Abstract: A traction battery pack assembly includes a battery cell and a thermal blocker that is secured to the battery cell. The thermal blocker has a slot that receives at least one terminal of the battery cell. The battery cell can be a pouch-style cell. The thermal blocker can be foam.

Abstract: A traction battery pack assembly includes an enclosure assembly that provides an interior area and a cell stack within the interior area. The cell stack includes battery cells disposed along a cell stack axis. A thermal management assembly is disposed along the cell stack axis. The thermal management assembly includes thermal blockers secured to a base assembly. The base assembly includes a sandwiched region and at least one projecting region. The sandwiched region is disposed along the cell stack axis and is sandwiched between first and second battery cells. The projecting region is outboard of the sandwiched region relative to the cell stack axis. The thermal blockers are secured to the at least one projecting region of the base assembly.

Abstract: A structural assembly for a battery structure of a vehicle includes a lower wall and a pair of cross members. The lower wall is configured to support a cell stack. The pair of cross members are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each cross member provides lateral support for a respective side of the cell stack and is configured to extend substantially an entire width of a battery enclosure. Each cross member of the pair of cross members includes an outer wall, an inner wall spaced apart from the outer wall, and connecting members. The outer wall, the inner wall, and connecting members cooperate with each other to define an internal cavity. The inner walls of the pair of cross members are secured to the lower wall and slidable relative to the outer walls of the pair of cross members.

Abstract: The invention provides a fluidic device that comprises at least two separate testing units, each of which is adapted to expose living cells to a moving fluid. The fluidic devices are useful for testing cell types such as kidney cells that are sensitive to shear stress, and can be configured for high-throughput testing. The fluidic device is adapted to receive a multi-well cell culture plate to which the living cells can be adhered or affixed. In some embodiments, flow channels in the fluidic device are positioned to expose the living cells to moving fluid, and the flow wells are adapted to provide substantially uniform shear stress across the area where the living cells are exposed to the moving fluid.