JPH10255750A - Battery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery device having protection and safety functions of high reliability by disposing, in a battery container, a pressure releasing valve for releasing a pressure to the outside in the case of an abnormal increase in pressure inside a battery, and cutting a bellows end face by the use of a hollow projection having one end connected to a small chamber. SOLUTION: If a pressure inside a battery 1 is abnormally increased, a bellows type equalizer 2 is extended so that its end face abuts against projections 3b each having a sharp, hollow tip formed at a bottom plate 3a of a battery container, thereby cutting a thin film 2a so as to prevent any breakage of the battery 1. A jetted electrolyte is introduced into a closed small chamber 4 through the projections 3b each having the sharp, hollow tip, thus preventing any deterioration of an electric insulating property of equalized oil. If a pressure inside the small chamber 4 is increased, a pressure releasing valve 6 disposed in the battery container 3 is opened to discharge the jetted electrolyte or equalized oil to the outside of the battery container 3, so that a breakage of the small chamber 4 can be prevented. A check valve 5 is disposed on the side of the small chamber 4 of the projection 3b having the sharp, hollow tip, thus preventing any reverse flow of the electrolyte introduced into the small chamber 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery device as a power supply for driving equipment used under high pressure such as deep sea.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, since a high pressure is applied in the deep sea, a battery provided with a so-called equalizing device is employed instead of relying on the pressure resistance of the battery case alone. Not used. The battery case containing the power generation element and the pressure equalizing device are air-tightly and liquid-tightly integrated, and the inside of both is filled with an electrolyte and communicates with each other. When the pressure of the environment in which the battery is installed increases, the volume of the pressure equalizing device shrinks, and the internal pressure becomes the same as the external pressure, thereby preventing the battery case and the pressure equalizing device from being damaged. A predetermined number of batteries having such a structure are connected in series or in parallel, and are used by being immersed in equalizing oil.

[0003]

On the other hand, it is assumed that a battery or a charger for charging the battery breaks down. One of the symptoms is that the internal pressure rises due to overcharging or short-circuiting of the power generating element, and in the worst case, the battery or pressure equalizing device ruptures, spreading the damage to peripheral equipment. Therefore, a safety valve that opens at a predetermined pressure is provided in the battery or the pressure equalizing device to prevent the battery case and the pressure equalizing device from being ruptured. As a safety valve used for such a purpose, a backflow prevention type or a cut-out type has been proposed. However, when the safety valve operates, the highly conductive electrolyte contained in the battery gushes out, lowering the electrical insulation of the pressure equalizing oil around the battery, and causing leakage current from the majority of other normal batteries. There was a risk of flowing and damaging peripheral equipment, including batteries.

[0004]

Therefore, a bellows type pressure equalizing device is attached to a battery case containing a power generating element, and a safety valve for releasing pressure to the outside when the battery internal pressure rises abnormally is a member for mounting the battery on the bellows end face. It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem by providing a structure in which the protrusion is a hollow body and the other end is connected to a closed chamber in the battery device of the type in which cutting is performed by the protrusion.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The function of the present invention is that when any abnormality occurs in the battery, the internal pressure rises above a predetermined value, and the bellows expandable portion reaches the maximum extension, the protrusion of the battery housing member causes one of the bellows expandable portion. The internal pressure is released by opening the part to prevent the battery and the pressure equalizing device from being ruptured. At this time, a part of the highly conductive electrolyte contained in the battery is simultaneously ejected. By making the projection for incision hollow and the other end of the projection connected to the closed chamber, the electrolyte ejected at the time of incision is introduced into the closed chamber through the hollow part of the projection, and the electrolyte immerses the battery This makes it difficult to contact with the equalizing oil, thereby preventing a decrease in the electrical insulation of the equalizing oil.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a battery having a built-in power generating element. Reference numeral 2 denotes a bellows type pressure equalizing device, which is connected to the battery 1 in a liquid-tight and air-tight manner, and contains an electrolyte therein. 2a is the end face of the bellows-type expansion / contraction part and has a thickness of 100 μm.
m thin film made of stainless steel. Reference numeral 3 denotes a battery storage box, which stores batteries with six pressure equalizers in the embodiment, is connected to an external pressure equalizer by a communication port 3c, and is a pressure equalizing oil filled in the external pressure equalizer. (Not shown) transmits the pressure outside the battery storage box. Bottom plate 3a of battery storage box 3
Is provided with a hollow projection 3b having a sharp tip at a position facing the thin film 2a. Reference numeral 4 denotes a closed small chamber to which the other end of the projection 3b is connected. The small chamber 4 is provided with a pressure release valve 6 that opens when a predetermined pressure is reached.

In actual use, a battery in a battery storage box configured as shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a deep sea while being immersed in pressure equalizing oil, and connected to a load device (not shown). When it is located at normal pressure, that is, on the sea surface, it is not subjected to external pressure. The bellows of the pressure equalizer shrinks in proportion to the pressure rise, the pressure inside the battery rises, and the pressure inside and outside the battery becomes uniform, preventing the battery from being crushed.

If an abnormality occurs in the charger or the battery and the internal pressure of the battery rises abnormally, the bellows of the pressure equalizer expands, and the end face contacts the hollow projection 3b of the bottom plate of the battery storage box. This opens the thin film 2a to release the internal pressure of the battery, thereby preventing the battery from bursting. At this time, the ejected electrolytic solution is introduced into the closed small chamber through the hollow portion of the projection, so that the equilibrium oil, especially the equilibrium oil around the battery terminals, does not deteriorate the electrical insulation of the electrolyte. There is no leakage current due to the battery. Further, when the pressure in the small chamber becomes high, the pressure release valve 6 is opened, and the ejected electrolytic solution or pressure equalizing oil is discharged to the outside of the battery storage box, so that the small chamber can be prevented from being damaged. Further, when the check valve 5 is provided on each projection on the small chamber side, the electrolyte introduced into the small chamber does not flow backward and comes into contact with the equalizing oil again.

[0010]

As described in detail above, by using the battery device according to the present invention, a battery device having highly reliable protection and safety functions can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery 2 Bellows type pressure equalizing device of expansion-contraction part 2a Thin film 3 Battery storage box 3a Bottom plate of battery storage box 3b Sharp tip and hollow projection 3c Communication port 4 Small chamber 5 Check valve 6 Pressure release valve

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bellows type pressure equalizing device is attached to a battery case containing a power generating element, and a safety valve for releasing pressure to the outside when the battery internal pressure rises abnormally opens the bellows end face by a protrusion of a member for installing the battery. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is a hollow body, and the other end is connected to a closed chamber.