Patent ID: 7794871

Claim:
A secondary battery module comprising: a plurality of secondary batteries each having an electrode assembly with a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator, a case for housing the electrode assembly, and a plurality of channels on the case for channeling a coolant; each of the plurality of channels having a substantially flat base and ribs extending from opposite sides of the substantially flat base, each rib terminating in a substantially flat top surface, wherein the substantially flat top surface of each rib of a first secondary battery of the plurality of secondary batteries is attached to the flat base of one of the plurality of channels of a second secondary battery of the plurality of secondary batteries adjacent to the first secondary battery to form a flow path having a substantially constant cross-sectional size along an entire length of the flow path; a housing for the plurality of secondary batteries, the housing comprising side walls; and a first end plate and a second end plate at respective side ends of the plurality of secondary batteries, wherein all of the plurality of secondary batteries in the secondary battery module are between the first end plate and the second end plate, the first end plate and the second end plate adapted to attach the plurality of secondary batteries to the housing, wherein the first end plate and the second end plate are attached to each other by a coupling bar, and wherein the first end plate and the second end plate are spaced from the side walls of the housing.