Patent Description:
The present invention relates to batteries. The present invention more specifically relates to batteries and external electrical connections for batteries.

In batteries with multiple cell elements, the cells are connected in series by conductive straps. The straps also connect the cells to a positive terminal and a negative terminal. These terminals are accessible outside the battery housing. These terminals allow for a vehicle (or other application) to connect to the battery for use. The conductive straps and terminals comprise a conductive material. Typically, in a lead-acid battery, this conductive material is comprised of lead.

Lead is a heavy metal and considered to be toxic. Any lead surface exposed to the environment is a potential source of contamination. Use of lead is therefore prohibited in many applications.

Known lead-acid batteries require interaction between a consumer or technician with the lead terminals in order to connect, change, or otherwise maintain the battery. Certain governmental bodies are advancing tighter regulation of lead in lead-acid batteries. For example, the European Union and the State of California have explored regulations about lead exposure as it relates to lead-acid batteries. For example, Department of Toxic Substances Control's (DTSC) in California is actively evaluating whether it should identify lead-acid batteries as a Priority Product under the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program. Of particular concern is the exposure of consumers to lead dust by inhalation and ingestion during consumer use and replacement.

The document <CIT> relates to a lead-acid storage battery that includes a connecting terminal assembly which comprises: a bushing made from lead or lead alloy, buried in a cover of the battery in the same process as when the cover is molded, and including a hole into which a pole is fitted. Documents <CIT> and <CIT> also relate to lead acid batteries.

The present invention is a lead-acid battery according to independent claim <NUM>, whereby preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

Therefore, various embodiments of solutions are disclosed which would allow for access to the functionality of the battery without requiring a user to interact with the lead. The present invention relates to a lead acid battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive and negative terminals are designed to limit exposure to lead provided in the terminal. In other words, the disclosed invention allows for exposed surfaces of the battery to be free of lead.

Providing a non-lead terminal interface results in reduced consumer and environmental lead exposure. A system which allows for no exposed lead on the battery addresses concerns from governmental agencies as well as reduce risks to consumers and those interacting with batteries during use and replacement.

Various embodiments may likewise provide advantages for corrosion resistance on the battery terminal. Over time, standard lead terminals may corrode based on interaction of the lead with vehicle components, conducting electricity, and environmental factors. Corrosion may negatively impact battery performance. By allowing for a non-lead interface, such corrosion may be reduced or even eliminated.

Disclosed is a battery having one or more battery terminals which are coated in a conductive material that is not lead. The battery further includes a bushing having an external surface that is not lead. The disclosed battery, terminal, and method therefore allow for electrical and mechanical attachment of connectors toa non-lead terminal surface of a battery. This may prevent or limit exposure to lead by consumers and technicians who work with a battery.

Disclosed is a battery having a battery housing and a positive and negative terminal, the positive and negative terminal being accessible through the battery housing; wherein the positive and negative terminal further comprise a non-lead conductive surface on both the positive and negative terminal. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is a coating provided on the negative battery terminal and the positive battery terminal, the negative battery terminal and the positive battery terminal each comprising lead.

Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is a coating provided on the sides of a bushing comprising lead. Further disclosed is a battery wherein a top surface of the positive battery terminal and negative battery terminal comprises a conductive coating. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is selected from a group comprising tin, zinc, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel, and alloys thereof. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is an arc-sprayed conductive surface comprising zinc or tin. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the positive terminal or negative terminal comprises a bushing having a concave depression. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the positive terminal or negative terminal comprises a non-lead material filling the concave depression. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead material comprises an epoxy or resin.

Disclosed is a battery having a conductive terminal extending beyond a surface of a battery cover, the conductive terminal having an internal portion and an external surface, wherein the internal portion comprises lead and external surface comprises a non-lead conductive material. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is selected from a group comprising zinc, tin, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel, and alloys thereof. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the non-lead conductive surface is an arc-sprayed surface. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the arc-sprayed surface comprises zinc or tin. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the terminal comprises a bushing having a concave depression. Further disclosed is a battery wherein the positive terminal or negative terminal comprises a non-lead material filling the concave depression.

Disclosed is a method for producing a battery having a non-lead surface comprising coating a battery terminal with a non-lead coating. Further disclosed is a method for producing a battery wherein coating a battery terminal with a non-lead coating further comprises coating a bushing with a non-lead coating and providing the bushing into a battery housing. Further disclosed is a method for producing a battery further comprising: sealing an exposed top surface of the battery terminal using a further non-lead coating. Further disclosed is a method for producing a battery wherein coating a battery terminal with a non-lead coating is performed using an arc-spraying process after post welding.

These and other features and advantages of various embodiments of systems and methods according to this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of various devices, structures, and/or methods according to this invention.

In certain instances, details that are not necessary to the understanding to the invention or render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

Disclosed are various embodiments of a battery, battery terminal, and method for manufacturing the same. The disclosed embodiments of a battery, battery terminal, and method may allow for access to the terminal and battery without exposure to lead on the surface of the terminal.

<FIG> shows a battery <NUM> having a housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> may further comprise a surface <NUM> (for example, a cover or lid). Protruding from the surface <NUM> can be seen two terminals <NUM>. While terminals <NUM> are generally specified, the terminals <NUM> may comprise a positive terminal <NUM> or a negative terminal <NUM> (the phrase "terminal" may be used herein to describe a positive terminal <NUM>, negative terminal <NUM> or both unless otherwise particularly specified). While the cover <NUM> is shown on a top of the battery <NUM> with the terminals <NUM> protruding towards an upper edge of the page, it should be understood the cover <NUM> and terminals <NUM> may be provided on any orientation, such as a side to allow access to terminals <NUM>.

The various elements of the battery <NUM>, the battery housing <NUM>, the battery cover <NUM>, and the cell containers may be made of a wide variety of known materials. For example, the cover <NUM>, container/housing <NUM>, and/or various components may be made of any polymeric (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, a polypropylene containing material, etc.) or composite (e.g., glass-reinforced polymer) material. For example, the container may be made of polypropylene-containing material (e.g., pure polypropylene, co-polymers comprising polypropylene, polypropylene with additives, etc.). Such polymeric material is relatively resistant to degradation caused by acid (e.g., sulfuric acid) provided within cells of the container or housing <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example of a section of a battery <NUM>. The battery <NUM> includes an internal portion <NUM> which may comprise a battery element <NUM> coupled to an end strap <NUM> which leads to a terminal post <NUM>. The terminal post <NUM> extends through a bushing <NUM> provided within the cover <NUM> of the battery housing <NUM>. This is one non-limiting example of a battery <NUM> which may be used with the devices (e.g. bushing, post, and/or cover), systems, and methods described herein.

<FIG> shows an example battery terminal <NUM> after welding. The figure more specifically shows a cross-section of a battery terminal <NUM>, according to various embodiments. The terminal post <NUM> is provided inside of the terminal bushing <NUM>. Together (terminal post <NUM> and terminal bushing <NUM>) they form a battery terminal <NUM> for connection to a battery <NUM> which protrudes through a surface or cover <NUM>. Known battery terminals are constructed of lead. The disclosed terminal (terminal post and terminal bushing) likewise may be formed of lead, however, exposed surfaces of the terminal may be covered to prevent exposure of the lead as described further herein.

The terminal posts <NUM>, bushing <NUM>, terminals <NUM>, weld <NUM>, and connection members, may be made of one or more conductive materials (e.g., lead or a material containing lead). Likewise, the strap members and end straps <NUM> may be made of one or more conductive materials (e.g., lead or a material containing lead).

The terminals <NUM> may be comprised, in various embodiments, of a lead alloy. In various embodiments, this alloy may be a substantially pure lead and may, in various embodiments, include lead, tin, antimony, calcium, and combinations thereof. The alloy may, as a non-limiting example, be a lead tin alloy with a tin composition range of <NUM>-<NUM>%, <NUM>-<NUM>%, <NUM>-<NUM>%, and the like. The lead may be virgin lead or high purity lead or highly purified secondary lead, in various examples of embodiments. In turn, in known battery terminals <NUM>, an exposed surface <NUM> may therefore as well be comprised of lead or lead alloy.

<FIG> comprise various embodiments of solutions for preventing exposure of lead on an outer surface of a battery <NUM>. In various embodiments, this may comprise covering all exposed surfaces <NUM> (for example, an outside surface of the bushing <NUM> or terminal post <NUM> provided exterior to the housing (for example, exterior to a surface of the cover <NUM> or housing <NUM>). In one or more embodiments the disclosed may comprise a conductive film coatin[EL1]g (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) on an outer surface of the terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) (that is, above a battery housing cover (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>). In various embodiments, the disclosed may comprise a relatively thin conductive film coating.

<FIG> shows a drawing of a terminal <NUM> before welding. As can be seen, a coating <NUM> is provided on the outside of the bushing <NUM>. The bushing <NUM> may have a conductive coating <NUM> which may comprise tin-while tin is provided other suitable conductive metal coatings (zinc, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel, alloys, etc.) should be contemplated as within the scope of this disclosure. The coating <NUM> may be provided before the bushing <NUM> is placed into the battery housing cover <NUM>. In the illustrated example, the terminal post <NUM> extends through the center of the bushing <NUM>. It should be understood the bushing <NUM> is provided into a battery housing (for example, a cover <NUM>) and the terminal post <NUM> extends through the terminal bushing <NUM>.

Next, the terminal <NUM> is welded to the bushing <NUM>. In <FIG>, the terminal post <NUM> and terminal bushing <NUM> are shown after welding. The welding may be performed via a terminal post weld <NUM> which may use, in various embodiments, lead or a lead alloy. The terminal post weld <NUM> between the terminal post <NUM> and terminal bushing <NUM> can be seen towards the top in the illustrated example <FIG>. After welding, a cable may be connected to the terminal for use of the battery.

As described further herein, before or after welding the bushing <NUM> may have or allow for being provided with a coating <NUM> on the sides of the terminal <NUM>. In various embodiments, coating <NUM> is solely provided on an upper portion of the terminal <NUM>. In various alternative embodiments, coating <NUM> extends below a surface of the housing. The coating <NUM> on the bushing <NUM> below a surface of the housing may advantageously allow for ensuring no lead is exposed if a gap exists between the housing and bushing due to shrinkage. [EL2] The coating <NUM> after welding may not be provided on a top surface <NUM> of the terminal <NUM>. While the coating (e.g. tin or other conductive metal coating) <NUM> is provided on almost all of the exposed portion of the terminal <NUM>, there is still a section of exposed lead at this stage (top surface <NUM>). As shown in <FIG>, providing a coating <NUM>, prior to or after battery formation, may allow for the coating <NUM> (for example, a thin film) to likewise cover the top of the terminal <NUM>. Therefore, the disclosed terminal <NUM> may undergo an additional step for preventing exposure of lead.

As shown in <FIG>, the exposed section <NUM> may be covered in a tin or other conductive coating as well. The terminal <NUM> is then shown completely covered from external exposure to lead. In other words, the lead from bushing <NUM>, terminal post <NUM>, weld <NUM>, etc. is encapsulated or provided only within the battery housing <NUM>.

Various further examples of embodiments are shown in <FIG>. First, in <FIG>, a terminal post <NUM> is shown provided into a terminal bushing <NUM>. Again, the figures are shown before welding. In one or more embodiments, the battery covers <NUM> are molded with the bushings <NUM> coated (plated) on the outside surface <NUM>.

The bushings <NUM> may, in various embodiments, be provided with a counter bore where the inner diameter narrows and fuses to the terminal post. For example, turning to <FIG> and <FIG>, the terminal bushing <NUM> may further comprise a concave depression <NUM> of uncoated lead. In various embodiments, the concave depression <NUM> may take various shapes, for example (but not limited to), an angled top (<FIG>, <FIG>) <NUM> or stepped surface (<FIG>) <NUM>. In various embodiments, the bushing is countersunk and not counter bored to allow a continuous top surface (<FIG>) <NUM>. A coating, for example made of tin, in various embodiments, may be provided on the outside of the bushing (<FIG>, <FIG>).

Next, in <FIG>, the terminal post <NUM> and terminal bushing <NUM> are welded (for example at terminal post weld <NUM>). Again, while much of the terminal <NUM> is now coated in a non-lead surface <NUM>, the top may still have exposed lead <NUM> (e.g. as shown in Figure 3D). The terminal bushing <NUM> and terminal post <NUM> may be welded below the top surface <NUM> of the terminal bushing to leave a slight concave depression of exposed lead <NUM> below the top of the bushing.

In <FIG>, the exposed lead <NUM> is covered using a sealant (or other suitable material) in a sealing step which covers exposed lead <NUM> in a covering <NUM>. For example, a sealant like epoxy or another material may be provided to coat the top exposed lead <NUM>. In various embodiments, the epoxy or other material coating <NUM> covers the exposed lead <NUM> entirely. Where the exposed lead <NUM> comprises a depression, this may then be filled with a material (as non-limiting examples, an epoxy resin or other polymer with suitable adhesion characteristics). This material may be set with UV light, heat, or another method to set the coating <NUM>.

The coating <NUM> on top of the terminal <NUM> may be applied before or after battery formation. The coating <NUM> on the top of the terminal may or may not be conducting.

<FIG> shows more examples of embodiments. <FIG> more specifically shows the surface of the terminal <NUM> after welding (again, welding joint <NUM> may be seen towards a top of the terminal <NUM>) which connects the battery terminal post <NUM> to the bushing <NUM>. A thin film <NUM> comprising a non-lead conductive material may be seen on an outside surface of the terminal <NUM>. The film <NUM> in this embodiment may be applied after welding. Therefore the bushing <NUM> may not have the coating <NUM> below a surface of the cover <NUM>.

<FIG> describes a method for producing the terminal of <FIG>. First, in step S451, a battery <NUM> is assembled with terminals <NUM> having exposed lead. Next, in step S453, a battery <NUM> may be selected for terminal coating. This may occur where, for example, batteries <NUM> are to be sent to a particular market where coating is necessary. Finally, in step S455, the terminals <NUM> having exposed lead may be sprayed with a conductive coating. Various methods may be used to spray the terminals <NUM> (i.e. positive terminal and negative terminal).

The terminals <NUM> may comprise a thermal sprayed surface (a surface coated using a thermal spraying technique such as, but not limited to, arc spraying). [EL4] In particular, one or more of terminals <NUM> may comprise an arc-sprayed non-lead surface <NUM>. In various embodiments, the arc-sprayed non-lead surface <NUM> may comprise zinc. While zinc is provided, other suitable conductive materials may be contemplated as within the scope of this disclosure (for example, but not limited to, tin or other nontoxic metal). The arc-sprayed non-lead surface <NUM> may be produced using an arc spray process. The arc-sprayed non-lead surface <NUM> may have certain advantages, such as but not limited to, corrosion resistance (particularly on a positive terminal <NUM>). Additional advantages may comprise an enhanced bond between the coating (such as, but not limited to, zinc) <NUM> and lead of the bushing <NUM> and post <NUM> after welding. In various embodiments, the coating <NUM> may be relatively thin (for example, but not limited to, less than <NUM> or more particularly, [EL5] approximately. Coating or spraying to produce non-lead surface <NUM> after formation as part of the battery decoration process may allow for terminal protection to be applied only for a defined market. Coating/spraying to produce non-lead surface <NUM> after battery formation may reduce the possibility of degradation of the coating during the aggressive formation and washing process.

In various embodiments, terminals (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) which lack exposed lead may additionally comprise using one or more of the following or be produced by one or more additional coating [EL7]techniques:.

Various embodiments may be understood as represented in the figures and modifications thereon. Again, while tin is provided, other suitable conductive metal coatings (zinc, brass, copper, stainless steel, nickel, alloys thereof, etc.) should be contemplated as within the scope of this disclosure. It should also be understood the coating may affect the terminal width. Therefore, the outer diameter of the bushing and/or terminal may be adjusted to allow for thickness of conductive/metal coating.

While a "coating" may be referred to herein, it should be understood that a method wherein the surface of a terminal is otherwise provided in a non-lead material (plating, dipping, etc.) should be contemplated as within the scope of this disclosure.

The disclosed embodiments may have a number of advantages, including allowing for access to the battery terminals without exposing the technician, consumer, or other user to lead. In various embodiments, the disclosed terminals may maintain all lead within the battery with no external exposure to lead. In addition, the disclosed terminals may allow for advantages in the recycling process.

As utilized herein, the terms "approximately," "about," "substantially", and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.

It should be noted that references to relative positions (e.g., "top" and "bottom") in this description are merely used to identify various elements as are oriented in the Figures. It should be recognized that the orientation of particular components may vary greatly depending on the application in which they are used.

Claim 1:
A lead-acid battery (<NUM>) having a battery housing (<NUM>) and a positive and negative terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>), the positive and negative terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) being accessible through the battery housing (<NUM>); wherein the positive and negative terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) further comprise a non-lead conductive surface on both the positive and negative terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>); and
wherein the non-lead conductive surface is a coating (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) provided on the sides of a bushing (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), the bushing (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising lead.