Lead-Acid Battery Moss Guard with Resilient Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional moss guards for lead-acid batteries are time-consuming to insert and can damage separators due to their design, which requires bending and forcing fingers between plates.
Innovation Solution
A moss guard with a body and fingers that include a resilient lock mechanism and stop features, allowing easy insertion and secure fixation without damaging separators, featuring a flexible hook that deflects between engaged and disengaged positions to lock onto positive lugs and a stop to abut the positive strap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional moss guards with fingers are used to secure between lugs, then the moss guard can prevent short circuits, but the installation process damages separators and is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The moss guard is divided into a body portion and multiple finger portions that can be independently positioned. The fingers are segmented to cover individual negative electrodes while the body provides the locking surface, allowing separate insertion of each component without forcing them together through damaged separators.
Solution Approach 2:
The fingers are pre-formed with curved configurations that allow them to be inserted between plates without forcing. The body portion includes pre-formed locking features that engage with lugs before final assembly, enabling secure attachment without damaging separators during installation.
2Ease of manufacture
If moss guards are bent and folded for insertion, then they can be secured between lugs, but separators are damaged during the process
Solution Approach 1:
The moss guard is constructed from flexible material that can elastically deform during insertion and then return to its predetermined shape. This flexibility allows the moss guard to navigate through tight spaces between plates without forcing or damaging separators, while maintaining its structural integrity for secure locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates predetermined curved configurations in the fingers that act as cushioning elements during insertion. These pre-formed curves absorb insertion forces and distribute them evenly, preventing concentrated stress that would damage separators while still enabling the moss guard to secure properly between lugs.
3Reliability
If multiple fingers extend from both sides of the body, then the moss guard can be securely fixed, but the device becomes more complex and difficult to insert
Solution Approach 1:
The moss guard employs asymmetric design where fingers extend primarily from one side of the body portion, with different numbers or configurations of fingers on each side. This asymmetric arrangement provides secure fixation through selective engagement with lugs while simplifying the overall insertion process compared to symmetric multi-sided designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The body portion serves multiple functions: it provides the locking surface for engagement with lugs, structures the arrangement of fingers, and maintains the relative positions of all components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional structural elements, simplifying the overall device while maintaining secure fixation capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The moss guard is compact, easy to handle, and can be inserted without damaging separators, preventing separator leaf float and ensuring correct installation, thus enhancing the operational safety and efficiency of lead-acid batteries.
Implementation Method 1
The lock is configured to resiliently deflect between an engaged position and a disengaged position
Data Source
AI summary
A moss guard for a lead-acid battery cell includes a body and a plurality of fingers extending from a side of the body. The plurality of fingers are configured to substantially cover the top surfaces of negative electrodes between the negative electrodes and a positive strap. An end of at least one of the plurality of fingers distal to the body includes a lock, and the lock is configured to resiliently deflect between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The lock is configured to fix the moss guard with respect to positive lugs while in the engaged position.