MXPA01000816A - One-piece battery charge indicator cage - Google Patents

Abstract

The battery charge indicator cage is molded as a single integral piece with two cores coming in and shutting off against each other. The battery charge indicator cage includes an internal diagonal channel in which a colored ball or balls traverse dependent upon the presence of a fluid of at least a predetermined density. A stem is formed within the diagonal channel in order to form the one-ball embodiment. This stem is removed in order to form the two-ball embodiment.

Description

A PIECE CAGE FOR BATTERY CHARGING INDICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention pertains to a one-piece cage for a battery charge indicator that is used as a hydrometer and a liquid level indicator. Description of the Prior Art In the prior art, it is known to form a cage to enclose and suspend one or more spherical balls within the battery fluid in order to monitor both the fluid level of the battery and the specific gravity of the fluid in the battery. battery. The cage is typically supported by a transparent elongate rod extending down from the top surface of the battery. Incident light rays are transmitted through the transparent rod and various patterns or colors are transmitted through to the observation surface of the rod at the upper outer level of the battery indicating whether the rod is submerged or not in the fluid of the battery and if the ball with a predetermined specific gravity is floating inside the battery fluid or not and therefore is making contact with the transparent rod. Examples of "prior art" include U.S. Patent No. 4,886,428 entitled "Remote Battery Cell Specific Gravity and Electrolytic Level Monitoring Using Optical Floats and Couplers" issued September 12, 1989 to Hinkle; U.S. Patent No. 4,240,282 entitled "Combined Level Indicator and Hydrometer" issued December 23, 1980 to Nelson; U.S. Patent No. 3,915,753 entitled "Liquid Indicator for a Storage Battery with a Flame Barrier Fan Filter" issued October 28, 1975, to Melone; U.S. Patent No. 3,893,339 entitled "Liquid Level Indicator" issued July 8, 1975 to Melone; and U.S. Patent Nos. 3,597,972 and 3,597,973, both entitled "Combined Level Indicator and Hydrometer" and issued on August 10, 1971 to Ryder. In the prior art, these cages were typically molded specifically for a ball design or a two-ball design (where the balls had different densities to provide greater detail in the reading of specific gravity). Additionally, these cages had been molded as two different pieces that required additional assembly and were typically molded in an open position that required an additional manufacturing step to close the cage by a cage-closing machine. In addition to increasing manufacturing and production expense, prior art has encountered the difficulty in providing a cage in a consistent orientation to the automated vision inspection system. OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator that can be adapted to a ball or two ball design. It is therefore an additional object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator that can be molded as a single integrated piece. It is still a still further object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator that is molded in the closed position instead of the open position in order to eliminate a closing step of the cage in the process of manufacture. Therefore, it is still an object of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator that can be reliably presented in a consistent orientation to a visual inspection system during the manufacturing process. It is therefore a final objective of the present invention to provide a cage for a battery charge indicator that has reduced manufacturing costs. These and other objectives are obtained by providing a cage for a battery charge indicator that is molded by two pitch cores that enter and close against each other resulting in a one-piece integral cage that is molded in the closed position . Additionally, a rod or insert is molded into the cage to provide a model ball cage. This rod or insert prevents the simple ball from traveling to pass the tip of the rod of the cage support. However, the insert can be removed so that the cage becomes a two-ball model cage. A notch is molded into a portion of the cage to orient the cage during the assembly procedure in order to present the cage to the visual inspection system in a consistent position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. Figure IA is a front plane view in spectrum of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, showing the rod in place for a ball configuration. Figure IB is a front plane view, partially in spectrum of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, showing the rod removed for a two-ball configuration. Figure 2 is a side plane view, partially in spectrum, of the charge indicator cage of the battery of the present invention. Figure 3 is a sectional sectional view of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane 3-3 of Figure 1A. Figure 4 is a sectional sectional view of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane 4-4 of Figure IA. Figure 5A is a sectional sectional view of the embodiment of one of the balls of the charge indicator cage of the battery of the present invention along plane 5-5 of Figure 2. Figure 5B is a sectional sectional view of an embodiment of two balls of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention along plane 5-5 of Figure 2. Figure 6 is a top plane view, partially in spectrum, of the charge indicator cage of the battery of the present invention. Figure 7 is a sectional sectional view of the embodiment of a ball of the battery charge indicator cage of the present invention, similar to that of Figure 5A, mounted on a transparent rod, showing a single ball in its highest position. Figure 8 is a sectional sectional view of the embodiment of two balls of the charge indicator cage of the battery of the present invention, similar to Figure 5B, mounted on a transparent rod, showing the two balls in their higher positions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FORMS OF REALIZATION OF PREFERENCE Referring now to the drawings in detail where similar numbers indicate like elements through several views, where one observes that Figure IA is a front plane view, partially in spectrum, of the embodiment of a ball of the cage of the charge indicator of the battery 10 of the present invention. The cage of the charge indicator of the battery 10 is intended to be an integral one-piece structure of molded plastic. The cage of the charge indicator of the battery 10 is intended to be molded with two pass cores entering and closing against each other. The base plate 12 forms the bottom of the cage 10. As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, the base plate 12 includes a lower lateral positioning slot in the front part 14 of the cage 10 to assist in the automated assembly, to provide a uniform element for the automated assembly devices for the present cage 10 towards the vision inspection system (not shown). The inner diagonal wall 18 emerges from the plate of the base 12 to form a lower wall 20 of the diagonal channel 22 in which, as can be seen from Figures 7 and 8, the ball or the transverse balls 200, 202. The end walls 24, 26 that rise vertically from the base plate 12 and, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, ending with bevelled top surfaces 28, 30 respectively, surrounding the opening of the frame 32 that is vertically oriented and it is in communication with the diagonal channel 22 through an oblique throat 35 of reduced diameter in some way. The circumferential retainer groove 33 is formed in a cylindrical wall 48 within the mounting aperture 32 in order to engage the spine of the circumferential retainer 101 formed on a transparent mount rod 100 as shown in Figures 7 and 8. it can be seen from Figure 3, the lower diagonal side wall 34 rises from the rear part 36 of the cage 10 and terminates below the rear diagonal opening 38. Similarly, it can be seen from the Figures IA, IB and 3, the front diagonal opening 40 is formed in the front 14 of the cage 10 above the inner diagonal wall 18 and below the upper diagonal side wall 42. The diagonal channel 22 is bounded upward by the first upper diagonal wall 39. formed in the end wall 24 and the second upper diagonal wall 41 formed inwardly adjacently from the end wall 26, with a mounting opening 32 separating the first diagonal wall above or and the second upper diagonal wall 39, 41 together.

As can be seen in Figures 7 and 8, the transparent mounting rod 100 is received within the mounting aperture 32, where the circumferential retainer groove engages with the spine of the circumferential retainer 101. The tip directed downward to ninety degrees 102 formed by the oblique conical wall 103 extends through the rim aperture 32 and into the diagonal channel 22. where the insertion of the transparent rim rod 100 is limited by the oblique throat 35 which engages the conical wall oblique 103. As can be seen in FIGS. 1A, 5A and 7, in the embodiment of a ball of the charge indicator cage of the battery 10, the rod 44 extending upwards 44 is formed on a relatively upper end of the lower wall 20 of the diagonal channel 22 with the inner wall 46 coarsely in line with the inside of the oblique throat 35 within the aperture 32. however, as can be seen in FIG. FIGS. IB, 5B and 8, the stem 44 can be removed or omitted in order to create an embodiment of two balls. When the level of the liquid is low, the point directed downwards ninety degrees 102 will not be submerged in the liquid and a reflection surface will be provided by the conical wall 103. Therefore, a bright vision pattern will appear at the upper end of the transparent rod 100 indicating that the liquid level is low. While this upper end of the transparent rod 100 is typically formed on the upper surface of a battery (not shown, this also applies to radiator applications, where the fluid level and the specific gravity of the radiator are monitored in a manner similar, the specific gravity of the radiator fluid related to the fluid antifreeze point), the user has the ability to assert this condition without having to open the battery or otherwise remove any of the components. When the level of the liquid is sufficiently high, but the specific gravity is low, then the ball or balls 200, 202 are not floating within the liquid and sink to a lower point within the diagonal channel 22. When the liquid level is sufficiently high, and the specific gravity is sufficiently high, (indicating a sufficient concentration of electrolytes), then the ball or balls 200, 202, are floating and arise within the diagonal channel 22 and make contact with the tip 102 as shown in FIG. Figures 7 and 8. Since the balls 200, 202 are bright colors, such as orange or red (the color of the balls 200, 202 in the embodiment of two balls being different from each other), the bright color of the Contact point of the ball 102 or conical wall 1093 is transmitted to the observation surface thus indicating the state of the fluid being monitored. To manufacture the battery charge indicator cage 10, the cage 10 is typically molded as a single integral piece with two pitch cores that enter or close against each other. The lower lateral positioning notch 16 is used to cause the automated assembly device to latch onto the cage 10, so that the cage 10 can be consistently presented to the automated observation inspection system. The rod 44 is removed if it is desired that a plurality of balls 200, 202 be inserted into the diagonal channel 22. The ball or balls 200, 202 are inserted into the diagonal channel 22 through the opening of the frame 32 before the insertion and hooking of the rod of the transparent frame 100 that is attached to the battery case (not shown) so that the upper surface of the transparent frame rod 100 provides a visible indicator for the user, while the cage 10 Place at a level which is expected to be submerged with a correct fluid level and exposed by a low fluid level incorrectly. This is how several of the aforementioned objectives and advantages are obtained more effectively. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereto, and its scope is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A cage of the liquid level indicator comprising: a body with two side walls, a front surface, a rear surface, an upper surface and a lower surface. a diagonal channel formed inside the body between two side walls; a frame opening with a mouth formed on the upper surface and extending in communication with the diagonal channel; the diagonal channel is bounded by a rod, where the rod confining the diagonal channel to engage a ball of the simple indicator of a predetermined density that traverses within the diagonal channel, with a subsequent removal of the rod allowing a plurality of the balls of the Indicator of predetermined densities traverse within the diagonal channel.
2. 2. the cage of the liquid level indicator of Claim 1 wherein the ball of the single indicator and the plurality of the indicator balls cross into the diagonal channel in response to the presence of the liquid of a specific gravity greater than the density or predetermined densities.
3. 3. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 2 wherein two side walls, a front surface, a rear surface, an upper surface and a lower surface are molded as a single integral part.
4. 4. the cage of the liquid level indicator of Claim 3 wherein the cage is formed by two molding cores that close against each other.
5. 5. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 3 wherein the bottom surface includes a notch to obtain a consistent engagement through the automated assembly devices.
6. 6. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 5 wherein the mount opening includes an oblique throat for positioning the transparent mount rod therein.
7. 7. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 6 wherein an inner surface of the rod bordering the diagonal channel is substantially aligned with an inner diameter of the oblique throat.
8. 8. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 7 wherein the mount opening includes an inner circumferential retainer slot for engaging a corresponding circumferential retainer spine on the transparent frame rod. The liquid level indicator cage of Claim 8 wherein a first front surface and a first rear surface includes a first diagonal opening for a lower diagonal portion of the diagonal channel and a second front surface and a second rear surface includes a second diagonal opening towards a superior diagonal portion of the diagonal channel.