Patent ID: 8163420

Claim:
A battery system comprising: a battery block having a plurality of stacked battery cells that are rectangular batteries and are connected in series; insulating separators made of plastic and sandwiched between the battery cells that make up the battery block to insulate the battery cells; and fastening components that hold the battery cells of the battery block; wherein the fastening components comprise: a pair of endplates disposed at the ends of the stacked battery cells; and metal bands disposed at battery block side-walls extending in a stacking direction of the battery cells and connected at both ends to the endplates to hold the battery cells in a stack; wherein each insulating separator comprises: an insulating plate section that intervenes between adjacent battery cells; and insulating walls connected to the insulating plate section that cover side walls of the battery cells; wherein the insulating walls and the insulating plate section are formed from insulating plastic as a single piece, wherein insulating plate sections are sandwiched between battery cells, and the insulating walls are disposed between battery cell outer side-walls and metal bands to insulate the battery cells from the metal bands, and wherein at least part of the outer side-walls of one of the battery cells is covered with the insulating walls of adjacently stacked insulating separators which said one of the battery cells is disposed between.