Patent ID: 7829214

Claim:
A battery assembly, comprising: a plurality of battery subassemblies that are operable to be mechanically and electrically connected together to form the battery assembly, the plurality of battery subassemblies comprising: a first battery subassembly that houses a plurality of first battery cells and includes a first battery subassembly outer mating surface, wherein at least one first battery subassembly coupling member is located adjacent a first side of the first battery subassembly outer mating surface, at least one first battery subassembly securing member is located adjacent a second side of the first battery subassembly outer mating surface that is opposite the first battery subassembly outer mating surface from the first side, and at least one first battery subassembly electrical connector is located adjacent the first battery subassembly outer mating surface; and a second battery subassembly that houses a plurality of second battery cells and includes a second battery subassembly outer mating surface, wherein at least one second battery subassembly coupling member is located adjacent a first side of the second battery subassembly outer mating surface, at least one second battery subassembly securing member is located adjacent a second side of the second battery subassembly outer mating surface that is opposite the second battery subassembly outer mating surface from first side, and at least one second battery subassembly electrical connector is located adjacent the second battery subassembly outer mating surface; wherein the second battery subassembly is operable to be coupled to the first battery subassembly to form the battery assembly by coupling the at least one second battery subassembly coupling member to the at least one first battery subassembly coupling member to form a rotatable coupling, then rotating the second battery subassembly relative to the first battery subassembly about the rotatable coupling, wherein the rotating results in the first battery subassembly outer mating surface being located immediately adjacent the second battery subassembly outer mating surface, the first battery subassembly electrical connector mating with the second battery subassembly electrical connector, and the at least one second battery subassembly securing member being located adjacent the at least one first battery subassembly securing member, and then securing the at least one second battery subassembly securing member to the at least one first battery subassembly securing member such that the first battery subassembly outer mating surface is secured in position relative to the second battery subassembly outer mating surface.