Battery pack containing phase change material

Abstract

A battery pack for a vehicle including a first module group comprising at least one battery module; a second module group comprising at least one other battery module; and a manually operable interrupter assembly selectively electrically connecting the first module group to the second module group in series, the interrupter assembly being adapted for opening and closing a circuit connecting the first and second module groups.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery pack for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first module group comprising at least one battery module;   a second module group comprising at least one other battery module; and   a manually operable interrupter assembly selectively electrically connecting the first module group to the second module group in series, the interrupter assembly being adapted for opening and closing a circuit connecting the first and second module groups.   
     
     
         2 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a nominal voltage of each of the first and second module groups individually is less than a high voltage limit; and   when the circuit is closed by the interrupter assembly, the first and second module groups are connected in series and a nominal voltage of the battery pack is greater than the high voltage limit.   
     
     
         3 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein the high voltage limit is 60 Volts. 
     
     
         4 . The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein:
 when the circuit is closed by the interrupter assembly, the nominal voltage of the battery pack is 96 Volts; and   when the circuit is opened by the interrupter assembly, the nominal voltage of each of the first and second module groups is 48 Volts.   
     
     
         5 . The battery pack of  claim 3 , wherein:
 when the circuit is closed by the interrupter assembly, the nominal voltage of the battery pack is 96 Volts; and   when the circuit is opened by the interrupter assembly, the nominal voltage of each of the first and second module groups is 48 Volts.   
     
     
         6 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each module group comprises at least two battery modules connected in series.   
     
     
         7 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first module group is mounted to a first location in the vehicle;   the second module group is mounted to a second location in the vehicle; and   the first location and the second location are spaced apart.   
     
     
         8 . The battery pack of  claim 1 , wherein each one of the at least one battery module and the at least one other battery module comprises:
 a plurality of bricks, each brick comprising:
 a phase change material block; and 
 a plurality of battery cells disposed at least in part in the phase change material block. 
   
     
     
         9 . The battery pack of  claim 2 , wherein each one of the at least one battery module and the at least one other battery module comprises:
 a plurality of bricks, each brick comprising:
 a phase change material block; and 
 a plurality of battery cells disposed at least in part in the phase change material block.