Patent ID: 11901574
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 9:
10. A battery module comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of battery cells disposed within the housing;
a wedge apparatus disposed within the housing and configured to exert a substantially constant force on the plurality of battery cells, the wedge apparatus including:
a first wedge having a first thick end tapering to a first thin end, the first wedge including a first opening formed through at least a portion of the first wedge,
a second wedge having a second thick end tapering to a second thin end and a second opening formed through at least a portion of the second wedge, the first wedge and the second wedge positioned such that the first wedge and the second wedge at least partially overlap, and
a tensioning mechanism disposed at least partially in the first opening and the second opening and configured to move the first wedge in a first direction relative to the second wedge causing a width of the wedge apparatus to expand and exert a first force on the plurality of battery cells, the tensioning mechanism comprising:
a rail separate from the second wedge that abuts the second thick end of the second wedge,
a bolt configured to be inserted at least partially into the first opening, the bolt including a threaded shaft, and
a threaded sleeve that extends from the rail and is inserted at least partially within the second opening, wherein the threaded sleeve has a first thickness at a first location along the length of the threaded sleeve and has a second thickness at a second location along the length of the threaded sleeve, the second thickness less than the first thickness with the second location positioned proximate the rail such that the threaded sleeve is configured to deform at the second location once the second force is equal to or exceeds the threshold force, and the threaded sleeve configured to receive the threaded shaft at the first location,

wherein the plurality of battery cells exerts a second force on the wedge apparatus as the plurality of battery cells expand and the tensioning mechanism includes a portion thereof that is configured to deform once the second force is equal to or exceeds a threshold force.