JPS5834707Y2 - Storage battery liquid level detection device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a liquid level detection device for detecting a drop in the electrolyte level of a storage battery.

The lifespan of storage batteries is greatly affected by the quality of maintenance.

Appropriate water replenishment is particularly important during these maintenance and inspections; if the battery runs out of fluid, the electrode plates of the storage battery will come into contact with the outside air, causing sulfation, which can lead to a fatal accident in which capacity recovery cannot be expected.

For these reasons, manufacturers have urged users to be careful about running out of electrolyte, but it is difficult to check the electrolyte level in storage batteries, and it is difficult to check when using batteries in dark places such as warehouses. In many cases, it was impossible to do so, causing the fluid to run out, and as a result, the lifespan was shortened.

In addition, conventionally, in order to prevent the above-mentioned accidents, various liquid level detection devices have been used, such as those that detect the liquid level by observing the rise and fall of the float, and methods that detect the contact and separation of the liquid level detection electrode and the electrolyte. A method of detecting the near liquid level by displaying it with a lamp has been proposed.

), in the case of the former method, as it ages and dust and dirt adhere to the surface, it becomes difficult to check the float, not only in the dark door but also outdoors, and the float becomes distorted at high temperatures. There was a drawback that the floating material could get caught on the side wall of the free thorn, etc., making it difficult to float and sink.

In addition, in the case of the latter method, a large current must be passed to light the lamp, and there is a risk of explosion due to the generation of sparks when the liquid level detection electrode contacts or separates from the electrolyte. First, it is necessary to reduce the current flowing through the liquid level detection electrode, and then increase the current to light the lamp using a separate power supply. It was not possible to provide a lamp etc. inside the monitor, and it was necessary to separately prepare a monitor with a built-in lamp, amplification device, etc.

The present invention provides a liquid level detection device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

That is, the present invention has one detection electrode and two or more light emitting diodes each having different characteristics connected in series or with one pole connected to the detection electrode in the main body of a liquid level detection device that can be attached to the liquid inlet of a storage battery. are connected in parallel, and the resistance value between the highest liquid level and the lowest liquid level of the storage battery of the detection electrode is sufficiently large;
The present invention provides a liquid level detection device that can display the liquid level in multiple stages, such as turning on a plurality of diodes, turning on one diode, and turning off all diodes as the liquid level changes.

Light-emitting diodes operate at voltages well above approximately 1.5V (approximately 1
．． 55V or more), it emits light with a small current of about 0.5 to 5 mA, so it can be emitted with a small current flowing through the detection electrode, and there is no need to use an amplification device like when lighting a lamp. As in the present invention described above, it has become possible to incorporate the liquid level detection device together with the detection electrode into the main body of the liquid level detection device that can be attached to the liquid inlet of a storage battery or the like.

The present invention will be specifically described below using an embodiment shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a liquid level detecting device main body which is attached to a liquid opening or a liquid level detecting device mounting hole provided in a battery case lid 2 of a storage battery, and is made of synthetic resin or the like.

The liquid level detection device main body may have a structure similar to that of a liquid port plug.

3 is an electrode made of a material that does not dissolve in sulfuric acid, and if the highest liquid level of the storage battery is A, the lowest liquid level is C, and the line in between is B,
The resistance value of the electrode between A and 0 is made sufficiently larger than the resistance value of other parts.

Specifically, it is possible to use a material with a higher resistance in the middle or change the diameter of the electrode, etc., as appropriate.

Reference numeral 4.4' indicates a light emitting diode, each having a different characteristic of emitting current range, and is connected in series and provided in the liquid level detection device main body 1, and one pole of the light emitting diode 4 is used for detection. One pole of the light emitting diode 4' is connected to the battery terminal.

In order to prevent corrosion of the detection electrode 3, it is preferable to connect the positive electrode of the light emitting diode to the detection electrode and the negative electrode to the e terminal of the storage battery.

5 is a lead wire that connects the electrode, the light emitting diode, and the storage battery.

Figure 2 has a different electrode structure from Figure 1, and 3 is pb.
, c, and other conductors having sulfuric acid resistance.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an insulating material made of synthetic resin or other material that covers the lower exposed portion of the detection electrode 3 other than the portion corresponding to the highest and lowest liquid levels of the storage battery electrolyte.

In the embodiment shown in the figure, a small hole 7 is provided in the insulating material 6 at a location corresponding to the highest liquid level of the storage battery electrolyte, and a small hole 8 is provided at a location corresponding to the lowest liquid level. The parts corresponding to the highest and lowest liquid levels are not covered with the insulating material 6.

In addition, the small hole 8 is made sufficiently small compared to the small hole 7, specifically, the small hole 8 is made to be about the size of a pinhole, and the contact resistance between the detection electrode and the electrolyte at the small hole 8 is adjusted to the small hole 7. Make it bigger for comparison.

Note that the resistance value of the small holes 7 and 8 may be made larger than the other portions of the portion of the detection electrode 3 below the portion corresponding to the highest liquid level, that is, the portion below the small hole 7.

This can be done by making the lower part of the detection electrode 3 made of a material with high resistivity, or by making the cross-sectional area of the lower part of the detection electrode smaller than the cross-sectional area of the upper part.

Next, to explain the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, when the negative electrode of the light emitting diode 4' is connected to the e terminal of the storage battery, and the liquid level is below the lowest liquid level shown in C, the detection electrode 3 detects the electrolyte. Since the light emitting diodes 4 and 4' are not in contact with each other, both the light emitting diodes 4 and 4' do not light up.

When the liquid level shows C, only one of the two light emitting diodes with a characteristic of medium lighting current lights up, one does not light up, and the liquid level is between the highest liquid level A and C. In state B, one is lit and the other is not lit or dimly lit, and when the liquid level is in A, both are lit.

In this way, by combining the light emitting diodes 4, 4' with lighting and turning off and dark lighting depending on the state of the liquid level, it is possible to read minute fluctuations in the liquid level.

Furthermore, by changing the color of the light emitted from the light emitting diode, it becomes clearer.

Furthermore, in this example, an example was shown in which two types of light emitting diodes with different characteristics were used, but by using three or more types of light emitting diodes with different characteristics, a more accurate liquid level can be indicated. .

In addition, since the liquid level is confirmed by flashing light emitting diodes, there is no failure like with the float type, and the flashing can be confirmed even when dust, dirt, etc. are attached.This is a storage battery for electric vehicles used in the dimly lit warehouse 9 workshop. It can be used to achieve revolutionary effects.

Furthermore, even if the light-emitting diode is turned on all the time, only a capacity loss of less than h of normal self-discharge of electricity storage occurs, and the capacity of the storage battery is not affected in any way.

As described above, according to the present invention, the liquid level condition can be detected in three stages: below the lowest liquid level, between the lowest liquid level and the highest liquid level, and above the highest liquid level, so the liquid level condition can be reliably detected. This system has advantages such as being able to perform appropriate water replenishment based on the water replenishment process, being able to know the progress of water replenishment during water replenishment work, and being able to make the liquid level detection device itself more compact.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing one embodiment of the liquid level detection device of the present invention, respectively. 1...Liquid level detection device main body, 3...Detection electrode, 4...Light emitting diode, 6...
Insulating material.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] Two or more light emitting diodes emitting light with different currents are connected in series or parallel in the main body of the liquid level detection device, and a liquid level detection electrode is connected to one pole of the light emitting diodes. A storage battery liquid level detection device in which the resistance between the electrolyte and the generating diode is reduced, and the resistance at the lowest liquid level of the storage battery is increased.