Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of improved separators for lead acid batteries, improved lead acid batteries incorporating the improved separators, and vehicles, devices, or systems incorporating the same. A lead acid battery separator is provided with a porous membrane with a plurality of ribs extending from a surface thereon. The plurality of ribs preferably includes both positive ribs and negative ribs having similar heights. The ribs are provided with a plurality of discontinuous peaks arranged such as to provide resilient support for the porous membrane in order to resist forces exerted by active material swelling and thus mitigate the effects of acid starvation associated with such swelling, and increasing the acid availability at the electrodes. A lead acid battery is further provided that incorporates the provided separator. Such a lead acid battery may be a flooded lead acid battery, an enhanced flooded lead acid battery, a gel battery, an AGM battery, and may be provided as operating in a partial state of charge. Systems incorporating such a lead acid battery are also provided, such as a vehicle or any other energy storage system, such as solar or wind energy collection. Other exemplary embodiments are provided such as to have any one or more of the following: increased or improved acid availability, reduced or mitigated acid starvation, and other improvements.

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of improved separators for lead acid batteries, improved lead acid batteries incorporating the improved separators, and vehicles, devices, or systems incorporating the same. A lead acid battery separator is provided with a porous membrane with a plurality of ribs extending from a surface thereon. The plurality of ribs preferably includes both positive ribs and negative ribs having similar heights. The ribs are provided with a plurality of discontinuous peaks arranged such as to provide resilient support for the porous membrane in order to resist forces exerted by active material swelling and thus mitigate the effects of acid starvation associated with such swelling, and increasing the acid availability at the electrodes. A lead acid battery is further provided that incorporates the provided separator. Such a lead acid battery may be a flooded lead acid battery, an enhanced flooded lead acid battery, a gel battery, an AGM battery, and may be provided as operating in a partial state of charge. Systems incorporating such a lead acid battery are also provided, such as a vehicle or any other energy storage system, such as solar or wind energy collection. Other exemplary embodiments are provided such as to have any one or more of the following: increased or improved acid availability, reduced or mitigated acid starvation, and other improvements.

An apparatus for separating battery plates comprising a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the battery plates on the work surface. The work surface is movable between a first position in which it is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and a second position in which it is substantially aligned with the horizontal plane. When the work surface moves between the first and second position adjacent battery plates of the stack are displaced relative to each other.

An apparatus for separating battery plates comprising a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the battery plates on the work surface. The work surface is movable between a first position in which it is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and a second position in which it is substantially aligned with the horizontal plane. When the work surface moves between the first and second position adjacent battery plates of the stack are displaced relative to each other.

An apparatus for separating battery plates includes a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the battery plates on the work surface. The work surface is movable between a first position in which it is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and a second position in which it is substantially aligned with the horizontal plane. When the work surface moves between the first and second position adjacent battery plates of the stack are displaced relative to each other.

An apparatus for separating battery plates includes a work surface for receiving a stack of battery plates, and an alignment mechanism for aligning the battery plates on the work surface. The work surface is movable between a first position in which it is angled with respect to a horizontal plane and a second position in which it is substantially aligned with the horizontal plane. When the work surface moves between the first and second position adjacent battery plates of the stack are displaced relative to each other.

Apparatus and techniques such as can include a sealed bipolar battery assembly are described herein. For example, the battery assembly can using two or more sealing techniques, such as to provide a liquid-tight assembly. A sealed current collector assembly can be provided, such as by fitting compressible plastic seals to one or both side of a current collector. An adhesive seal can be applied to an edge or perimeter of the current collector. A plastic seal assembly can be used to anchor the seals or to provide an additional layer of leakage protection should electrolyte seep under hydrophobic plastic seals. Current collector assemblies including stackable casing frames can be assembled to provide a rigid casing. These casing assemblies can be stacked on top of one another to form bipolar cells comprising the battery assembly.

Apparatus and techniques such as can include a sealed bipolar battery assembly are described herein. For example, the battery assembly can using two or more sealing techniques, such as to provide a liquid-tight assembly. A sealed current collector assembly can be provided, such as by fitting compressible plastic seals to one or both side of a current collector. An adhesive seal can be applied to an edge or perimeter of the current collector. A plastic seal assembly can be used to anchor the seals or to provide an additional layer of leakage protection should electrolyte seep under hydrophobic plastic seals. Current collector assemblies including stackable casing frames can be assembled to provide a rigid casing. These casing assemblies can be stacked on top of one another to form bipolar cells comprising the battery assembly.

A machine and process for making a composite battery electrode with a conductive lead cast ribbon extending along and attached to a portion of a carbon fiber material. A lead ribbon may be continuously cast along a longitudinally elongate strip of carbon fiber material. The ribbon may be cast along an edge or edges of a longitudinally elongate strip of carbon fiber material.

The invention relates to a lead acid battery assembly comprising plurality of cells which are disposed within a housing and each cell having two electrodes namely positive plate and negative plate placed in a volume of an electrolyte in the housing. The cell formed comprises as per the invention at least one electrode plate prepared with a multilayered structure comprising a graphite composite material having higher electronic conductivity during charging and discharging of the battery assembly. The electrode plate structure formed is a three layered plate comprises a first base/substrate layer (100) made of electrically conductive material; a second transition layer (110) made of graphite composite material being adhered to the first base layer using an adhesive agent; and a third chemically active conductive layer (120) surrounding the second transition layer (110)