Abstract: Presented are thermomechanical fuses for mitigating heat propagation across electrochemical devices, methods for making and methods for using such fuses, and traction battery packs with load-bearing, sacrificial thermomechanical fuses to help prevent thermal runaway conditions. A battery assembly includes an electrically insulating battery housing with multiple battery cells disposed inside the battery housing. These battery cells are electrically interconnected, in series or parallel, and stacked in side-by-side facing relation to form adjacent, mutually parallel stacks of battery cells. Thermomechanical fuses thermally connect neighboring stacks of the battery cells. Each thermomechanical fuse is formed, in whole or in part, from a dielectric material that undergoes deterioration or deformation at a predefined critical temperature; in so doing, the thermomechanical fuse thermally disconnects a first stack of cells from a neighboring second stack of cells.

Abstract: Presented are thermomechanical fuses for mitigating heat propagation across electrochemical devices, methods for making and methods for using such fuses, and traction battery packs with load-bearing, sacrificial thermomechanical fuses to help prevent thermal runaway conditions. A battery assembly includes an electrically insulating battery housing with multiple battery cells disposed inside the battery housing. These battery cells are electrically interconnected, in series or parallel, and stacked in side-by-side facing relation to form adjacent, mutually parallel stacks of battery cells. Thermomechanical fuses thermally connect neighboring stacks of the battery cells. Each thermomechanical fuse is formed, in whole or in part, from a dielectric material that undergoes deterioration or deformation at a predefined critical temperature; in so doing, the thermomechanical fuse thermally disconnects a first stack of cells from a neighboring second stack of cells.

Abstract: An automobile, comprising an interior compartment, a sanitization system adapted to sanitize surfaces within the interior compartment, a controller adapted to activate the sanitization system when at least one of a plurality of operating conditions exists and when there are no passengers present within the interior compartment, and to lock all doors to the interior compartment prior to activating the sanitization system, the sanitization system including a plurality of ultraviolet light arrays, each ultraviolet light array comprising a plurality of ultraviolet light fixtures, wherein each of the plurality of ultraviolet light fixtures is an ultraviolet light emitting diode adapted to emit ultraviolet light having a wavelength between approximately 200 nanometers and approximately 280 nanometers, at least one of the plurality of ultraviolet light arrays adapted to articulate when the sanitization system is active to re-direct the ultraviolet light being emitted to targeted areas within the interior compartment

Abstract: A pre-assembled electrical connection unit for a battery pack includes a bus bar defining a hole, and a cage defines a cavity. The unit also includes a fastener disposed in the cavity and the cage surrounds the fastener. The cage is secured to the bus bar, and the fastener is positioned in the hole and the cavity in an initial position. The fastener is movable to a final position relative to the cage which positions the fastener deeper in the hole of the bus bar. The unit is positioned relative to the battery pack, and the battery pack includes a module terminal. The module terminal includes a terminal nut that is accessible during an assembly process. The unit is placed over the terminal nut during the assembly process such that the fastener aligns with the terminal nut and secures the bus bar to the module terminal in the final position.

Abstract: A pre-assembled electrical connection unit for a battery pack includes a bus bar defining a hole, and a cage defines a cavity. The unit also includes a fastener disposed in the cavity and the cage surrounds the fastener. The cage is secured to the bus bar, and the fastener is positioned in the hole and the cavity in an initial position. The fastener is movable to a final position relative to the cage which positions the fastener deeper in the hole of the bus bar. The unit is positioned relative to the battery pack, and the battery pack includes a module terminal. The module terminal includes a terminal nut that is accessible during an assembly process. The unit is placed over the terminal nut during the assembly process such that the fastener aligns with the terminal nut and secures the bus bar to the module terminal in the final position.