Patent ID: 8586235

Claim:
A battery module comprising: a plurality of unit batteries arranged in series; end plates comprising a first end plate and a second end plate at respective side ends of the plurality of unit batteries, each of the end plates having a substantially planar surface and a plurality of holes extending through the substantially planar surface, wherein an edge of each of the end plates protrudes past an edge of a respective one of the unit batteries; a plurality of connecting members connected to and extending between the first end plate and the second end plate to fix the first end plate and the second end plate to the plurality of unit batteries, wherein each of the connecting members protrudes through one of the holes on each of the end plates; barriers spacing the first end plate and second end plate, respectively, from respective side end batteries of the unit batteries; and at least one reinforcing member separate from and coupled to the substantially planar surface of each of the end plates, the at least one reinforcing member extending in a direction generally from a first edge to a second edge of a respective one of the end plates, wherein the at least one reinforcing member protrudes from the respective one of the end plates and wherein a portion of the at least one reinforcing member is entirely spaced from the respective one of the end plates, wherein a respective one of the end plates includes: a contacting portion contacting the at least one reinforcing member, and extending portions extending from the contacting portion, the extending portions adapted to be connected to at least one of the connecting members.