CA1129492A - High rate, battery testing apparatus and method - Google Patents
High rate, battery testing apparatus and methodInfo
- Publication number
- CA1129492A CA1129492A CA318,721A CA318721A CA1129492A CA 1129492 A CA1129492 A CA 1129492A CA 318721 A CA318721 A CA 318721A CA 1129492 A CA1129492 A CA 1129492A
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- battery
- battery terminal
- terminals
- testing
- terminal connecting
- Prior art date
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- Connection Of Batteries Or Terminals (AREA)
Abstract
HIGH RATE, BATTERY TESTING
APPARATUS AND METHOD
Abstract of the Disclosure A novel high rate battery testing apparatus and method are disclosed. The high rate terminal blocks are adjustably mounted to service batteries with various terminal posts spacings. After indexing and alignment each battery to be processed is located and clamped by a high rate test head to create high quality electri-cal contact with the terminal blcoks of the apparatus after which a load is connected across the battery terminals to effect the testing operation. The terminal blocks are preferably of the same configuration as the molding templates used to mold the battery terminals thereby ensuring precise alignment and excellent contact between the battery terminals and the water cooled terminal blocks.
APPARATUS AND METHOD
Abstract of the Disclosure A novel high rate battery testing apparatus and method are disclosed. The high rate terminal blocks are adjustably mounted to service batteries with various terminal posts spacings. After indexing and alignment each battery to be processed is located and clamped by a high rate test head to create high quality electri-cal contact with the terminal blcoks of the apparatus after which a load is connected across the battery terminals to effect the testing operation. The terminal blocks are preferably of the same configuration as the molding templates used to mold the battery terminals thereby ensuring precise alignment and excellent contact between the battery terminals and the water cooled terminal blocks.
Description
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Background of the Invention The present invention generally relates to bat-tery processing apparatuses. It also relates to apparatuses and methods which are used to "high-rate" test charged bat-teries, particularly automotive batteries.
Background of the Invention The present invention generally relates to bat-tery processing apparatuses. It also relates to apparatuses and methods which are used to "high-rate" test charged bat-teries, particularly automotive batteries.
(2) Prior to the shipping of completed electric storage batteries, particularly automotive storage batteries, it is desirable to "high-rate" test those batteries by, in essence, shorting the positive and negative terminals of those batteries while measuring the current capacity of those batteries. This "high-rate" testing procedure is necessary since it is possible that various connections within the battery, such as intercell connections, may be cracked or otherwise be unsatisfactory such that the battery would be prevented from delivering its full capacity, as for example, under starting conditions when used in an automobile. By "high-rate" testing these batteries, deficient welds, con-nections, internal shorts, and other deficiencies within the battery will be reflected in the battery's inability to de-liver "high-rate" discharge.
Currently, most batteries which are high rate tested are tested through a hand procedure wherein an op-erator holding two terminal connectors places those con-nectors over the terminal posts and activates the testing mechanism, whereby a preselected load i.s connected across the terminals for a preselected length of time. In the event that the battery being tested is faulty, the circuit will either open or the amount of current provided thereby will substantially decrease prior to the end of the test.
The terminal connectors used for "high-rate" testing are generally cylindrical having axially tapered voids disposed in the ends thereof which are oversized with respect to the battery terminals. These voids are fitted over the terminals to be tested and the cylinders are "cocked" with respect to the axis of the terminals so that connections are made be-tween the inner surfaces of the voids and the outer surfaces
Currently, most batteries which are high rate tested are tested through a hand procedure wherein an op-erator holding two terminal connectors places those con-nectors over the terminal posts and activates the testing mechanism, whereby a preselected load i.s connected across the terminals for a preselected length of time. In the event that the battery being tested is faulty, the circuit will either open or the amount of current provided thereby will substantially decrease prior to the end of the test.
The terminal connectors used for "high-rate" testing are generally cylindrical having axially tapered voids disposed in the ends thereof which are oversized with respect to the battery terminals. These voids are fitted over the terminals to be tested and the cylinders are "cocked" with respect to the axis of the terminals so that connections are made be-tween the inner surfaces of the voids and the outer surfaces
(3) ., of the terminals. Unfortunately, (3~) 1~L2949~
while the leverage applied by the cylinders is usually sufficient to create a connection thereto,the "cocking" of the cylinders tends to mark the battery terminals and may additionally, if connections are not well made, cause arcing, sparking, or melting of the lugs of the battery terminal. In extreme instances the leverage applied could conceivably crack the terminal post-bushing welds. Since the voids are over-sized with respect to the battery terminal and since the connections are placed down over those terminals, sparking or arcing particularly during "high-rate" discharge may ignite battery gases in the vicinity of the top of the battery cases, possibly with explosive consequences. Additionally, depending upon the capacity of the batteries being tested and the fre-quency of testing successive batteries, the battery terminal connections can heat up, thereby affecting the resistance or load which is effectively placed across the terminal connections. Consequently, with this type of testing apparatus it may be difficult to accurately compare the capacity of batteries tested at various times of the day and with various testing frequencies.
Summary oÇ the Invcntion The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for safely "high-rate" testing electric storage batteries.
More specifically~ the invention consists of an apparatus for "high-rate" testing storage batteries of the type having a case and at least one terminal extending there-through, said apparatus comprising: (a) a work surface for supporting batteries to be tested; ~b) a frame associated with said work surface; ~c) a battery processing head mounted ~2~4~
on said frame for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame between at least standby and battery testing positions;
(d) battery terminal connecting means mounted on said head for establishing electrical contact with said battery terminals upon movement of said head to said battery testing position, said battery terminal connecting means comprising at least one battery terminal connecting block mounted on said battery pro-cessing head for slideable movment with respect to said head along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of said head, said battery terminal connecting block adapted to mate-ably receive at least one battery terminal post insert, said battery terminal post insert having a lower surface defined thereon to create an air tight seal between said insert and at least a portion of the battery case disposed adjacent to said battery terminal post; and (e) high rate testing means electrically connected to said battery terminal connecting means for selectively "high-rate" testing each of said batteries when said batteries are electrically connected thereto through said battery terminal connecting means.
__,.. ~ .. .
The invention also provides a method of "high-rate" testing electri.c storage batterics comprising the steps of: ta) introducing an electric storage battery into a battery processing posi.tion; (b) introducing mateably con-figured battery terminal connections over each of the terminals of the batteries to contact the exterior surfaces of those terminals, said connections being applied to create a gas-tight seal around said battery terminals against at least a portion of the battery case adjacent to said terminals;
and (c) maintaining said gas-tight seal while placing a pre-selected electrical load across said battery through said - 4a -.
l~Z~4~2 connections for a predetermined length of time while deter-mining the electrical integrity of said battery to thereby "high-rate" test said battery.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention sequentially processes batteries by aligning the terminals of those batteries under a plurality of water cooled terminal connection blocks having terminal post inserts fitted therein which are precisely sized to engage the exterior of the terminals, which are then automatically caused to seat around those terminals, after which the "high-rate" testing operation is automatically performed. In the preferred embodiment, the terminal blocks in are slidably mounted to accommodate various battery terminal spacings. The preferred embodiment battery terminal blocks seal the battery terminals with respect to the bottom of thc blocks, lcaving the top surfaces of the battery terminals open to thc atmosphere, whereby the possibility of e.Yplosive ignition of battery gases in the vicinity of the case surface is substantially reduced.
Following the "high-rate" testing operation, suitable batteries are permitted to proceed down the assembly line, while those batteries which are ound not to be suitable are rejected to a secondary reject conveyor.
These and other features of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description.
Detailed Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of the preferred apparatus of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-section of the preferred embodiment battery terminal connection of the present apparatus, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1, a portion of the battery case and battery terminal being shown in phantom;
Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a portion of the battery terminal connection shown in Fig. 2, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 3-3 in Fig. 2.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of descri.bing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, the automated "high-rate" testing apparatus of the present invention gen-erally comprises a conveyor means for sequentially indexing and aligning automotive storage batteries, such as battery 12 in a battery processing position immediately under the battery processing head designated generally 100. The battery processing head 100 is supported by main supports 102 and 104. These main supports are hollow and have counter-weights disposed therein which, together approxi-mately equal the weight of the battery processing head 100.
These counter-weights are attached to cables 106 and 108 (6) Z~
which are run across (6A~
....
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pulley mechanisms 110 and 112 and are attached to battery processing support rods 114 and 116 which are journalled within support rod bushings 118, 120, 122, and 124. These bushings are mounted on main transverse support member 126 which spans between main supports 102 and 1040 The battery processing head 100 is caused to move generally towards and away from battery 12 by means of battery processing head cylinder 130 which is mounted on main transverse support member 126. Accordingly, relative movement of cylinder rod 132 with respect to cylinder 130 causes the relative movement of the battery processing head 100 in the directions as shown by double-headed arrow A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the battery processing head 100 is shown in the operating or testing position, but is retractable upon the withdraw~l of cylinder rod 132 into a standby position away from battery 12.
As seen in Fig. 1, the battery processing head 100 generally comprises upright rods 202 and 204 which are spaced apart at either end by transverse supporting member 206 at the upper end and two parallel, transverse connecting rods 208 and 209 which span between Imion blocks 210 and 212 at the lower end. Slidably disposed on rods 208 and 209 are a plurality of terminal connecting blocks 214 and 216 which are mounted for movement along rods 208 and 209 into positions directly over the battery terminals to be contacted. Since the "high-rate" testing operation is, of course, conducted on charged batteries, the preferred embodiment apparatus of the present invention is fully insulated to insure that bridging cannot take place directly through the main body of the apparatus. Accordingly, insulating bushings 900 and 904 are utilized on each terminal connection block 214 and 216 to insulate those blocks from rods 208 and 209.
D
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Terminal connecting blocks 214 and 2L6 are connected to a test cabinet designated generally 217 through connecting cables 221 and 223. The control cabinet is shown in Fig. 1 mounted on bracket 401 which is adjustably disposed along main support 104. The control cabinet is a conventional high rate test cabinet which, when triggered, places a pre-selected electrical load across the battery which measures the capacity and electrical integrity of the battery, for a predetermined length of time. The preferred embodiment conveyor mechanism designated generally 25, although not illustrated in detail in the drawings is preferably identical to that disclosed in my U.S. Patent 4,109,793 issued August 29, 1978 and entitled, "Automatic Air Leak Testing Apparatus and Method". Additionally, although not illustrated in the drawings, one preferred embodiment of the present apparatus may incorporate in addition to the structure shown in the drawings, a locater template having a plurality of openings disposed thereon which mate with pins to relatively fix the locations of the terminal connecting blocks 214 and 216, as disclosed in my U.S. Patent 4,198,736 issuccl April 22, 1980 and entitled "Automated Burnislling Apparatus and Method for Burnishing the Terminal Posts of Lead-Acid Batteries", and also more specifically described in my prior U.S. Patent Nos. 3,861,575 and 3,942,704 issued January 21, 1975 and March 9, 1976. For this embodiment, it is important that all members coming in contact directly or indirectly with the terminal connection blocks be insulated from the remainder of the apparatus. In this regard, the preferred 1~2~4~
locater template material is Lexan acrylic polymer sheet, or some other similar type of insulating material which will, in any event, prevent the shorting of battery terminals directly through the main body of the apparatus.
Referring now in particular to Fig. 2, which is a greatly enlarged side view of a portion of the battery terminal block 214 shown in Fig. 1, cable 221 may be seen to be bolted to a rear portion of the connecting block designated generally 214 by a conventional bolt 251. The battery terminal connecting block is substantially identical in configuration to the molds and mold carriage blocks dis-closed in my U.S. Patent 4,119,137 issued October 10, 1978 and entitled, "Automated Post Burn Station", with the exception that the interior surfaces of interchangeable terminal connecting insert 801 are not hard surEaced anodized, but are preferably polished aluminum or copper thereby insuring that excellent electrical contact will be established between the interior surfaces thcreof and the outer surEaces o battery terminal posts 803. Superior contacts arc accorcl-ingly achieved by utilizing the same insert construction(albeit with different interior finishes) to both molds, i.e., burn and test the battery terminals. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower surfaces of the terminal connecting inserts, such as insert 801, seat firmly upon the raised portions, such as raised portion 13, which surrounds the battery terminals, such as terminal 803 of battery 12. The portion of terminal post insert 801 which surrounds and seats g , . .. ,^
1~294~
down upon the battery terminal post 803 is precisely con-figured to the exterior surfaces of that post, but includes an entrance taper or level to aid in rece;.ving the post as the insert is introduced do~m over the post. The outer surfaces of the terminal post insert 801 mateably engage a complementally defined bore in the terminal connecting block 214 such that an excellent heat transfer relationship is established between the insert 801 and the block 214. If desired, the effectiveness of the heat transfer relationship and/or the temperature of the inserts can be monitored by thermocouples mowlted on the blocks which contact the inserts, as described in my prior U.S. Patent No. 4,033,402 issued July 5, 1977. Regardless of the size and con~iguration of the interior of each insert, the exteri.or climerlsio~ Or these inserts are standardized to mateably fit within the bores Or the conl-ecting blocks, thus proviclillg (luick interchallgability process any of a variety o:~ ~stan~l.lrd terlllincl1 sizes an~l locations.
In Fi.g. 3, wh:i.ch is a cross-sect:ion Or a l)ortion Of the block showll in l;.g. 2, witll the c~coptiot~ th;lt cable 2~1 and bolt 25l h;lve been omitte~l lol purl)oses of cl.lr.ity, the cooling cha~ el S0~.) ;Ind its assoc-i.ltecl condui.ts 8ll.
and 813 are l)rov:iclecl to Cacil:it..lte the COIlSt;lllt circulat;.o of a cooling flui.d througll the block, as lor excllllple tllrougl conduit Sll around conduit ~0'~ and out of conduit 813 (or vice versa), which will act to cool block 214 which in turn will cool terminal connecting insert 801. Thus, regardless of the number o~ tests which are made in a given length of time, the terminal connecting inserts and terminal connecting blocks will be maintained at a uniform temperature and will accordingly not vary in the resistance imparted to the "high-rate" testing system.
B
From the above description it will be seen that a novel apparatus is provided which will efficiently "high-rate" test batteries in a safe, uniform manner. The bat-teries are introduced into a battery processing position, whereupon battery processing head 100 is moved from the standby to the operating or testing position whereupon appropriately configured terminal connecting inserts seat down around and over the battery terminals to essentially create a seal between the lower surfaces of the terminal connecting insert and the surrounding raised portion 13 of the battery case. Accordingly, arcing which may occur be-tween battery terminal 803 and the interior surfaces of 801 will not take place in the immediate atmospheric vicinity to the top surface of the battery case, thereby minimizing the chances of ignition of battery gases which may be gen-erated during the testing operation. Constant cooling of the terminal connecting insert and terminal connecting blocks facilitates uniform testing regardless of the number of tests conducted during a given testing. In the event that the battery is found to be unacceptable, the battery testing head is automatically retracted and the battery is moved on to a reject conveyor. Alternatively, iE the battery is found to be acceptable, the battery is permitted to pass to the next battery processing station. As dis-closed in connection with my aforementioned pending patent applications and U.S. Patents which are incorporated herein, provision is made to insure that the battery terminal con-necting blocks 214 and 216 fully seat on the top of the bat-tery case around the terminals to establish the aforemen-tioned seal around those terminals ( 1 1 ) 1~2~4~2 prior to the beginning of the testing operatioll. By insuring that the head is in the full do~l position, premature testing of the battery terminals is prevented and the operational safety of the apparatus is increased.
It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this inventioll may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.
while the leverage applied by the cylinders is usually sufficient to create a connection thereto,the "cocking" of the cylinders tends to mark the battery terminals and may additionally, if connections are not well made, cause arcing, sparking, or melting of the lugs of the battery terminal. In extreme instances the leverage applied could conceivably crack the terminal post-bushing welds. Since the voids are over-sized with respect to the battery terminal and since the connections are placed down over those terminals, sparking or arcing particularly during "high-rate" discharge may ignite battery gases in the vicinity of the top of the battery cases, possibly with explosive consequences. Additionally, depending upon the capacity of the batteries being tested and the fre-quency of testing successive batteries, the battery terminal connections can heat up, thereby affecting the resistance or load which is effectively placed across the terminal connections. Consequently, with this type of testing apparatus it may be difficult to accurately compare the capacity of batteries tested at various times of the day and with various testing frequencies.
Summary oÇ the Invcntion The present invention provides a novel apparatus and method for safely "high-rate" testing electric storage batteries.
More specifically~ the invention consists of an apparatus for "high-rate" testing storage batteries of the type having a case and at least one terminal extending there-through, said apparatus comprising: (a) a work surface for supporting batteries to be tested; ~b) a frame associated with said work surface; ~c) a battery processing head mounted ~2~4~
on said frame for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame between at least standby and battery testing positions;
(d) battery terminal connecting means mounted on said head for establishing electrical contact with said battery terminals upon movement of said head to said battery testing position, said battery terminal connecting means comprising at least one battery terminal connecting block mounted on said battery pro-cessing head for slideable movment with respect to said head along an axis transverse to the axis of reciprocation of said head, said battery terminal connecting block adapted to mate-ably receive at least one battery terminal post insert, said battery terminal post insert having a lower surface defined thereon to create an air tight seal between said insert and at least a portion of the battery case disposed adjacent to said battery terminal post; and (e) high rate testing means electrically connected to said battery terminal connecting means for selectively "high-rate" testing each of said batteries when said batteries are electrically connected thereto through said battery terminal connecting means.
__,.. ~ .. .
The invention also provides a method of "high-rate" testing electri.c storage batterics comprising the steps of: ta) introducing an electric storage battery into a battery processing posi.tion; (b) introducing mateably con-figured battery terminal connections over each of the terminals of the batteries to contact the exterior surfaces of those terminals, said connections being applied to create a gas-tight seal around said battery terminals against at least a portion of the battery case adjacent to said terminals;
and (c) maintaining said gas-tight seal while placing a pre-selected electrical load across said battery through said - 4a -.
l~Z~4~2 connections for a predetermined length of time while deter-mining the electrical integrity of said battery to thereby "high-rate" test said battery.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention sequentially processes batteries by aligning the terminals of those batteries under a plurality of water cooled terminal connection blocks having terminal post inserts fitted therein which are precisely sized to engage the exterior of the terminals, which are then automatically caused to seat around those terminals, after which the "high-rate" testing operation is automatically performed. In the preferred embodiment, the terminal blocks in are slidably mounted to accommodate various battery terminal spacings. The preferred embodiment battery terminal blocks seal the battery terminals with respect to the bottom of thc blocks, lcaving the top surfaces of the battery terminals open to thc atmosphere, whereby the possibility of e.Yplosive ignition of battery gases in the vicinity of the case surface is substantially reduced.
Following the "high-rate" testing operation, suitable batteries are permitted to proceed down the assembly line, while those batteries which are ound not to be suitable are rejected to a secondary reject conveyor.
These and other features of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description.
Detailed Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of the preferred apparatus of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-section of the preferred embodiment battery terminal connection of the present apparatus, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 2-2 in Fig. 1, a portion of the battery case and battery terminal being shown in phantom;
Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a portion of the battery terminal connection shown in Fig. 2, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 3-3 in Fig. 2.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of descri.bing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, the automated "high-rate" testing apparatus of the present invention gen-erally comprises a conveyor means for sequentially indexing and aligning automotive storage batteries, such as battery 12 in a battery processing position immediately under the battery processing head designated generally 100. The battery processing head 100 is supported by main supports 102 and 104. These main supports are hollow and have counter-weights disposed therein which, together approxi-mately equal the weight of the battery processing head 100.
These counter-weights are attached to cables 106 and 108 (6) Z~
which are run across (6A~
....
~Z~4~
pulley mechanisms 110 and 112 and are attached to battery processing support rods 114 and 116 which are journalled within support rod bushings 118, 120, 122, and 124. These bushings are mounted on main transverse support member 126 which spans between main supports 102 and 1040 The battery processing head 100 is caused to move generally towards and away from battery 12 by means of battery processing head cylinder 130 which is mounted on main transverse support member 126. Accordingly, relative movement of cylinder rod 132 with respect to cylinder 130 causes the relative movement of the battery processing head 100 in the directions as shown by double-headed arrow A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the battery processing head 100 is shown in the operating or testing position, but is retractable upon the withdraw~l of cylinder rod 132 into a standby position away from battery 12.
As seen in Fig. 1, the battery processing head 100 generally comprises upright rods 202 and 204 which are spaced apart at either end by transverse supporting member 206 at the upper end and two parallel, transverse connecting rods 208 and 209 which span between Imion blocks 210 and 212 at the lower end. Slidably disposed on rods 208 and 209 are a plurality of terminal connecting blocks 214 and 216 which are mounted for movement along rods 208 and 209 into positions directly over the battery terminals to be contacted. Since the "high-rate" testing operation is, of course, conducted on charged batteries, the preferred embodiment apparatus of the present invention is fully insulated to insure that bridging cannot take place directly through the main body of the apparatus. Accordingly, insulating bushings 900 and 904 are utilized on each terminal connection block 214 and 216 to insulate those blocks from rods 208 and 209.
D
~Z~4~
Terminal connecting blocks 214 and 2L6 are connected to a test cabinet designated generally 217 through connecting cables 221 and 223. The control cabinet is shown in Fig. 1 mounted on bracket 401 which is adjustably disposed along main support 104. The control cabinet is a conventional high rate test cabinet which, when triggered, places a pre-selected electrical load across the battery which measures the capacity and electrical integrity of the battery, for a predetermined length of time. The preferred embodiment conveyor mechanism designated generally 25, although not illustrated in detail in the drawings is preferably identical to that disclosed in my U.S. Patent 4,109,793 issued August 29, 1978 and entitled, "Automatic Air Leak Testing Apparatus and Method". Additionally, although not illustrated in the drawings, one preferred embodiment of the present apparatus may incorporate in addition to the structure shown in the drawings, a locater template having a plurality of openings disposed thereon which mate with pins to relatively fix the locations of the terminal connecting blocks 214 and 216, as disclosed in my U.S. Patent 4,198,736 issuccl April 22, 1980 and entitled "Automated Burnislling Apparatus and Method for Burnishing the Terminal Posts of Lead-Acid Batteries", and also more specifically described in my prior U.S. Patent Nos. 3,861,575 and 3,942,704 issued January 21, 1975 and March 9, 1976. For this embodiment, it is important that all members coming in contact directly or indirectly with the terminal connection blocks be insulated from the remainder of the apparatus. In this regard, the preferred 1~2~4~
locater template material is Lexan acrylic polymer sheet, or some other similar type of insulating material which will, in any event, prevent the shorting of battery terminals directly through the main body of the apparatus.
Referring now in particular to Fig. 2, which is a greatly enlarged side view of a portion of the battery terminal block 214 shown in Fig. 1, cable 221 may be seen to be bolted to a rear portion of the connecting block designated generally 214 by a conventional bolt 251. The battery terminal connecting block is substantially identical in configuration to the molds and mold carriage blocks dis-closed in my U.S. Patent 4,119,137 issued October 10, 1978 and entitled, "Automated Post Burn Station", with the exception that the interior surfaces of interchangeable terminal connecting insert 801 are not hard surEaced anodized, but are preferably polished aluminum or copper thereby insuring that excellent electrical contact will be established between the interior surfaces thcreof and the outer surEaces o battery terminal posts 803. Superior contacts arc accorcl-ingly achieved by utilizing the same insert construction(albeit with different interior finishes) to both molds, i.e., burn and test the battery terminals. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower surfaces of the terminal connecting inserts, such as insert 801, seat firmly upon the raised portions, such as raised portion 13, which surrounds the battery terminals, such as terminal 803 of battery 12. The portion of terminal post insert 801 which surrounds and seats g , . .. ,^
1~294~
down upon the battery terminal post 803 is precisely con-figured to the exterior surfaces of that post, but includes an entrance taper or level to aid in rece;.ving the post as the insert is introduced do~m over the post. The outer surfaces of the terminal post insert 801 mateably engage a complementally defined bore in the terminal connecting block 214 such that an excellent heat transfer relationship is established between the insert 801 and the block 214. If desired, the effectiveness of the heat transfer relationship and/or the temperature of the inserts can be monitored by thermocouples mowlted on the blocks which contact the inserts, as described in my prior U.S. Patent No. 4,033,402 issued July 5, 1977. Regardless of the size and con~iguration of the interior of each insert, the exteri.or climerlsio~ Or these inserts are standardized to mateably fit within the bores Or the conl-ecting blocks, thus proviclillg (luick interchallgability process any of a variety o:~ ~stan~l.lrd terlllincl1 sizes an~l locations.
In Fi.g. 3, wh:i.ch is a cross-sect:ion Or a l)ortion Of the block showll in l;.g. 2, witll the c~coptiot~ th;lt cable 2~1 and bolt 25l h;lve been omitte~l lol purl)oses of cl.lr.ity, the cooling cha~ el S0~.) ;Ind its assoc-i.ltecl condui.ts 8ll.
and 813 are l)rov:iclecl to Cacil:it..lte the COIlSt;lllt circulat;.o of a cooling flui.d througll the block, as lor excllllple tllrougl conduit Sll around conduit ~0'~ and out of conduit 813 (or vice versa), which will act to cool block 214 which in turn will cool terminal connecting insert 801. Thus, regardless of the number o~ tests which are made in a given length of time, the terminal connecting inserts and terminal connecting blocks will be maintained at a uniform temperature and will accordingly not vary in the resistance imparted to the "high-rate" testing system.
B
From the above description it will be seen that a novel apparatus is provided which will efficiently "high-rate" test batteries in a safe, uniform manner. The bat-teries are introduced into a battery processing position, whereupon battery processing head 100 is moved from the standby to the operating or testing position whereupon appropriately configured terminal connecting inserts seat down around and over the battery terminals to essentially create a seal between the lower surfaces of the terminal connecting insert and the surrounding raised portion 13 of the battery case. Accordingly, arcing which may occur be-tween battery terminal 803 and the interior surfaces of 801 will not take place in the immediate atmospheric vicinity to the top surface of the battery case, thereby minimizing the chances of ignition of battery gases which may be gen-erated during the testing operation. Constant cooling of the terminal connecting insert and terminal connecting blocks facilitates uniform testing regardless of the number of tests conducted during a given testing. In the event that the battery is found to be unacceptable, the battery testing head is automatically retracted and the battery is moved on to a reject conveyor. Alternatively, iE the battery is found to be acceptable, the battery is permitted to pass to the next battery processing station. As dis-closed in connection with my aforementioned pending patent applications and U.S. Patents which are incorporated herein, provision is made to insure that the battery terminal con-necting blocks 214 and 216 fully seat on the top of the bat-tery case around the terminals to establish the aforemen-tioned seal around those terminals ( 1 1 ) 1~2~4~2 prior to the beginning of the testing operatioll. By insuring that the head is in the full do~l position, premature testing of the battery terminals is prevented and the operational safety of the apparatus is increased.
It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this inventioll may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.
Claims (8)
1. An apparatus for "high-rate" testing storage batteries of the type having a case and at least one terminal extending therethrough, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a work surface for supporting batteries to be tested;
(b) a frame associated with said work surface;
(c) a battery processing head mounted on said frame for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame between at least standby and battery testing positions;
(d) battery terminal connecting means mounted on said head for establishing electrical contact with said battery terminals upon movement of said head to said battery testing position, said battery terminal connecting means comprising at least one battery terminal connecting block mounted on said battery processing head for slideable movement with respect to said head along all axis transverse to the axis of recipro-cation of said head, said battery terminal connecting block adapted to mateably receive at least one battery terminal post insert, said battery terminal post insert having a lower sur-face defiled thereon to create an air tight seal between said insert and at least a portion of the battery case disposed adjacent to said battery terminal post; and (e) high rate testing means electrically connected to said battery terminal connecting means for selectively "high-rate" testing each of said batteries when said batteries are electrically connected thereto through said battery terminal connecting means.
(a) a work surface for supporting batteries to be tested;
(b) a frame associated with said work surface;
(c) a battery processing head mounted on said frame for reciprocal movement with respect to said frame between at least standby and battery testing positions;
(d) battery terminal connecting means mounted on said head for establishing electrical contact with said battery terminals upon movement of said head to said battery testing position, said battery terminal connecting means comprising at least one battery terminal connecting block mounted on said battery processing head for slideable movement with respect to said head along all axis transverse to the axis of recipro-cation of said head, said battery terminal connecting block adapted to mateably receive at least one battery terminal post insert, said battery terminal post insert having a lower sur-face defiled thereon to create an air tight seal between said insert and at least a portion of the battery case disposed adjacent to said battery terminal post; and (e) high rate testing means electrically connected to said battery terminal connecting means for selectively "high-rate" testing each of said batteries when said batteries are electrically connected thereto through said battery terminal connecting means.
2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said battery terminal connecting means further comprises at least one battery terminal connecting block, said battery terminal connecting block having cooling means associated therewith for maintaining a constant temperature of said block during testing.
3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said battery terminal connecting block further comprises means for re-ceiving a battery terminal post insert, said battery terminal post insert being substantially disposed within a bore formed through said block in direct heat transfer relationship to said block, whereby cooling of said block additionally cools said battery terminal connecting insert.
4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said battery terminal connecting block is electrically insulated with respect to said battery processing head.
5. A method of "high-rate" testing electric storage batteries comprising the steps of:
(a) introducing an electric storage battery into a battery processing position;
(b) introducing mateably configured battery terminal connections over each of the terminals of the batteries to contact the exterior surfaces of those terminals, said connections being applied to create a gas-tight seal around said battery terminals against at least a portion of the battery case adjacent to said terminals; and (c) maintaining said gas-tight seal while placing a preselected electrical load across said battery through said connections for a predetermined length of time while determining the electrical integrity of said battery to thereby "high-rate" test said battery.
(a) introducing an electric storage battery into a battery processing position;
(b) introducing mateably configured battery terminal connections over each of the terminals of the batteries to contact the exterior surfaces of those terminals, said connections being applied to create a gas-tight seal around said battery terminals against at least a portion of the battery case adjacent to said terminals; and (c) maintaining said gas-tight seal while placing a preselected electrical load across said battery through said connections for a predetermined length of time while determining the electrical integrity of said battery to thereby "high-rate" test said battery.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of maintaining the temperature of said connections at a preselected temperature to standardize the electrical resistance of those connections.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the mateably configured battery connections are substantially identical in construction to the molds utilzed to shape said terminals during the initial burning of said terminals.
8. The invention of claim 3 wherein said connecting means comprises a plurality of said blocks having substantially identical bores formed therein, said inserts being removably mounted within said blocks to facilitate the interchange of said inserts to accommodate batteries having various terminal sizes and positions.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US887,063 | 1978-03-16 | ||
| US05/887,063 US4198736A (en) | 1975-10-02 | 1978-03-16 | Automated burnishing apparatus and method for burnishing the terminal posts of lead-acid batteries |
| US05/895,520 US4214204A (en) | 1978-04-11 | 1978-04-11 | High rate, battery testing apparatus and method |
| US895,520 | 1978-04-11 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1129492A true CA1129492A (en) | 1982-08-10 |
Family
ID=27128821
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA318,721A Expired CA1129492A (en) | 1978-03-16 | 1978-12-28 | High rate, battery testing apparatus and method |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1129492A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN112378486A (en) * | 2020-10-22 | 2021-02-19 | 天津杰士电池有限公司 | Battery liquid level height testing device and method |
-
1978
- 1978-12-28 CA CA318,721A patent/CA1129492A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN112378486A (en) * | 2020-10-22 | 2021-02-19 | 天津杰士电池有限公司 | Battery liquid level height testing device and method |
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