MIXING ELEMENT AND ACCUMULATOR
The invention relates to a mixing element designed to be installed into a housing of a liquid electrolyte-operated electrochemical accumulator in order to mix the electrolyte as a result of forces and/or motion exerted on the accumulator during operation, wherein the mixing element is designed as a hollow body provided with at least one respective opening at opposite end regions such that a channel is formed in the hollow body which leads into the at least one respective opening in the opposite end regions and is circumferentially delimited there by the material of the mixing element, wherein the mixing element comprises one or more securing and/or spacer ribs protruding from the external side of the mixing element and designed to contact parts of the accumulator housing in order to fix the mixing element in the accumulator and/or set a specific position of the mixing element relative to the housing parts. The invention further relates to a range of mixing elements as well as an accumulator having at least one mixing element.
1 - 13 . (canceled)
14 . A mixing element designed to be installed into a housing of an electrochemical accumulator operated by means of liquid electrolyte in order to mix the electrolyte as a result of forces and/or motion exerted on the accumulator during operation, wherein the mixing element is designed as a hollow body provided with at least one respective opening at opposite end regions such that a channel is formed in the hollow body which leads into the at least one respective opening in the opposite end regions and is circumferentially delimited there by the material of the mixing element, characterized in that the mixing element comprises one or more securing and/or spacer ribs protruding from the external side of the mixing element and designed to contact parts of the housing of the accumulator in order to fix the mixing element in the accumulator and/or set a specific position of the mixing element relative to the housing parts, wherein the mixing element comprises a volumetric space in the area of an upper end region designed to be arranged above an oppositely disposed lower end region when installed in the housing, the circumference of which is significantly larger than the circumference of the sections of the mixing element below it so that the sections of the mixing element underneath form at least two thin flow channels compared to the cross-sectional area of the volumetric body.
15 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the circumference of the hollow body in the area of the thin flow channels decreases toward the lower end region below a transition from volumetric space into the thin flow channels.
16 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the mixing element is designed as a hollow body produced in an injection molding process with an internal mandrel and an external form, in a blow process or in a deep-drawing process.
17 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the mixing element comprises at least one securing and/or spacer rib protruding toward the housing cover of the housing of the accumulator.
18 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the mixing element comprises at least one securing and/or spacer rib protruding toward the housing bottom of the housing of the accumulator.
19 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the mixing element comprises one or more securing and/or spacer ribs on the outer circumference of one, some or all of its external sides facing the side walls of the housing of the accumulator.
20 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein the mixing element comprises an indentation on at least one side of the hollow body running in the longitudinal direction of the mixing element and designed to receive a housing rib of the housing of the accumulator.
21 . The mixing element according to claim 20 , wherein one or more securing and/or spacer ribs are arranged within the indentation, particularly on oppositely disposed external sides of the mixing element within the indentation.
22 . The mixing element according to claim 14 , wherein at least two securing and/or spacer ribs are arranged relative each other so as to form a V-shaped pair.
23 . An accumulator having a housing in which at least one accumulator cell is formed, wherein the accumulator cell comprises a plurality of plated-shaped electrodes arranged adjacently within said accumulator cell as well as liquid electrolyte, wherein at least one mixing element in accordance with claim 14 is additionally arranged in a free space within said accumulator cell.
24 . The accumulator according to claim 23 , wherein the mixing element extends at least as far upward so as to prevent liquid electrolyte from overflowing over the upper edge region of the mixing element upon specification-compliant motion load on the accumulator.