Patent Publication Number: US-2017352853-A1

Title: Vent cap adaptor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/344,440, filed on Jun. 2, 2016. The entire disclosure of the above patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to batteries, and more particularly to a battery cover assembly including a vent cap adaptor for coupling a vent cap to a vent port of the battery cover. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many devices use a quarter-turn or bayonet-style attachment in applications where quick installation and removal are desired. For example, lead-acid batteries use this method of attachment for securing the vent caps within the vent ports. The same attachment method is often used in the manufacture of battery watering systems to mount the watering valves to the vent ports. 
     A typical prior art battery cover assembly for a battery includes a battery vent cap and a battery cover having a vent port. The vent cap and the vent port each include a pair of diametrically opposed bayonet tabs. The tabs have substantially similar lead angles. The individual vent cap is manually tightened within the vent port as the vent cap is rotated 90 degrees clockwise (quarter-turn method) by field personnel. This tightening secures the vent cap and provides a seal between a flange of the vent cap and a rim of the vent port. The seal prevents a migration of battery acid out of the battery. The vent cap can be easily rotated 90° counterclockwise by the user to remove the vent cap from the vent port for routine battery maintenance and inspections. 
     In certain circumstances, bayonet-style vent caps including flip top caps that address efficiency, environmental, and safety concerns are desired. For example, the WATER MISER® vent cap manufactured by Doyle Manufacturing, Inc. is employed in many assemblies to address the efficiency, environmental, and safety concerns. 
     The bayonet-style vent caps cooperating with the bayonet-style vent ports are extremely advantageous in provided easy and quick installation and removal of the vent caps. However, many battery cover assemblies include vent caps and vent ports that do not include bayonet tabs for coupling to bayonet-style vent caps. For example, certain battery cover assemblies, for example, include vent caps having external threads engaging with internal threads of the vent port. In another example, the battery cover assemblies includes vents caps engaging with the vent ports by an interference fit or friction fit. These types of battery cover assemblies cannot accommodate bayonet-style vent caps, which may be desired for maximized sealing, easy installation and removal for maintenance and assembly purposes, efficiency, environmental, and/or safety concerns without having to manufacture an entirely new battery cover. 
     Accordingly, there is a continuing need to produce a vent cap adaptor for coupling bayonet-style vent caps to non-bayonet style battery covers, wherein a cost and inefficiency of manufacturing and assembly is minimized. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In concordance and agreement with the present invention, a vent cap adaptor for coupling bayonet-style vent caps to non-bayonet style battery covers, wherein a cost and inefficiency of manufacturing and assembly is minimized, has surprisingly been discovered. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, a vent cap adaptor for coupling a vent cap to a battery cover is disclosed. The vent cap adaptor includes. The first portion is configured to engage the battery cover and the second portion is configured to receive and engage a bayonet-style vent cap. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a battery cover assembly is disclosed. The battery cover assembly includes a battery cover including a vent port and a vent cap having a pair of tabs extending outwardly therefrom. The pair of tabs are incompatible for coupling with the vent port of the battery cover. A vent cap adaptor coupled the vent cap to the vent port. the pair of tabs of the vent cap are compatible for coupling with the vent cap adaptor. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a battery cover assembly is disclosed. The battery cover assembly includes a battery cover including a vent port having a coupling feature formed on an inner surface thereof. 
     The battery cover assembly includes a vent cap incompatible for coupling with the vent port of the battery cover. A vent cap adaptor couples the vent cap to the vent port. A first portion of the vent cap adaptor engages the vent port and a second portion of the vent cap adaptor receives the vent cap. The first portion has a coupling feature formed on an outer surface thereof engaging the coupling feature of the vent port. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above objects and advantages of the invention, as well as others, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a fragmentary assembled top perspective view of a battery cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an enlarged fragmentary partially exploded perspective view of the vent cap assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top plan view of an adaptor of the vent cap assembly of  FIGS. 1-2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an adaptor according to another embodiment of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a top perspective view of an adaptor according to yet another embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description and appended drawings describe and illustrate various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description and drawings serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. 
       FIGS. 1-2  illustrate a battery cover assembly  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The battery cover assembly  100  includes a battery cover  102 , a vent cap  103 , and a vent cap adaptor  105  coupling the vent cap  103  to the battery cover  102 . It is understood that the battery cover  102  can be any suitable battery cover  102  as desired to form a substantially fluid-tight seal with a battery (not shown). The battery cover  102  includes at least one vent port  104  formed therein. In certain embodiments, the battery cover  102  can include a plurality of the vent ports  104  spaced apart from each other. The vent ports  104  can be formed in the battery cover  102  in any pattern or configuration as desired such as in a diagonal configuration or a linear configuration, for example. 
     The vent port  104  include a rim  107  and a coupling feature  106  formed thereon. The coupling feature  106  can be a non-bayonet style coupling feature such as internal threads, for example. However, it is understood the vent port  104  can include other coupling features such as detents, key slots, or any other coupling feature, as desired. Furthermore, the coupling feature  106  can be bayonet tabs incompatible with the vent cap  103 , wherein the vent cap adaptor  105  is required. The coupling feature  106  can also include a smooth inner surface of the vent port  104  configured for interference or friction fit coupling. The battery cover  102  may also include other features and components necessary for operation of the battery such as a pair of terminals and a pair of mounting structures (not shown), for example. 
     For illustrative purposes, only one vent cap  103  and vent cap adaptor  105  are shown coupled to one of the vent ports  104 . But it is understood, additional ones of the vent caps  103  and the vent cap adaptors  105  can be coupled to the battery cover  102  at each of the vent ports  104  where more than one vent port  104  is formed in the battery cover  102 . The vent cap  103  and the vent cap adaptor  105  cooperate with the respective vent port  104  formed in the battery cover  102  to couple the vent cap  103  to the vent port  104 . 
     As shown, the vent cap  103  is configured as a bayonet-style vent cap. In the embodiment shown, the vent cap  103  is a flip-top type battery vent cap such as a WATER MISER® vent cap manufactured by Doyle Manufacturing, Inc. However, the vent cap  103  can be any bayonet-style vent cap, as desired. The vent cap  103  includes an annular body  118  and a sealing member  119 . It is understood that the body  118  can be formed from any suitable material as desired such as a plastic material, for example. 
     The body  118  includes an upper portion  120  and a lower portion  121 . The upper portion  120  can include a flip-top type lid. In a non-limiting example, the lower portion  121  has a diameter smaller than the upper portion  120 . The lower portion  121  has a pair of diametrically opposed, radially outwardly extending bayonet tabs  122 . In certain embodiments, the bayonet tabs  122  include a lead angle or are positioned at an angle, other than parallel, to a bottom edge of the vent cap  103  or a bottom surface of a radially outwardly ectending flange  124 . In other embodiments, the bayonet tabs  122  are not angled and may include an inclined lower surface and/or an inclined upper surface sloping from the body  118  outwardly from the body  118 . Intermediate the upper portion  120  and the lower portion  121  of each body  118  is a radially outwardly extending flange  125 . A lower surface of the flange  125  abuts the sealing member  119  which encircles the lower portion  121 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the vent cap adaptor  105  includes an annular upper portion  150  and an annular lower portion  152  in fluid communication with the upper portion  150 . The lower portion  152  has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the upper portion  150 . In a non-limiting example, the lower portion  152  of the vent cap adaptor  105  has a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the vent port  104  of the battery cover  102 . The lower portion  152  includes a coupling feature  154  corresponding to the coupling feature  106  of the vent port  104 . For example, as illustrated, the coupling feature  154  of the lower portion  152  of the vent cap  103  can be external threads for threaded coupling to the vent port  104  including internal threads as the coupling feature  106  thereof. The vent cap adaptor  105  can be formed from a plastic. In an other example, the vent cap adaptor  105  can be formed from a metal. 
     The upper portion  150  of the vent cap adaptor  105  includes a rim  155  and a pair of diametrically opposed, radially inwardly extending bayonet tabs  156  formed thereon. In a non-limiting example, at least one of the surfaces of the bayonet tabs  156  of the vent cap adaptor  105  includes a lead angle. In embodiments where the bayonet tabs  122  of the vent cap  103  include a lead angle, the lead angle of the bayonet tabs  156  of the vent cap adaptor  105  correspond to the a lead angle of the bayonet tabs  122  of the vent cap  103 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a vent cap adaptor  105  according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The same reference numerals used to describe the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIGS. 1-3  are used to describe the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIG. 4 . The vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIG. 4  is substantially similar to the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIGS. 1-3 , except the coupling feature  154  of the lower portion  152  of the vent cap adaptor  105  is a smooth outer surface configured for friction fit coupling to vent port  104  including a smooth inner surface. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a vent cap adaptor  105  according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The same reference numerals used to describe the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIGS. 1-3  are used to describe the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIG. 5 . The vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIG. 5  is substantially similar to the vent cap adaptor  105  of  FIGS. 1-3 , except the coupling feature  154  of the lower portion  152  of the vent cap adaptor  105  is external threads with a number of threads and pitch different from the external threads illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3 . 
     It is understood the coupling feature  154  of the vent cap adaptor  105  can be any coupling feature as desired compatible with and configured for engaging the coupling feature  106  of the vent port  104 . For example, the coupling feature  154  can be features configured for engaging detents, key slots, or any other coupling feature of the vent port  104 , as desired. 
     In application, the vent cap adaptor  105  is configured to couple the vent cap  103  to the battery cover  102 . In such an application, the vent cap  103  is incompatible with the vent ports  104  of the battery cover  102 , wherein incompatible means the vent cap  103  cannot directly couple to the vent port  104  for its intended purpose to effectively cover and seal the vent port  104 . 
     When installation of the vent cap  103  within the battery cover  102  is desired, the vent cap adaptor  105  is aligned with the vent port  104  of the battery cover  102 . The lower portion  152  of the vent cap adaptor  105  is urged downwardly into the vent port  104  and manipulated to engage the coupling feature  154  of the vent cap adaptor  105  with the coupling feature  106  of the vent port  104 . When the vent cap adaptor  105  is secured and in an engaged position within the vent port  104 , the vent cap  103  is urged downwardly into the upper portion  150  of the vent cap adaptor  105  and manipulated to engage the bayonet tabs  122  of the vent cap  103  with the bayonet tabs  156  of the vent cap adaptor  105 . It is understood, the vent cap adaptor  105  can be coupled to the vent cap  103  prior to coupling the vent cap adaptor  105  to the vent port  104 . 
     Advantageously, the vent cap adaptor  105  permits a desired bayonet-style vent cap, or otherwise a vent cap incompatible with the vent port  104 , to be coupled to preformed existing battery covers. As a result, new battery covers do not have to be manufactured to conform to the desired vent cap, thus minimizing manufacturing costs and inefficiency. 
     From the foregoing description, one ordinarily skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications to the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.