Patent ID: 8288035

Claim:
A modular battery comprising a casing containing a first electrode of a first polarity, and a second electrode of a second polarity, the casing comprised of: a) a first pair of opposed keyed side walls, wherein a first side wall of the first pair includes an upper end, a lower end, and a first male key, and a second side wall of the first pair includes an upper end, a lower end, and a first female key matched to the first male key; and b) a second pair of opposed keyed side walls, wherein a first side wall of the second pair includes an upper end, a lower end, and a second male key, and a second side wall of the second pair includes an upper end, a lower end, and a second female key matched to the second male key, c) wherein the first male key is sized to only mate with the first female key and the second male key is sized to only mate with the second female key, and d) a first end wall including: i) a first parallel terminal cavity proximate to the upper end of the first side wall of the second pair of opposed keyed side walls; ii) a second parallel terminal cavity proximate to the upper end of the second side wall of the second pair of opposed keyed side walls; and iii) a first series terminal cavity proximate to the upper end of the first side wall of the first pair of opposed keyed side walls; iv) wherein the first series terminal cavity is opposite the first female key and extends into the first male key; and v) wherein the first parallel terminal cavity extends into the second male key and the second parallel terminal cavity extends into the second female key; and e) a second end wall including: i) a third parallel terminal cavity proximate to the lower end of the first side wall of the second pair of opposed keyed side walls; ii) a fourth parallel terminal cavity proximate to the lower end of the second side wall of the second pair of opposed keyed side walls; and iii) a second series terminal cavity proximate to the lower end of the second side wall of the first pair of opposed keyed side walls; and iv) wherein the second series terminal cavity is opposite the first male key and extends into the first female key; and v) wherein the third parallel terminal cavity extends into the second male key and the fourth parallel terminal cavity extends into the second female key; f) such that one of the mating first male and female keys and the mating second male and female keys provides for connecting at least two battery casings in a parallel electrical configuration and the other of the mating first and second male and female keys provides for connecting the at least two battery casings in a series electrical configuration.