# US 12,603,373 B2 · Traction battery pack assembling method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,373 B2 - Document ID: US12603373B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/870,210 - Filed: 2022-07-21 - Published: 2023-09-28 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-23 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Patrick Daniel Maguire; Marc Dugas; Jason C. Marcath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603373B2 ## CPC - 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 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A battery pack assembly method includes holding a cell stack with a compression machine. The compression machine engages a first load plate at a first end of the cell stack and a second load plate at an opposite, second end of the cell stack during the holding. The method further includes aligning the cell stack relative to an enclosure structure while the compression machine holds the cell stack, inserting the cell stack into a cell-receiving opening of an enclosure structure, and disengaging the compression machine from the first load plate and the second load plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery pack assembly method, comprising: holding a cell stack with a compression machine, the cell stack including a plurality of battery cells disposed along a cell stack axis, the compression machine engaging a first load plate at a first axial end of the cell stack and a second load plate at an opposite, second axial end of the cell stack during the holding; aligning the cell stack relative to an enclosure structure while the compression machine holds the cell stack; inserting the cell stack into a cell-receiving opening of the enclosure structure; and disengaging the compression machine from the first load plate and the second load plate, the enclosure structure maintaining compression on the cell stack after disengaging the compression machine, wherein the compressing machine engages the first load plate through at least one first prong received within a cell stack slot of the first load plate, and engages the second load plate through at least one second prong received within a cell stack slot of the second load plate, wherein the enclosure structure includes at least one first clearance groove and at least one second clearance groove, the at least one first clearance groove receiving the at least one first prong along the cell stack axis during the disengaging, the at least one second clearance groove receiving the at least one second prong along the cell stack axis during the disengaging. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first prong includes at least two first prongs, each first prong received within a respective slot of the first load plate, wherein the at least one second prong includes at least two second prongs, each second prong received within a respective slot of the second load plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising disengaging by moving the at least one first prong and the at least one second prong away from each other into the respective at least one first clearance groove or at least one second clearance groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising withdrawing the at least one first prong from the at least one first clearance groove, withdrawing the at least one second prong from the at least one second clearance groove, and then introducing an adhesive into the at least one first clearance groove and into the at least one second clearance groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cell stack is compressed along the cell stack axis during the holding. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the inserting moves the first cell stack relative to the enclosure structure in a direction that is perpendicular to the cell stack axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure structure circumferentially surrounds the cell stack after the inserting. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure structure is an enclosure halo. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure structure directly contacts the first load plate and the second load plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the cell stack slot of the first load plate opens in a first direction along the cell stack axis and the cell stack slot of the second load plate open in an opposite second direction along the cell stack axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first clearance groove and the at least one second clearance groove are formed in the enclosure structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, during insertion, no portion of the first load plate is axially between the at least one first prong of the compression machine and the enclosure structure on the first axial end of the cell stack, and no portion of the second load plate is axially between the at least one second prong of the compression machine and the enclosure structure on the second axial end of the cell stack. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, during the disengaging the at least one first prong extends axially beyond the first load plate and enters at least one first clearance groove of the enclosure structure, wherein, during the disengaging, the at least one second prong extends axially beyond the second load plate and enters at least one second clearance groove of the enclosure structure.