Improved lead acid battery separators, separator and electrode assemblies, batteries, systems, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021336273-A1
Application number	US-201917273313-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2019
Priority date	Sep 4, 2018
Publication date	Oct 28, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure or invention is directed to novel or improved separators for a variety of lead acid batteries and/or systems. In addition, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are directed to novel or improved battery separators, separator profiles, separator and electrode assemblies incorporating the same, battery cells incorporating the same, batteries incorporating the same, systems incorporating the same, and/or methods of manufacturing and/or of using the same, and/or the like, and/or combinations thereof. For example, disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of improved electrode plate and separator assemblies (400) for lead acid batteries, improved lead acid cells or batteries incorporating the improved assemblies, systems or vehicles incorporating the improved assemblies (400) and/or batteries (100), and methods related thereto. The electrode plate (200, 201) may have a grid (202) of a stamped, cast, or expanded metal manufacturing process. The grid (202) may have a non-uniform application of active material (203). The separators (300) provide a support structure for resisting or mitigating any plate warping or plate deflection.

First claim

1 . An electrode and separator assembly comprising:
an electrode plate comprising a grid having a latticework of conductors with openings therebetween; a porous membrane having a first surface facing said electrode plate with a plurality of rows of first ribs having a plurality of discrete protrusions; said conductors and said rows of first ribs intersect at a plurality of locations, wherein at least 50% of said plurality of locations comprise a discrete protrusion resting upon a conductor.

2 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said grid comprises an active material applied thereon forming pellets within said openings; wherein discrete protrusions resting upon said conductors support said plurality of rows of first ribs from pushing said pellets out of said openings.

3 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least 65% of said plurality of locations comprise a discrete protrusion resting upon a conductor.

4 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least 80% of said plurality of locations comprise a discrete protrusion resting upon a conductor.

5 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of said plurality of locations comprise a discrete protrusion resting upon a conductor.

6 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least 100% of said plurality of locations comprise a discrete protrusion resting upon a conductor.

7 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are disposed longitudinally in a machine direction and are laterally spaced in a cross-machine direction.

8 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are disposed laterally in a cross-machine direction and are longitudinally spaced in a machine direction.

9 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are one of the following group consisting of: solid ribs, discrete broken ribs, continuous ribs, discontinuous ribs, discontinuous peaks, discontinuous protrusions, angled ribs, acid mixing ribs, diagonal ribs, linear ribs, ribs that are longitudinally extending substantially in a machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are laterally extending substantially in a cross-machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are transversely extending substantially in said cross-machine direction of the separator, discrete teeth, toothed ribs, serrations, serrated ribs, battlements, battlemented ribs, curved ribs, continuous sinusoidal ribs, discontinuous sinusoidal ribs, S-shaped ribs, continuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, broken discontinuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, grooves, channels, textured areas, embossments, dimples, columns, mini columns, porous, non-porous, cross ribs, mini ribs, cross-mini ribs, and combinations thereof.

10 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said porous membrane comprises a second surface facing away from said electrode plate with a plurality of rows of second ribs.

11 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of rows of second ribs are one of the following group consisting of: solid ribs, discrete broken ribs, continuous ribs, discontinuous ribs, discontinuous peaks, discontinuous protrusions, angled ribs, acid mixing ribs, diagonal ribs, linear ribs, ribs that are longitudinally extending substantially in a machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are laterally extending substantially in a cross-machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are transversely extending substantially in said cross-machine direction of the separator, discrete teeth, toothed ribs, serrations, serrated ribs, battlements, battlemented ribs, curved ribs, continuous sinusoidal ribs, discontinuous sinusoidal ribs, S-shaped ribs, continuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, broken discontinuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, grooves, channels, textured areas, embossments, dimples, columns, mini columns, porous, non-porous, cross ribs, mini ribs, cross-mini ribs, and combinations thereof.

12 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 1 , wherein said porous membrane is one of the group consisting of an envelope separator, a hybrid envelope separator, a sleeve separator, a pocket separator, a wrap separator, a cut-piece separator, and a leaf separator (with or without a nonwoven on one or both sides, such as a glass mat or pasting paper).

13 . An electrode and separator assembly comprising:
an electrode plate comprising a grid having a latticework of conductors with openings therebetween; a porous membrane having a first surface facing said electrode plate with a plurality of rows of first ribs having a plurality of discrete teeth with spacings in between each discrete tooth; wherein said rows of ribs intersect said conductors at a first frequency, and said plurality of discrete teeth occur along said rows of ribs at a second frequency; wherein said second frequency is an alias of said first frequency.

14 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , herein said second frequency is equal to or greater than said first frequency.

15 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said second frequency is a multiple of said first frequency.

16 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said grid comprises an active material applied thereon forming pellets within said openings; wherein discrete protrusions resting upon said conductors support said plurality of rows of first ribs from pushing said pellets out of said openings.

17 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are disposed longitudinally in a machine direction and are laterally spaced in a cross-machine direction.

18 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are disposed laterally in a cross-machine direction and are longitudinally spaced in a machine direction.

19 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of rows of first ribs are one of the following group consisting of: solid ribs, discrete broken ribs, continuous ribs, discontinuous ribs, discontinuous peaks, discontinuous protrusions, angled ribs, acid mixing ribs, diagonal ribs, linear ribs, ribs that are longitudinally extending substantially in a machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are laterally extending substantially in a cross-machine direction of said porous membrane, ribs that are transversely extending substantially in said cross-machine direction of the separator, discrete teeth, toothed ribs, serrations, serrated ribs, battlements, battlemented ribs, curved ribs, continuous sinusoidal ribs, discontinuous sinusoidal ribs, S-shaped ribs, continuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, broken discontinuous zig-zag-sawtooth-like ribs, grooves, channels, textured areas, embossments, dimples, columns, mini columns, porous, non-porous, cross ribs, mini ribs, cross-mini ribs, and combinations thereof.

20 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 13 , wherein said porous membrane comprises a second surface facing away from said electrode plate with a plurality of rows of second ribs.

21 . The electrode and separator assembly of claim 20 , wherein said plurality of rows of second ribs are one of the following group consisting of: solid ribs, discrete broken ribs, con

Assignees

• Daramic Llc

Inventors

• Whear J Kevin

Classifications

• H01M50/463 Primary

  Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H01M50/457

  comprising three or more layers · CPC title

• H01M50/469

  tubular or cylindrical · CPC title

• H01M50/406

  Moulding; Embossing; Cutting · CPC title

• H01M50/466

  U-shaped, bag-shaped or folded · CPC title