent mounting rod  100  as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. 
     As can be seen from FIG. 3, lower diagonal sidewall  34  rises from the rear  36  of cage  10  and terminates below rear diagonal opening  38 . Likewise, as can be seen from FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  3 , front diagonal opening  40  is formed in the front  14  of cage  10  above interior diagonal wall  18  and below upper diagonal sidewall  42 . Diagonal channel  22  is limited upwardly by first upper diagonal wall  39  formed inwardly adjacently from end wall  24  and second upper diagonal wall  41  formed inwardly adjacently from end wall  26 , with mounting aperture  32  separating first and second upper diagonal walls  39 ,  41  from each other. 
     As can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8, transparent mounting rod  100  is received within mounting aperture  32 , circumferential detent groove  33  being engaged by circumferential detent ridge  101 . Downwardly pointing ninety-degree tip  102  formed by oblique conical wall  103  extends through mounting aperture  32  and into diagonal channel  22 , the insertion of transparent mounting rod  100  being limited by oblique throat  35  engaging oblique conical wall  103 . 
     As can be seen from FIGS. 1A,  5 A and  7 , in the one-ball embodiment of battery charge indicator cage  10 , upwardly extending stem  44  is formed on a relatively upper end of lower wall  20  of diagonal channel  22  with interior wall  46  roughly in line with the interior of oblique throat  35  within aperture  32 . However, as can be seen from FIGS. 1B,  5 B and  8 , stem  44  can be removed or omitted in order to create a two-ball embodiment. 
     When the liquid level is low, downwardly pointing ninety-degree tip  102  will not be submerged in liquid and a reflective surface will be provided by conical wall  103 . Therefore, a bright viewing pattern will appear at an upper end of transparent rod  100  indicating that the liquid level is low. As this upper end of the transparent rod  100  is typically formed on the upper surface of a battery (not shown, this is equally applicable to radiator applications, wherein the radiator fluid level and specific gravity are likewise monitored, the specific gravity of the radiator fluid relating to the freezing point of the fluid), the user is able to ascertain this condition without having to open the battery or otherwise remove any components. When the liquid level is sufficiently high, but the specific gravity is low, then ball or balls  200 ,  202  are not buoyant within the liquid and sink to a lower point within diagonal channel  22 . When the liquid level is sufficiently high, and the specific gravity is sufficiently high (indicating a sufficient concentration of electrolytes), then ball or balls  200 ,  202  are buoyant and rise within diagonal channel  22  and contact tip  102  as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. As the balls  200 ,  202  are of bright colors, such as orange or red (the color of the balls  200 ,  202  in the two-ball embodiment being different from each other), the bright color of the ball contacting tip  102  or conical wall  103  is transmitted to the viewing surface thereby indicating the state of the fluid being monitored. 
     To manufacture battery charge indicator cage  10 , cage  10  is typically molded as a single integral piece with two passing cores which come in and shut off against each other. Lower lateral positioning notch  16  is used to have the automated assembly device engage cage  10 , so that the cage  10  may be presented consistently to automated vision inspection system. Stem  44  is removed if a plurality of balls  200 ,  202  is desired to be inserted into diagonal channel  22 . Ball or balls  200 ,  202  are inserted into diagonal channel  22  through mounting aperture  32  prior to the insertion and engagement of transparent mounting rod  100  which is joined to the case of the battery (not shown) so that the upper surface of transparent mounting rod  100  provides a visible indicator to the user, while cage  10  is positioned at a level at which is expected to be submerged with a proper fluid level and exposed by an improperly low fluid level. 
     Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.