IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,862,931
Granted Patent B2
US 7,862,931 · App. 10/754,111 · Granted Jan 4, 2011

Lead-based alloy for lead-acid battery, substrate for lead-acid battery and lead-acid battery

Assignees: The Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd.; Toho Zinc Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,862,931
App. No.
10/754,111
Granted
Jan 4, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a lead-based alloy for a lead-acid battery, comprising not less than 0.02% and less than 0.05% by weight of calcium, not less than 0.4% and not more than 2.5% by weight of tin, not less than 0.005% and not more than 0.04% by weight of aluminum, not less than 0.002% and not more than 0.014% by weight of barium, and the balance of lead and unavoidable impurities.

Claims (17)

1. A lead-acid battery comprising:

an electrolyte containing an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid;

a positive electrode including a grid, an active material layer containing PbO powder and sulfuric acid, and a corrosion layer which suppresses permeation of the electrolyte into the grid and which is formed at the interface between the grid and the active material layer; and

a negative electrode;

wherein the grid is made of a lead-based alloy consisting of not less than 0.02% and not more than 0.045% by weight of calcium, not less than 0.4% and not more than 2.5% by weight of tin, not less than 0.005% and not more than 0.04% by weight of aluminum, not less than 0.002% and not more than 0.014% by weight of barium, and a balance of lead and unavoidable impurities.

2. A lead-acid battery according to claim 1 , wherein the lead-based alloy contains tin in an amount at least 12 times as much in weight as calcium and, after casting said alloy into a shape of the grid, a heat treatment is applied to the lead-based alloy at 80 to 150° C. for 1 to 10 hours.

3. A lead-acid battery according to claim 1 , wherein the grid has a surface roughness not less than 15 μm.

4. A lead-acid battery according to claim 1 , wherein the grid is in a shape of a lattice, and an effective diameter of the mesh of the lattice, which represents a value obtained by dividing 4 times the area of a polygon by the circumferential length of the polygon, is at least two times as much as the thickness of the grid.

5. A lead-acid battery according to claim 4 , wherein the effective diameter of the mesh of the lattice falls within a range of between 2 times and 10 times as much as the thickness of the grid.

6. A lead-acid battery according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium is in an amount of 0.03 to 0.045% by weight.

7. A lead-acid battery according to claim 1 , wherein the grid has a surface roughness not less than 15 μm, and an effective diameter of a mesh of the lattice, which represents a value obtained by dividing 4 times the area of a polygon by the circumferential length of the polygon, is at least two times as much as the thickness of the grid.

8. A lead-acid battery comprising:

an electrolyte containing an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid;

a positive electrode including a grid, an active material layer containing PbO powder and sulfuric acid, and a corrosion layer which suppresses permeation of the electrolyte into the grid and which is formed at the interface between the grid and the active material layer; and

a negative electrode;

wherein the grid is made of a lead-based alloy consisting of not less than 0.02% and not more than 0.045% by weight of calcium, not less than 0.4% and not more than 2.5% by weight of tin, not less than 0.005% and not more than 0.04% by weight of aluminum, not less than 0.002% and not more than 0.014% by weight of barium, and at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of silver in an amount falling within a range of between 0.005% by weight and 0.07% by weight, bismuth in an amount falling within a range of between 0.01% by weight and 0.10% by weight, and thallium in an amount falling within a range between 0.001% by weight and 0.05% by weight, and a balance of lead and unavoidable impurities.

9. A lead-acid battery according to claim 8 , wherein the calcium is in an amount of 0.03 to 0.045% by weight.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: TOHO ZINC CO., LTD
To: TOHO ZINC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037690/0200 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2004
From: FURUKAWA, JUN; NEHYO, YASUYUKI; MORI, YUTAKA; HIRAKI, TOMOHIRO
To: FURUKAWA BATTERY CO., LTD., THE; TOHO ZINC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 014884/0659 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2002-116593 · Apr 18, 2002 · national
JP 2002-304249 · Oct 18, 2002 · national
JP 2002-304286 · Oct 18, 2002 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP030476900 · Apr 15, 2003
Related Publication 20040142243A1 · Jul 22, 2004