Patent ID: 8163412

Claim:
A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly, comprising: a frame member having a first and a second side, the frame member further having first, second, and third panel members, first and second end members, and first and second mounting members, the first, second, and third panel members being substantially parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another, the second panel member being disposed between the first and third panel members, the first end member being coupled to a first end of the first, second, and third panel members, the second end member being coupled to a second end of the first, second, and third panel members, the first mounting member being coupled between the first and second panel members and further being disposed between and adjacent to first and second spaces defined between the first and second panel members, the second mounting member being coupled between the second and third panel members and further being disposed between and adjacent to third and fourth spaces defined between the second and third panel members; a first electrical interconnect member coupled to the first mounting member between the first and second panel members; a second electrical interconnect member coupled to the second mounting member between the second and third panel members; the first electrical interconnect member being configured to be welded to a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell, the first electrical terminal extending through the first space between the first and second panel members of the frame member such that the first electrical terminal extends above the frame member and is adjacent to the first electrical interconnect member, the second electrical interconnect member being configured to be welded to a second electrical terminal of the first battery cell that extends through the second space, the second electrical interconnect being further configured to be welded to a third electrical terminal of a second battery cell that extends through the third space, such that the first and second electrical interconnect members electrically couple the first battery cell to the second battery cell; a circuit board disposed on the first side of the frame member on the second panel member; and an electrical connector disposed on the circuit board, the circuit board having a first electrical trace extending between the electrical connector and the first electrical interconnect member for sensing a voltage of the first electrical interconnect member.