# US 12,600,246 B2 · Adjustable thermal mid-beam member for separating battery cell rows in a battery assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,246 B2 - Document ID: US12600246B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/543,160 - Filed: 2023-12-18 - Published: 2025-06-19 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-12-18 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Pauline Shammami; Matthew Simonin; Ryan J. Prescott; Qaiser Khan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600246B2 ## CPC - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - H01M 50/291: characterised by their shape - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery assembly includes a housing having a base wall, a first end wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. A plurality of battery cells is arranged in the housing. The plurality of battery cells includes a first plurality of battery cells arranged in a first row and a second plurality of battery cells arranged in a second row. A mid-beam member is arranged between the first row and the second row. The mid-beam member includes a first mid-beam element and a second mid-beam element. The first mid-beam element includes a first end having a first flange. The second mid-beam element includes a first end portion having a second flange. The mid-beam member includes a passage defined between the first mid-beam element and the second mid-beam element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery assembly comprising: a housing having a plurality of walls including a base wall, a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall extending between and connecting the first end wall and the second end wall, the plurality of walls defining a battery cell receiving zone; a plurality of battery cells arranged in the battery cell receiving zone, the plurality of battery cells including a first plurality of battery cells arranged in a first row and a second plurality of battery cells arranged in a second row, the first row and the second row extending between the first end wall and the second end wall; and a mid-beam member arranged between the first row and the second row, the mid-beam member including a first mid-beam element and a second mid-beam element, the first mid-beam element including a first end arranged at the base wall, a second end and a first intermediate portion, the first end includes a first flange that extends toward the first side wall, the second mid-beam element includes a first end portion arranged at the base wall, a second end portion joined with the second end of the first mid-beam element, and a second intermediate portion, the first end portion including a second flange that extends toward the second side wall, the mid-beam member including a passage that extends between the first end wall and the second end wall defined between the first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mid-beam member includes a first terminal end arranged at the first end wall, a second terminal end arranged at the second end wall, the passage extending between the first terminal end and the second terminal end. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The battery assembly according to claim 2, wherein the passage includes an outlet at the first terminal end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The battery assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first end wall includes an opening fluidically connected with the outlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The battery assembly according to claim 2, wherein the mid-beam member includes a first flange member arranged at the first terminal end and a second flange member arranged at the second terminal end, the first flange member being arranged at the first end wall and the second flange member being arranged at the second end wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The battery assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first flange member is joined to the housing through the first end wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The battery assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first flange member includes a first flange portion extending from the first mid-beam element toward the first side wall and a second flange portion extending from the second mid-beam element toward the second side wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The battery assembly according to claim 6, wherein the second flange member includes a first flange element extending from the first mid-beam element toward the first side wall and a second flange element extending from the second mid-beam element toward the second side wall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the first mid-beam element is joined to the first end portion of the second mid-beam element, and the second end of the first mid-beam element is joined to the second end portion of the second mid-beam element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The battery assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first end of the first mid-beam element is welded to the first end portion of the second mid-beam element and the second end of the first mid-beam element is welded to the second end portion of the second mid-beam element. ### Claim 11 A vehicle comprising: a body; an electric drive unit supported in the body; and a battery assembly supported in the body and operationally connected to the electric drive unit, the battery assembly comprising: a housing having a plurality of walls including a base wall, a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall extending between and connecting the first end wall and the second end wall, the plurality of walls defining a battery cell receiving zone; a plurality of battery cells arranged in the battery cell receiving zone, the plurality of battery cells including a first plurality of battery cells arranged in a first row and a second plurality of battery cells arranged in a second row, the first row and the second row extending between the first end wall and the second end wall; and a mid-beam member arranged between the first row and the second row, the mid-beam member including a first mid-beam element and a second mid-beam element, the first mid-beam element including a first end arranged at the base wall, a second end and a first intermediate portion, the first end includes a first flange that extends toward the first side wall, the second mid-beam element includes a first end portion arranged at the base wall, a second end portion joined with the second end of the first mid-beam element, and a second intermediate portion, the first end portion including a second flange that extends toward the second side wall, the mid-beam member including a passage that extends between the first end wall and the second end wall defined between the first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the mid-beam member includes a first terminal end arranged at the first end wall, a second terminal end arranged at the second end wall, the passage extending between the first terminal end and the second terminal end. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the passage includes an outlet at the first terminal end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the first end wall includes an opening fluidically connected with the outlet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the mid-beam member includes a first flange member arranged at the first terminal end and a second flange member arranged at the second terminal end, the first flange member being arranged at the first end wall and the second flange member being arranged at the second end wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the first flange member is joined to the housing through the first end wall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the first flange member includes a first flange portion extending from the first mid-beam element toward the first side wall and a second flange portion extending from the second mid-beam element toward the second side wall. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the second flange member includes a first flange element extending from the first mid-beam element toward the first side wall and a second flange element extending from the second mid-beam element toward the second side wall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the first end of the first mid-beam element is joined to the first end portion of the second mid-beam element, and the second end of the first mid-beam element is joined to the second end portion of the second mid-beam element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the first end of the first mid-beam element is welded to the first end portion of the second mid-beam element and the second end of the first mid-beam element is welded to the second end portion of the second mid-beam element.