Battery cell system with interconnected frames

A battery assembly comprising:

• a plurality of sub-assemblies, each of the sub-assemblies including
• a cell support,
• a first frame and
• a second frame,
• the first frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the upper side to the lower side,
• the second frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side thereof to an outer tip surface, a plurality of holes extending through the second frame from the lower side to a respective one of the outer tip surfaces,
• the first and second frames being disposed on opposite sides of the cell support such that at least a portion of the cell support is sandwiched between the lower side of the first frame and the upper side of the second frame and such that each of the protrusions is at least partially received in a respective one of the holes in the first frame, whereby the first and second frames are interlockingly engaged,
• the plurality of sub-assemblies being stacked to form a plurality of cell pockets, each cell pocket being formed between two adjacent sub-assemblies,
• the holes in the second frame of each of the sub-assemblies being substantially aligned so as to collectively form a plurality of passages;
• a plurality of battery cells, wherein each battery cell is received in a respective one of the plurality of cell pockets and wherein portions of each battery cell are sandwiched between adjacent sub-assemblies;
• and
• a plurality of elongated fasteners, each elongated fastener being received in a respective one of the passages, whereby the plurality of elongated fasteners fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together,
• wherein the nested arrangement of the respective protrusions of the second frame and the respective hole of the first frame of each of the plurality of sub-assemblies provides a physical barrier between the cell pockets and the elongated fasteners.

A battery assembly comprising:

• a plurality of sub-assemblies, each of the sub-assemblies including
• a first frame and
• a second frame,
• the first frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the upper side to the lower side,
• the second frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side thereof to an outer tip surface, a plurality of holes extending through the second frame from the lower side to a respective one of the outer tip surfaces, each of the protrusions being at least partially received in a respective one of the holes in the first frame,
• a plurality of battery cells,
• the plurality of sub-assemblies being alternatingly stacked with the plurality of battery cells such that portions of each battery cell are sandwiched between adjacent sub-assemblies,
• the holes in the second frame of each of the sub-assemblies being substantially aligned so as to collectively form a plurality of passages;
• and
• a plurality of elongated fasteners, each elongated fastener being received in a respective one of the passages, whereby the plurality of elongated fasteners fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together,
• wherein the nested arrangement of the respective protrusions of the second frame and the respective hole of the first frame of each of the plurality of sub-assemblies provides a physical barrier between the cell pockets and the elongated fasteners.

A battery assembly comprising:

• a first frame including an upper side and a lower side and an open middle portion extending from the lower side to the upper side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the lower side to the upper side;
• and
• a second frame including an upper side and a lower side and an open middle portion extending from the lower side to the upper side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side of the second frame and a plurality of holes extending completely through respective protrusions down to the lower side of the second frame, the second frame being positioned relative to the first frame such that the plurality of protrusion of the second frame are received in the plurality of holes of the first frame thereby forming a plurality of passages through the first frame and the second frame, the middle portion of the first frame and the middle portion of the second frame cooperating to form a battery cell pocket;
• a battery cell generally disposed in the battery cell pocket;
• and
• a plurality of elongated fasteners which are received in respective passages of the plurality of passages, the plurality of holes of the first frame and the plurality of protrusions of the second frame cooperating to form a physical barrier between the battery cell and the plurality of elongated fasteners, the plurality of elongated fasteners coupling the first frame and the second frame together.