Battery pack design for metal-air battery cells

A battery case for supporting at least one metal-air battery cell having at least one surface with holes for permitting diffusion of gases therethrough, said case comprising:

• a holder configured to support the at least one battery cell in a predefined position inside said case;
• said holder and a remainder of said case being configured to define, together with the at least one battery cell, an air conduit inside said case;
• and
• openings in a wall of said case in communication with said air conduit, at least two of which lie at opposite ends of said conduit, thereby defining an air passage of such size and shape as to permit significant thermal convection therethrough when said at least one battery cell generates heat during discharge.

A battery pack, comprising:

• a housing with apertures permitting gas exchange between an interior and an exterior thereof;
• electrochemical cells that exchange gas with ambient air supported inside said housing, each of said cells having one gas-exchange wall coinciding with a major plane thereof and a back surface opposite said gas-exchange wall, said gas-exchange wall being such that gas exchange between an interior and exterior of said cells may occur;
• a first and second of said cells being arranged with said back surfaces adjacent and held in a position such that said gas-exchange wall of said first of said cells faces said housing defining a first air space and said gas-exchange wall of said second of said cells faces a second air space;
• a thickness of said second air space being substantially thicker than a thickness of said first air space.

A battery pack, comprising:

• a housing with apertures permitting gas exchange between an interior and an exterior thereof;
• prismatic metal-air electrochemical cells supported inside said housing, each of said cells having at least one gas-exchange wall coinciding with a major plane thereof and a back surface opposite said gas-exchange wall, said gas-exchange wall being such that a gas exchange between respective interiors and exteriors of said cells may occur;
• a first and second of said cells being arranged with said gas-exchange walls thereof facing and opposite each other such that their gas-exchange walls define an air space therebetween;
• a thickness of said air space being a minimum of 0.5 mm, said thickness being a dimension normal to said gas-exchange walls of said first and second of said cells.

A battery pack, comprising:

• a housing with at least one aperture permitting a gas exchange between an interior and an exterior thereof;
• prismatic metal-air electrochemical cells supported inside said housing, each of said cells having at least one gas-exchange wall coinciding with a major plane thereof and a back surface opposite said gas-exchange wall, said gas-exchange wall being such that a gas exchange between respective interiors and exteriors of said cells may occur;
• a first and second of said cells being arranged with said gas-exchange walls thereof facing and opposite each other such that their gas-exchange walls define an air space therebetween;
• a thickness of said air space being a minimum of 2 mm, said thickness being a dimension normal to said gas-exchange walls of said first and second of said cells.

A battery case for metal-air battery cells that expand during a discharge cycle thereof, said case comprising:

• a housing containing a support structure for supporting metal-air battery cells;
• said support structure containing a plurality of projections into which the battery cells are inserted such that said projections secure the battery cells to said support structure;
• said projections containing recesses for receiving the battery cells;
• and
• said projections being shaped such that said recesses allow for the battery cells to expand without resulting in a substantial distortion of said support structure.

A battery case for metal-air battery cells that expand during a discharge cycle thereof, said case comprising:

• a housing containing a support structure for supporting metal-air battery cells;
• said support structure containing a plurality of projections into which the battery cells are inserted such that said projections secure the battery cells to said support structure;
• and
• said support structure being configured and of such material that said support structure may flex sufficiently to accommodate the expansion without permitting the battery cells to become unsupported thereby.

A battery case for metal-air battery cells, said case comprising:

• a housing containing a support structure for supporting a plurality of metal-air battery cells;
• said support structure having a first and a second support portions, each of said portions having recesses for receiving a respective one of said battery cells;
• said first and second support portions being linked by an integral hinge;
• and
• said first portion and said second portion having integral standoffs positioned to hold said battery cells held in said first portion a specified distance from said battery cells held in said second portion when said first and second portions are arranged in a parallel relationship inside said housing.