Title of Invention

VENT PLUG FOR STORAGE BATTERY

Abstract

[Problem To Be Solved] The present invention is to be provide a vent plug for a storage battery improving an electrolyte leakage-proof characteristics against vibrations in the up and down direction and the right and left direction. [Solution Means] A vent plug for a storage battery comprising a headed tubular body 1 having an opening 1c at the bottom thereof and a splash proof body 2 mounted in the interior of the tubular body 1, characterized in that the splash proof body 2 includes a horizontal base plate 2a engaged with the lower tubular side wall of the tubular body 1 so as to close the opening of the bottom thereof, a support secured upright to the center of the upper surface thereof, and two splash proof plates which are inclined upwards so as to be opposite to each other with the supports 2b being held between are formed in a pair so that a ventilation gap is formed by holding the suppor 2b between the pair of upwardly inclined splash proof plates 2c, 2c, that at least three pairs of upwardly inclined splash proof plates positioned at an upper stage and that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash proof plates positioned at a lower stage are shifted with each other so that the positions of the ventilation gaps 5 and 5 formed between the pairs of upwardly inclined splash proof plates 2c and 2c and 2c and 2c positioned at the upper and lower stages, respectively, may be shifted with each other at a certain angle and that a delta shaped space 4 is formed between the upper portion of each place 2c of the pair of upwardly inclined splash proof plates at each stage and the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the tubular body.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 1970 (39 of 1970) & The Patents Rules, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See Section 10, and rule 13) 1. TITLE OF INVENTION VENT PLUG FOR STORAGE BATTERY. 2. APPLICANT(S) a) Name : THE FURUKAWA BATTERY CO. LTD., b) Nationality : JAPANESE Company c) Address : 4-1, HOSHIKAWA 2-CHOME, HODOGAYA-KU, YOKOHAMA-SHI KANAGAWA-KEN, JAPAN 3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : - ORIGINAL 65/MUM/2005 SPECIFICATION VENT PLUG FOR STOGAGE BATTERY The present invention relates to a vent plug for a storage battery. [Background Art] There has been proposed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 228892/1998 a vent plug for a storage battery which prevents leakage of electrolyte from the vent plug against vibrations not only in the vertical direction, but also in the horizontal direction, i.e. in the fore and aft and right and left directions. [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 228892/1998 [Disclosure of the Invention] [Problem to be solved by the Invention] Although the vent plug disclosed in the prior art mentioned above is excellent in the electrolyte leakage-proof performance against vibrations both in the vertical and horizontal directions, the inventors of the present application, studied with the object of developing a vent plug which is improved in the electrolyte leakage-proof performance against vibrations the vertical and horizontal and, as a result of various studies, they have succeeded in development of a vent plug which is equal or slightly improved in the electrolyte the electrolyte leakage-proof performance against the vibrations in the vertical and horizontal directions and also is especially improved in the electrolyte leakage proof performance against the vibrations in the right and left direction as compared with the conventional vent plug disclosed in the foregoing patent literature 1. In a vent plug for a storage battery comprising a tubular body which has a vent hole formed at a tubular head portion thereof, an opening formed at a lower portion thereof for communicating with the interior of a battery container and an opened bottom thereof, and a splash-proof body mounted in the tubular body, a vent plug for a storage battery according to the present invention characterized in that the splash-proof body includes a horizontal base plate engaged with the circumferential side wall of the tubular body so as to close the opened bottom thereof, a support 2 secured upright to the center of the upper surface of the base plate and two splash-proof plates which are inclined upwards so as to become opposite to each other with the support being held between them are formed in a pair so that a ventilation gap may be formed between the lower end edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates held by the support; that plural pairs of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates are arranged at a desired distance spaced apart each other in the vertical direction along the support; that the mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at an upper stage and that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at a lower stage are so arranged that the position of the ventilation gap formed by holding the support between the power edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the upper stage and the ventilation gap formed by holding the support between the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the lower stage may be shifted in position with each other at a certain angle, and that a delta-shaped space is formed between the upper portion of each plate of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at each stage and the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the tubular body. [Effect of the Invention] Since the vent plug according to the present invention has the above mentioned construction, there is obtained, as will be made clear by the following description, the vent plug which brings about an excellent electrolyte leakage-proof performance against the vibrations in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and also is improved in the electrolyte leakage performance against the vibrations especially in the right and left direction, as compared with the foregoing conventional vent plug. [Best Mode for carrying out the Invention] One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 3 A vent plug for a storage battery according to the present invention is formed by molding of plastics such as polypropylene, etc. and has a construction as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The vent plug comprises a tubular body 1 which has a vent hole lb made in a top head tubular portion la thereof, openings lc and lc made in both sides of a lower portion of a circumferential side wall of the tubular body for communicating with the interior of a battery container (not shown) and an opened bottom formed at the bottom surface thereof, and a splash-proof body 2 mounted in the tubular body 1. The tubular body 1 is a cylindrical body as one example, as shown in the drawings. Namely, the vent plug comprises a cylindrical body 1 and a vent plug 2 mounted in the cylindrical body 1. More in detail, the cylindrical body 1 is formed with a plurality of vent holes lb at its circumferential side wall of the head la, and long openings lc and lc like a slit extending along the axial direction of the cylindrical body 1 at a diametrically opposite positions at the lower end of the cylindrical body 1. In addition, there is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 1 a flange portion Id and a threaded portion le positioned below apart from the flange Id with a distance space therebetween for putting a packing 3 (shown by a phantom line) thereon. Thus, when the vent plug of the present invention is mounted on a lid (not shown) of the battery container, the vent plug can be fixed to the lid by screwing the threaded portion le thereof into a threaded opening made in the lid, with the packing 3 mounted thereon below the flange Id, and pressing the flange Id through the packing 3 against the surface of the lid. The construction of the vent plug described above is not different from that of the conventional vent plug. According to the present invention, it is characterized in that the splash-proof body 2 to be mounted in the cylindrical body 1 has a construction as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. More in detail, the splash-proof body 2 has a fundamental structure comprising a horizontal base plate 2a which is adapted to be brought in engagement with an engaging groove If formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end portion of the cylindrical body 1 so as to close the opened bottom of the cylindrical 4 body, when the splash-proof body 1 is inserted into the cylindrical body 1 from the opened bottom thereof, and a support 2b secured upright to the center of the upper surface of the base plate 2a. Such a basic construction of the splash-proof body 2 is not different from that of the conventional vent plug. However, the characteristic construction of the splash-proof body 2 of the present invention is the following points. Namely, characteristic points are (a) two splash-proof plates 2c and 2c which are arranged to be upwardly inclined so as to be opposite to each other with the support 2b held therebetween, are formed in a pair, and plural pairs of such upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c are arranged at a desired distance spaced apart each other in the vertically direction along the support 2b, (b) a mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c positioned at an upper stage and a mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly inclined splash plate 2c and 2c positioned at the lower stage which are opposite to each other in the vertical direction are so shifted each other so that a ventilation gap 5 formed between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c held by the support 2b positioned at the upper stage and a ventilation gap 5 formed between the lower edges of the upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c held by the support 2b positioned at the lower stage may be shifted with each other so as not to be in alignment with each other and (c) the upper part of each plate of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c is so arranged that it may be brought in frictional contact with or almost in adjacent to the inner surface lg of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body 1 so as not to allow passage of an electrolyte, when the splash-proof body 2 is inserted into the cylindrical body 1, and thus each of tapered-spaces or a delta-shaped spaces 4 and 4 for collecting and catching the electrolyte are formed between the each of the upper parts of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c and the inner surface lg of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body 1 at each stage. 5 In this case, the delta-shaped spaces respectively formed between the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c and the inner surface of the cylindrical side wall of the cylindrical body 1 positional at the bottom stage are formed in the fore and aft direction relative to the paper showing Fig. 3, but the delta-shaped spaces are not seen in Fig. 3. In the embodiment as shown in the drawing, each plate of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at each stage is so formed that the lower edge thereof is a straight one and the upper edge thereof is an arc one, and thus, the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates are fixed to the opposite side surfaces of the support 2b at the diametrally middle portions of the mutually opposed lower straight edges thereof, so that there is formed therebetween a long rectangular ventilation gap 5 which is the same in width as the size of the support 2b and is extended in the diametral direction of the cylindrical body 1, as shown in Fig.2. In addition, it is preferable to arrange so that the mutually opposite direction of the pair of splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the bottom stage may face the openings lc and lc formed on both sides of the lower end portion of the cylindrical body 1, and accordingly the ventilation gap 5 formed between the lower edges of the pair of the upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c may cross the openings lc and lc at an appropriate angle, perpendicularly to each other, as shown in the illustrated example. Furthermore, the positions of the upper edges of the pair of splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the bottom stage are set almost the same in height as these of the top end of the openings lc and lc formed on both sides of the lower side wall of the cylindrical body 1 as shown in the drawings, but, it is of course that it may be so arranged, for example, that the height of the openings lc and lc is lowered so that the upper edges thereof may be positioned lower than the top ends of the openings lc and lc so as to form a delta-shaped spaces 4 and 4 also above the openings lc and lc. 6 Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the cross-sectional configuration of the support 2b is a square or a circle, and thereby the size of the width of each ventilation gap 5 formed between the pair of splash-proof plates at every stage becomes the same in all, but it is of course that the support 2b is not limited to this sectional shape and any other desired sectional configuration such as rectangular shape, etc. may be adopted. In the illustrated example, the thickness of the support 2b is about 2.0 ~ 2.5 mm, and accordingly also the width of the ventilation gap 5 becomes this size. Furthermore, though it is most preferable that the shift angle 0 in the circumferential direction between the straight ventilation gaps 5 and 5 respectively formed between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the upper stage and the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lower stage which are respectively mutually opposite in the virtual direction is at an angle of 90 degrees which become the longest distance between the ventilation gaps 5 and 5, as shown in Fig. 2, it is at one"s discretion that the shift angle is set at any angle of less than 90°. When the number of stages of the pair of splash-proof plates used in general is three stages or more, the shift angle selectively used is in the range of 20 ~ 90°. Furthermore, it is preferable that the inclination angle of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c relative to the horizontal plane is more than 20°, and shows 30° in the illustrated example. Furthermore, the vent plug according to the present may be so arranged at one"s discretion that an explosion-proof filter 7 is interposed in a space 6 formed in the cylindrical head la positioned above the splash-proof body 2 and thereby gas can be exhausted through the explosion fitter 7 from the vent holes lb, if desired. In addition, it is possible to arrange another splash-proof plate 2d having a flat bottom surface positioned over the top of the support 2b of the splash-proof body 2. 7 When the vent plug of the present invention is mounted on the lid of a storage battery, it is usually mounted so that the bottom end of the tubular body 1 is positioned above the normal liquid level of the electrolyte. When the storage battery is subjected to vibrations, a choppy electrolyte or splash or mist of electrolyte contained in gas generated within the battery enters a space 8 below the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the first or lowest stage through the mutually opposed openings lc and lc. Rising of the greater part of the electrolyte and mist is hindered by the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c facing to the entering direction of the electrolyte mist or gas. However, gas containing the electrolyte or mist escaped from hindrance enters, by through the ventilation gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c, enters an upper space 9 thereabove. The term "ventilation gap" will abbreviated be hereinafter to "gap". The vent plug according to the present invention, is so constructed that as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the second or middle stage above the space 9 are shifted at an angle of 90° from that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the lowest stage, and accordingly, so that the space 9 is covered with the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the second stage and the position of the gap 5 between the lower edges thereof is shifted at an angle of 90° in relation to the position of the gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the lowest stage, and consequently, the gas entering the space 9 strikes against the under surfaces of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the second stage covering above the space 9, and thereafter, while contacting with the under surfaces thereof and the upper surfaces of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lowest stage, is introduced to move in an circular direction to shift at an angle of 90°. During this shift movement of the gas, the electrolyte contained in the gas is adhered to and caught by the under surfaces of the splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the middle stage and the upper surfaces of the splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lowest stage, and further, 8 meanwhile, the gas is introduced upwardly and obliquely along the under surfaces of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the middle stage and is collected in and contact with the upward delta-shaped spaces 4 and 4 formed between the upper end regions of the splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the middle stage and the inner surface lg of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body 1, and then the collected electrolyte flows down along the inner surface lg of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body 1 and during this flow, the electrolyte is adhered to and caught by the inner surface thereof. Thus, by the above-mentioned actions, the capture efficiency of the electrolyte mist contained in the gas is improved. In addition, during the above-mentioned movement of gas, the upward flow energy of gas is attenuated. Meanwhile, the electrolyte captured thus flows down along the upper surfaces of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lowest stage and is returned through the gap 5 between the lower end edges thereof to the lowest space 8. Thus, since the gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the middle stage is positioned so as to shift at an angle of 90° in relation to that of the gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lowest stage, the rising gas passing through the gap 5 between the pair of the splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the lowest stage is at last, subjected to the above-mentioned good electrolyte capture efficient action and, while being decreased in the rising energy, goes along the under surfaces of the pair of the splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the middle stage and then reaches and passes the gap 5 between the lower edges thereof to enter a space 10 thereabove from the gap 5. A pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the uppermost or top stage are so arranged above the space 10 that the mutually opposite direction of the pair thereof may be shifted at an angle of 90° in relation to that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the second stage, and the space 10 is covered by the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the top stage are so arranged that the position of the gap 5 between the lower edges thereof is shifted at an angle of 90° relative to the gap 5 9 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the middle stage. Accordingly, the gas containing the residual electrolyte invaded into the space 10 is subjected to the electrolyte capture action at the same good efficient action as done in the space 9 and thereafter the gas passes through the gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the top stage and rises into a space 10 thereabove. On the other hand, the electrolyte captured by the under surface of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the uppermost stage, the upper surface of the pair of splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the second stage and the delta-shaped spaces 4 and 4 on both sides flows down along the upper surfaces of the pair of splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the second stage, and drops through the gap 5 between the lower edges thereof onto the upper surfaces of the pair of splash-proof plates at the lowest stage and returns to the space 8 below. The gas passing through the gap 5 between the lower edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates 2c and 2c at the uppermost stage through the space 6 in the head la of the headed cylindrical body 1 or the explosion-proof filter 7 interposed in the space 6 as desired, is exhausted to the outside from the vent holes lb and lb. In the illustrated example, there are disposed three stages of the pair of upwardly inclined and mutually opposed splash-proof plates have the same shape and size, but, two stages or four or more stages may be disposed, and three or more stages are preferable. Also such cases, it is so arranged that the mutually opposite direction of a pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at the upper stage and that of a pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at the lower stage in the vertical direction may be shifted with each other, and a gap between the lower edges of the pair of splash-proof plates positioned at the upper stage and a gap between the lower edges of the pair of splash-proof plates positioned at the lower stage are not brought in alignment with each other, and thereby, during the period of time that gas containing the electrolyte enters the openings lc and lc of the lower 10 end of the circumferential wall of the cylindrical body 1, and thereafter is exhausted from the vent hole lb through the space 6 above the pair of splash-proof plates positioned at the top stage, the gas undergoes the above-mentioned good electrolyte capture action and the attenuation action of gas rising energy, at every stage, resulting in leakage proof-performance. Further, in the case of providing three stages or more of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates, the shift angle 9 between the gaps 5 and 5 of the upper splash-proof plates 2c and 2c and the lower ones 2c and 2c positioned at every stage in the vertical direction is set to be become a constant angle at every stage, for instance, at an angle of 90 degrees as shown in the illustrated example, but it is not always necessary to do so, and any desired appropriate shift angle may be selectively used from the range 20 ~ 90 degrees. Next, comparison tests for the electrolyte leakage-proof against vibrations of the vent plug according to the present invention and that of the conventional vent plug will be explained as flows. A lead storage battery for automobile (JIS 55 B 24) in which a level of electrolyte is set 5 cm higher than the normal level so that the electrolyte level is positioned 30 mm below the under surface of the lid of the battery was prepared. The vent plug according to the present invention which is illustrated in the embodiment as shown in the drawings, but not containing the explosion proof filter in the inner space of the head was so mounted in the lid of this lead storage battery that its bottom end was positioned 9 mm above the electrolyte level to be prepared as a test body. The electrolyte leakage proof performance was examined by applying to this test body sinusoidal vibrations in the range of 10 ~ 30 Hz generated by an excitation apparatus the up and down direction, the fore and aft direction, and the right and left direction respectively. Here, the up and down direction means such a direction that the storage battery is vibrated up and down, the fore and aft direction means such a direction that the storage battery is vibrated in the direction in parallel with its 11 shorter side surfaces, and the right and left direction means such a direction that the storage battery is vibrated in the direction perpendicular to its longer side surfaces. For comparison, a lead storage battery was prepared by the way that the vent plug having the construction (not having a explosion proof filter) disclosed in the above cited patent literature 1 was so mounted in the lid of the storage battery which is the same as above that its bottom end was positioned 9 mm above the electrolyte level by the same manner as above mentioned, was prepared as a test body. The electrolyte leakage-proof performance was examined by applying to the test body sinusoidal vibrations of 10 ~ 30 Hz by the excitation apparatus in the up and down direction, fore and the aft, and the right and left direction, respectively, by the same way as mentioned above. Results of the foregoing comparison tests are shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and in each figure a solid line indicates the electrolyte leakage proof characteristic curve of the vent plug of the present invention and a dotted line indicates that of the conventional vent plug. As clear from Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it has been obviously found that both the vent plug according to the present invention and the conventional vent plug are excellent the electrolyte leakage proof performance against vibrations in the up and down direction, the right and left direction, and the fore and aft direction, but, in the case of using the vent plug according to the present inventions, especially in the electrolyte leakage proof performance against vibrations in the right and left direction the vent plug of the present invention is superior to the conventional vent plug in the whole frequency range of 10 ~ 30 Hz. The causes of the above results are that when the construction of the vent plug of the present invention and that of the conventional vent plug are compared with each other, in respect of the construction of the splash-proof body to be combined with the interior of the cylindrical body, both are the same in that at the bottom stage and 12 at the top stage there is disposed the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates which are upwardly inclined at 30° to the horizontal plane. However, the splash-proof body of the present invention has such characteristic constructional features that a splash-proof plate at the middle stage is formed into a pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates which are opposed with each other and interpose the support between them, and the upper edges thereof are brought into contact with or in adjacent to the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body so as to form a upwardly tapered space, i.e., a delta-shaped space therebetween for causing gas to strike against them and accelerating or facilitating capture of the electrolyte contained in the gas and that the gap formed between the lower edges of the pair of the splash-proof plates at the middle range thereof may be so shifted in position as not to be aligned with the gaps respectively formed between the two pairs of the upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the top stage and the bottom stage respectively positions above and below the same at the middle range. Whereas, the conventional vent plug is so constructed that, as clearly seen in Fig. 2 and Figs. 3 in the cited patent literature, a splash-proof plate at the middle stage is formed into the downwardly inclined bent plate 16 which is bent to be downwardly inclined on both sides with the support 12 as a center thereof and also a large gap is formed on both sides between the lower edges 5 of the downwardly bent inclined parts of the splash-proof plate 16 and the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body. Thus, it is considered that the conventional vent plug is inferior to the vent plug of the present invention in the electrolyte capture characteristic because of the above-mentioned constructional difference at the splash-proof plate of the middle stage. In addition, when the same test as mentioned above was carried out on the vent plug of the present invention with the explosion-proof filter being interposed in the space of the head of the cylindrical body thereof, the similar improvement in the electrolyte leakage-proof performance has been recognized. 13 Thus, when more than three stages of the upwardly inclined splash-proof plates are disposed at desired distance in the vertical direction along the support of the splash proof body, the vent plug according to the present invention is so constructed that the splash proof plate at every stage is formed into a pair of mutually opposed and upwardly inclined splash-proof plate and also a delta-shaped space is formed between the upper regions of the pair of splash proof plates at every stage and the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the cylindrical body, and that on the other hand, the mutually opposite direction of the pair of splash proof plates and that of the pair of splash proof plates which are mutually opposed with each other in the vertical direction are shifted in position with each other so that the gap between the pair of splash proof plates at the upper stage and that between the pair of splash proof plates at the stage may be shifted with each other in position, there can be brought about an excellent electrolyte leakage proof performance against vibrations in any direction of the up and down, fore and aft and right and left directions, and especially, the electrolyte leakage proof performance against vibrations in the right and left direction is much improved as compared with the conventional vent plug. [Brief Description of the Drawings] [Fig. 1] A side view showing one embodiment of a vent plug for a storage battery according to the present invention with a vent plug body thereof being cut in half taken along its central axis. [Fig. 2] A sectional view of the vent plug in Fig, 1 taken along a line II-II thereof. [Fig. 3] A side view of the vent plug with the vent plug body cut in half similarly to Fig.l as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the side view shown in Fig.l. [Fig. 4] A comparison graph showing the electrolyte leakage-proof characteristics against vibrations in the up and down direction of the vent plug for a storage battery of the present invention and that of the conventional vent plug for a storage battery. [Fig. 5] A comparison graph showing the electrolyte leakage proof characteristics against vibrations in the fore and aft direction of the vent plug for the storage battery of the present invention and that of the conventional vent plug for the storage battery prior art. 14 [Fig. 6] A graph showing the electrolyte leakage proof characteristics against vibrations in the right and left direction of the vent plug for a storage battery of the present invention and that of the conventional vent plug for the storage battery prior art. [Explanation of Reference Numerals] 1 Tabular body la Tubular head portion lb Vent hole lc Opening lg Inner surface of a circumferential side wall 2 Splash-proof body 2a Horizontal base plate 2b Support 2c Upwardly inclined splash-proof plate 4 Delta-shaped space 5 Ventilation gap 6,8,9,10 Space 15 We Claim: 1. A vent plug for a storage battery comprising a tubular body which has a vent hole formed at a tubular head portion thereof, an opening formed at a lower portion thereof for communicating with the interior of a battery container and an opened hot torn thereof and a splash-proof body mounted in the tubular body, characterized in that the splash-proof body includes a horizontal base plate engaged with the circumferential side wall of the tubular body so as to close the opened bottom thereof, a support secured upright to the center of the upper surface of the base plate and two splash-proof plates which are inclined upwards so as to become opposite to each other with the support being held between them are formed in a pair so that a ventilation gap may be formed between the lower end edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates held by the support; that plural pairs of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates are arranged at a desired distance spaced apart each other in the vertical direction along the support; that the mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at an upper stage and that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at a lower stage are so arranged that the position of the ventilation gap formed by holding the support between the power edges of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the upper stage and the ventilation gap formed by holding the support between the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the lower stage may be shifted in position with each other at a certain angle, and that a delta-shaped space is formed between the upper portion of each plate of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates positioned at each stage and the inner surface of the circumferential side wall of the tubular body. 2. A vent plug for a storage battery according to claim 1, wherein the mutually opposite direction of the pair of upwardly Inclined splash-proof plates at the upper stage and that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at 16 the lower stage are so arranged as to be shifted at an angle of 90° with each other, so that the ventilation gap between the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the upper stage and that of the pair of upwardly inclined splash-proof plates at the tower stage may be shifted at an angle of 90° with each other. 3. A vent plug for a storage battery according to claim 1, wherein an explosion proof filter is interposed in the inside space of the head of the tubular body. Dated this 20th day of January, 2005.

Documents:

65-mum-2005-cancelled pages(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-claims(granted)-(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-claims(granted)-(16-8-2007).doc

65-mum-2005-correspondence(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-correspondence(ipo)-(17-10-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-drawing(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-form 1(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-form 18(07-02-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-form 2(granted)-(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-form 2(granted)-(16-8-2007).doc

65-mum-2005-form 3(20-01-2005).pdf

65-mum-2005-form 5(20-01-2005).pdf

65-mum-2005-power of attorney(16-08-2007).pdf

65-mum-2005-power of attorney(20-01-2005).pdf

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