An accumulator having a plurality of electrode plates which are adjacently arranged and form at least one electrode plate stack in the form of a block, wherein each electrode plate comprises a frame having a grid arranged therein and wherein at least the grid is filled with an active mass, and wherein each electrode plate comprises at least one connecting lug protruding beyond the frame, wherein the connecting lugs of same-polarity electrode plates are arranged adjacent to one another in a row, wherein the connecting lugs adjacently arranged in a row are materially bonded together electrically and mechanically into a connecting lug block by at least one weld or solder point arranged between the connecting lugs. Further described is a method for manufacturing an accumulator.

A method for manufacturing electrodes for lead-acid batteries includes producing a profiled strip blank in a casting process, wherein the casting process alone is sufficient to cause the strip blank to be formed of greater thickness on one side in a region corresponding to the upper frame element or the lower frame element than in another region corresponding to the meshed region; and producing the meshed region with the openings in a subsequent expanded metal process. In addition, an electrode produced by the method has an upper frame element, or a lower frame element, or both, and a meshed region extending away from the upper frame element, or the lower frame element, or both and having a plurality of openings. The upper frame element, the lower frame element, or both, is of greater thickness than the meshed region.

A method for manufacturing electrodes for lead-acid batteries includes producing a profiled strip blank in a casting process, wherein the casting process alone is sufficient to cause the strip blank to be formed of greater thickness on one side in a region corresponding to the upper frame element or the lower frame element than in another region corresponding to the meshed region; and producing the meshed region with the openings in a subsequent expanded metal process. In addition, an electrode produced by the method has an upper frame element, or a lower frame element, or both, and a meshed region extending away from the upper frame element, or the lower frame element, or both and having a plurality of openings. The upper frame element, the lower frame element, or both, is of greater thickness than the meshed region.

Apparatus and techniques are described herein for providing a battery plate assembly including a silicon current collector. The silicon current collector can include apertures. A lead layer or lead alloy layer can be formed on the silicon current collector. A monopolar battery assembly can be provided, such as including monopolar battery plate assemblies comprising silicon current collectors. The silicon can include a conductive metallurgical grade silicon, such as cast and cut to provide individual current collector substrates.

Apparatus and techniques are described herein for providing a battery plate assembly including a silicon current collector. The silicon current collector can include apertures. A lead layer or lead alloy layer can be formed on the silicon current collector. A monopolar battery assembly can be provided, such as including monopolar battery plate assemblies comprising silicon current collectors. The silicon can include a conductive metallurgical grade silicon, such as cast and cut to provide individual current collector substrates.

A shoe for dispensing a molten metal such as lead into a mold cavity of a rotating drum to continuously cast a web of a plurality of serially connected grids or battery composite electrodes of a carbon fiber material with a cast metal conductor. The shoe may have at least one elongate orifice slot in a face confronting the drum, a molten metal supply passage communicating with the orifice slot and an excess molten metal return slot opening into the confronting face downstream of the supply slot relative generally to the direction of rotation of the drum.

A shoe for dispensing a molten metal such as lead into a mold cavity of a rotating drum to continuously cast a web of a plurality of serially connected grids or battery composite electrodes of a carbon fiber material with a cast metal conductor. The shoe may have at least one elongate orifice slot in a face confronting the drum, a molten metal supply passage communicating with the orifice slot and an excess molten metal return slot opening into the confronting face downstream of the supply slot relative generally to the direction of rotation of the drum.

For making battery electrodes, a composite strip of a cast ribbon of an electrically conductive metal attached to and extending along an edge of a web of electrically conductive carbon fiber material, also called a carbon felt in some examples, with a plurality of spaced apart notches cast in the ribbon and opening to an edge of the ribbon spaced from the carbon fiber material. A rotatable drum with a mold cavity and a confronting casting shoe for supplying molten metal, such as liquid lead, to the cavity may be used in a casting machine to continuous cast the composite strip.

For making battery electrodes, a composite strip of a cast ribbon of an electrically conductive metal attached to and extending along an edge of a web of electrically conductive carbon fiber material, also called a carbon felt in some examples, with a plurality of spaced apart notches cast in the ribbon and opening to an edge of the ribbon spaced from the carbon fiber material. A rotatable drum with a mold cavity and a confronting casting shoe for supplying molten metal, such as liquid lead, to the cavity may be used in a casting machine to continuous cast the composite strip.

Battery grid (1) comprising a grid structure (4) containing grid arms (2, 2) and bordering arms (3), a supporting element (5) and lugs (6), as well as lead paste (7) spread on the surface of the supporting element (5).The invention also relates to a battery cell (35) comprising the battery grids (1) with separator plates (38) placed between them. The invention further relates to a storage battery (42) comprising battery cells (35) filled with acid. The supporting element (5) comprises fiberglass based material onto which the grid structure (4) is secured through chemical bond formed between the lead and the fiberglass. The lead paste (7) is secured to the supporting element (5) through chemical bond and the grid structure (4) has more than one lug (6). The battery cell (35) is composed of the battery grids (1). The lugs (41, 42) are connected to a jointing element (8). The storage battery (42) comprises the battery cells (35).