Pressure controlled plug structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the pressure controlled plug structure, which is maintenance- free and one of the important components affecting the prolongation of battery life in rechargeable AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead-acid dry cell batteries.

Description

[0001] PRESSURE CONTROLLED PLUG STRUCTURE

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to the pressure controlled plug structure, which is maintenance- free and one of the important components affecting the prolongation of battery life in rechargeable AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead-acid dry cell batteries. It relates to a structure that allows the diaphragm mechanism in the plug to open and close automatically at certain pressure ranges and control the pressure, electrolyte and humidity in the battery, thus reducing the gas pressure accumulated in the battery cells and also preventing the air that will damage the plates from entering the battery cell.

[0004] State of the Art

[0005] A battery is an energy storage tool that stores electrical energy as chemical energy and provides it as electrical energy if needed. Today, batteries are produced in Lead - Acid, Lithium - Ion, Nickel Metal - Hydride, Nickel - Cadmium, Nickel - Iron etc. types and their identification names are taken from the base metals used. Lead-Acid batteries, on the other hand, are the most widely used battery type and these batteries are basically defined as dry cell and wet cell.

[0006] VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead-acid dry cell batteries, which are one of the most commonly used battery types, are maintenance- free, very high performance and long-lasting batteries. It is ideal for places where instantaneous high current is required. They provide much higher performance than other batteries in cold weather. They can be charged quickly and are suitable for use in vehicles with brake energy recovery feature.

[0007] There is a glass fiber mat present in the AGM battery. Since the battery acid is absorbed in the mat, acid spillage is prevented. The wide usage area of AGM batteries is due to the prevention of these spills.

[0008] Conventional lead-acid batteries release hydrogen gas, which is highly flammable, during charging. VRLA AGM type batteries, on the other hand, release a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases during charging, and this amount is generally less than flooded lead-acid batteries. If these gases released during charging are not discharged, they can cause the battery to swell or even explode. Excessive accumulation of gaseous by-products leads to a decrease in performance and a decrease in battery life.

[0009] In the state of the art, the diaphragm opening / closing pressure range is referred to as 70-130 mBar. However, in the controls made, it has been detected that this value went down to 60 mBar and went up to 155 mBar at the upper limit. However, battery manufacturers require the product to be in the range of 80-120 mBar. In the mechanisms used in the state of the art, the opening of the diaphragm at low pressure values (<70 mBar) reduces batter efficiency and life. Opening at high values (> 150 mBar) however, causes the battery to swell.

[0010] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method that will minimize or eliminate the above- mentioned disadvantages in the state of the art and an effective device that works according to this method and provides a much higher measurement accuracy without increasing the user cost too much.

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] One of the advantages of the invention is the safe discharge of the mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases released during charging in the VRLA AGM type battery with the pressure-controlled plug structure of the invention. Therefore, battery efficiency and service life are preserved. Hazards such as battery swelling and explosion as a result of pressure increase due to overcharging and cell deterioration are eliminated. Furthermore, in the invention, the battery efficiency and battery lifetime will be increased by eliminating the problems of decreasing battery efficiency and lifetime caused by the opening of the diaphragm at low pressure values (<70 mBar) and swelling of the battery caused by the opening thereof at high values (> 150 mBar) thanks to stable operation.

[0013] One of the advantages of the invention is that since VRLA AGM batteries are maintenance-free, very high performance and long-lasting batteries, they are ideal for places where instantaneous high current is needed, and can be charged quickly, providing much higher performance than other batteries in cold weather. There is fiberglass mat present in the AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery, and since the battery acid is absorbed in the mat, acid spillage can be prevented.

[0014] Another advantage of the invention is that the pressure, electrolyte and humidity in the battery can be controlled by the automatic opening and closing of the diaphragm mechanism in the plug at certain pressure ranges. In this way, while the gas pressure accumulated in the battery cells is reduced, at the same time the air that will deteriorate the plates will be prevented from entering the battery cell. The invention also uses O-ring instead of the soft coating material used in the present art. The soft coating material of the present art creates a risk of leakage due to damping over time and causes all gases to escape from the leaking area instead of passing through the diaphragm. Owing to the use of NBR O-ring instead of soft coating in the invention, this risk will be eliminated as there is no damping.

[0015] Another advantage of the invention is that customer satisfaction will be increased with the production of plugs suitable for different operating pressure ranges depending on customer demand, and the dependence of battery manufacturers on plug imports will be prevented, facilitating access when needed. In this way, high savings will be achieved in terms of cost and time.

[0016] Description of the Drawings

[0017] Figure 1 : It is a representative view of the plug of the invention from a perspective view. Figure 2: It is a representative view of the plug of the invention from a perspective view in exploded state.

[0018] Figure 3: It is a representative view of the plug of the invention from a cross section. Figure 4: It is a representative top view of the plug of the invention.

[0019] Figure 5: It is a representative bottom view of the plug of the invention.

[0020] Description of the References in the Drawings

[0021] For a better understanding of the invention, the description of the numbers in the figures is given below:

[0022] 100. Plug

[0023] 1. Top cover 1 a-Pressure pin

[0024] 1 b-Pressure pin tip

[0025] 2. Diaphragm

[0026] 3. Main body

[0027] 3a-Cap

[0028] 3b-Slot

[0029] 3c-Connection slot

[0030] 3d-Thread

[0031] 3e-Circular channel

[0032] 3f-Platform

[0033] 3g-Air hole

[0034] 3h-Gas outlet channel

[0035] 4. Sealing element

[0036] 5. Coated gasket

[0037] 6. Bottom cover

[0038] 6a-Gas inlet channel

[0039] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0040] Example embodiments are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying descriptions below. Furthermore, the embodiments can be established in different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments specified herein. Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this description will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art.

[0041] The terminology used in this description is intended to describe a particular example embodiment only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the forms "a", "at least", and "preferably" are intended to include plural forms as well, unless the context clearly states otherwise.

[0042] In the pressure controlled plug structure of the invention, the plug (100) comprises at least one top cover (1 ) comprising at least one pressure pin (1 a), at least one diaphragm (2) providing controlled air passage, at least one main body (3) comprising at least one cap (3a), at least one slot (3b), at least one connection slot (3c) and at least one gas outlet channel (3h), at least one coated gasket (5) placed under the cap (3a) of the main body (3), at least one sealing element (4) placed on the upper part of the threads (3d) of said main body (3), and at least one bottom cover (6) comprising at least one gas inlet channel (6a).

[0043] In the plug (100) of the invention, the top cover (1 ), the diaphragm (2), the sealing element (4), the coated gasket (5) and the bottom cover (6) are all located on the main body (3). On the cap (3a) of the main body (1 ), there are at least one, preferably 6 connection slot (3c) forms provided for removing and installing the plug (100) with the apparatus. This form allows the plug (100) to be removed and installed by means of the apparatus without damaging the battery cover. Said main body (3) is made of polypropylene (PP) material resistant to chemicals. The top cover (1 ) is locked by tightly engaging the slot (3b) on the cap (3a) of the main body (3). Said top cover (1 ) is made of ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) material resistant to impact and chemicals. Inside the main body (3), there is a platform (3f) on which the diaphragm (2) sits and at least one air hole (3g) in the middle that allows gas passage.

[0044] In the invention, the diaphragm (2) is made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber resistant to acid vapor and many solvents. The pressure pin tip (1 b) of the cylindrical pressure pin (1 a) on the top cover (1 ) has a radius; while the circular diaphragm (2) is flat. The pressure pin tip (1 b) provides a point contact with the diaphragm. When the gas pressure in the battery cell rises, it opens from the edges and discharges gas. When the diaphragm (2) is opened, there are at least one, preferably 2 gas outlet channels (3h) in the main body (1 ) of the plug (100) for discharging incoming gases through the gas channel in the battery cover.

[0045] In the plug (100) of the invention, at least one covered gasket (5) is connected to the lower part of the cap (3a) in the main body (3). Said coated gasket (5) is coated on the lower part of the hat (3a) by co-injection method and is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material. It prevents unwanted substances such as air, liquid, dust and dirt from entering the plug (100) from the outside and ensures that the gases passing through the diaphragm (2), instead of being discharged directly, are discharged by passing through the gas channels in the battery cover and through the porex, a special filter on the cover. At least one sealing element (4) is also connected to the circular channel (3e) immediately above the threads (3d) in the lower part of the main body (3) of the plug (100). Said sealing element (4) is an O-ring gasket made of NBR (Nitrile rubber) material. The sealing element (4) prevents the passage of gases trying to leak between the main body (3) threads (3d). It allows gases to pass only through the diaphragm (2). Furthermore, it prevents air, liquid dust and dirt from entering the battery cell from the external environment.

[0046] In the invention, the bottom cover (6) is preferably made of sulfuric acid-resistant polypropylene (PP) material. There are at least one, preferably 4 gas inlet channels (6a) in the invention, in said lower cover (6), allowing the gases in the battery cell to enter the main body (3). The bottom cover (6) prevents undesired substances from entering the main body (3).

[0047] The basic working principle of the plug (100) is as follows; the gases accumulated in the battery cell pass through the 4 gas inlet channels (6a) on the bottom cover (6) and enter the plug (100). When the pressure in the cell reaches a certain value (80-120 mBar), the diaphragm (2) opens and the gases pass to the upper chamber above the diaphragm (2). Gases are transmitted to the gas channel on the battery cover through 2 gas outlet channels (3h) in the main body (3). The gases pass through the channels in the battery cover and pass through a special flame retardant filter called porex to be discharged. When the pressure drops in the battery cell, the diaphragm (2) closes by the force exerted on the diaphragm (2) by the pressure pin tip (1 b) of the pressure pin (1 a) on the top cover (1 ) and the air entry to the battery cell from the outside is cut off. The plug (100) is connected to the battery cover by at least one thread (3d) in the main body (3). When the plug (100) is tightened to the battery cover, preferably with a torque of 1.5-2.0 Nm, the sealing element (4) attached to the main body (3) of the plug (100) is clamped in the main body (3) slot (3b) and forms a seal. In this way, it prevents the exit of the gases in the battery cell through the threads (3d); allowing passage through the diaphragm (2). It also prevents air from entering the battery cell from the outside. The coated gasket (5) under the cap (3a) of the main body (3) prevents undesired substances such as air, liquid, dust, dirt from entering the main body (3) from the outside, and also ensures that the gases passing through the diaphragm (2) are transmitted to the gas channels in the battery cover instead of being discharged directly. This cycle helps VRLA lead-acid batteries to last longer than flooded lead-acid batteries.

[0048] Industrial Applicability of the Invention The invention relates to the pressure controlled plug structure (100), which is maintenance-free and one of the important components affecting the prolongation of battery life in rechargeable AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead-acid dry cell batteries, and is industrially applicable. AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) lead-acid dry batteries have a wide range of usage areas such as new generation cars with start-stop technology with regenerative braking features, renewable energy systems, telecommunication systems, vehicles such as boats and caravans, marine, power wheelchairs, uninterruptible power supplies, emergency lighting systems, fire alarm systems, medical devices, ATM machines, elevators and electronic scales.

[0049] The invention is not limited to the example embodiments above, and the person skilled in the art can readily present other different embodiments of the invention. These should be considered within the protection scope of the invention claimed by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . The pressure controlled plug (100), characterized in that it comprises at least one top cover (1 ) comprising at least one pressure pin (1 a), at least one diaphragm (2) providing controlled air passage, at least one main body (3) comprising at least one cap (3a), at least one slot (3b), at least one connection slot (3c) and at least one gas outlet channel (3h), at least one coated gasket (5) located under the cap (3a) of the main body (3), at least one sealing element (4) located on the upper part of the threads (3d) of said main body (3), and at least one bottom cover (6) comprising at least one gas inlet channel (6a).

2. The plug (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the main body (3) is made of polypropylene (PP) material resistant to chemicals.

3. The plug (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the diaphragm (2) is made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber.

4. The plug (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bottom cover (6) is made of polypropylene (PP) raw material resistant to acids.

5. The plug (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the coated gasket (5) is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material.

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