Repeating frame battery with joining of cell tabs via welded-on male and female slip-fit connectors

A battery pack assembly comprising:

• a cooling module having a frame including a first side and a second side, a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector disposed on the frame of the cooling module, wherein a first battery cell abuts the first side of the frame and includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the first electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the second electrical connector;
• a spacer module having a frame including a first side, a second side and an opening formed in the central portion thereof, a third electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector disposed on the frame of the spacer module, wherein a second battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the third electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the fourth electrical connector and at least a portion of the second battery cell received in the opening formed in the frame of the spacer module, the third electrical connector of the spacer module releasably joined to the first electrical connector of the cooling module placing the cooling module and the spacer module in a stacked relation, wherein the first side of the cooling module faces the second side of the spacer module and the first battery cell abuts the second battery cell;
• a start frame including a first side and a second side, a fifth electrical connector and a sixth electrical connector disposed on the start frame, wherein a third battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the fifth electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the sixth electrical connector, the sixth electrical connector of the start frame releasably joined to the second electrical connector of the cooling frame placing the cooling module and start frame in the stacked relation, wherein the first side of the start frame faces the second side of the cooling module and the third battery cell abuts the second side of the cooling module;
• a stop frame including a first side and a second side, a seventh electrical connector and an eighth electrical connector disposed on the stop frame, wherein a fourth battery cell abuts a first side of the stop frame and includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the seventh electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the eighth electrical connector, the eighth electrical connector of the stop frame releasably joined to the fourth electrical connector of the spacer module placing the spacer module and stop frame in the stacked relation, wherein the first side of the spacer module faces the second side of the stop frame;
• and
• an end frame disposed on and substantially covering the first side of the stop frame.

A battery pack assembly comprising:

• a plurality of repeating cell frames, each repeating cell frame including:
• a cooling module having a frame including a first side and a second side, a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector disposed on the frame of the cooling module, wherein a first battery cell abuts the first side of the frame and includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the first electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the second electrical connector;
• and
• a spacer module having a frame including a first side, a second side and an opening formed in the central portion thereof, a third electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector disposed on the frame of the spacer module, wherein a second battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the third electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the fourth electrical connector and at least a portion of the second battery cell received in the opening formed in the frame of the spacer module, the third electrical connector of the spacer module releasably joined to the first electrical connector of the cooling module to form one of the repeating cell frames, wherein the first side of the cooling module faces the second side of the spacer module and the first battery cell abuts the second battery cell, and the fourth electrical connector of the spacer module is releasably joined to the second electrical connector of a cooling module in an adjacent repeating cell frame placing the repeating cell frames in a stacked relation, wherein the first side of the spacer module of one repeating cell frame faces the second side of the cooling module in the adjacent repeating cell frame;
• a start frame including a first side and a second side, the first side of the start frame in facing relationship with the second side of the cooling module of an adjacent repeating cell frame and the first side of the start frame defining a first terminal end of the battery pack assembly, a fifth electrical connector and a sixth electrical connector disposed on the start frame, wherein a third battery cell includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the fifth electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the sixth electrical connector, the sixth electrical connector of the start frame releasably joined to the second electrical connector of the cooling module having a second side in facing relationship with the first side of the start frame, wherein the third battery cell abuts the second side of the cooling module that is in facing relationship with the first side of the start frame;
• a stop frame including a first side and a second side, the second side of the stop frame in facing relationship with the first side of the spacer module of an adjacent repeating cell frame, a seventh electrical connector and an eighth electrical connector disposed on the stop frame, wherein a fourth battery cell abuts the first side of the stop frame and includes a first electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the seventh electrical connector and a second electrically conductive tab in electrical communication with the eighth electrical connector, the eighth electrical connector of the stop frame releasably joined to the fourth electrical connector of the spacer module having a first side in facing relationship with the second side of the stop frame;
• and
• an end frame disposed on and substantially covering the first side of the stop frame, wherein the end frame defines a second terminal end of the battery pack assembly.