Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Christopher A Michaels

Mark A Voss

Bhavesh Shah

Edward D Moss

Julie A Bryce

Lu Wang

Presented are anti-buckling cables for battery assembly shear plates, methods for making/using such anti-buckling cables, and electric-drive vehicles equipped with traction battery packs having impact-attenuating shear plates joined by anti-buckling cables. A battery assembly includes multiple battery cells, such as lithium-class prismatic, pouch, or can-type cells arranged in rows and columns, that are housed inside a protective battery container, such as an electrically insulated battery pack housing. A pair of rigid, impact-attenuating (top and bottom) shear plates is attached to opposing (top and bottom) sides of the battery container, sandwiching therebetween the battery cells. An engineered pattern of tether cables extends through the battery container with cable each rigidly secured at opposing ends thereof to the two shear plates. The tether cables are electrically non-conductive and structurally join together the vertically spaced, mutually parallel shear plates. Each of the tether cables may be continuously tensioned between the shear plates.

Anti-buckling cables, systems, and methods for impact-attenuating shear plates of battery assemblies

Presented are protective covers for weldable fasteners, methods for making/using such cover-protected weldable fasteners, and motor vehicles with such covered fasteners welded to load-bearing structural members. A weldable fastener assembly includes a fastener, such as a weld-on nut or clip retainer, that is fabricated with a shank and a flange. One end of the shank has a fastener hole that receives therethrough a mating fastener, such as a bolt, screw, stud, or clip. The flange is formed, in whole or in part, from a weldable material for welding to a load-bearing panel or other structural support member. The flange may be integrally formed with and project radially outward from the shank. A protective cover is attached to the flange and covers the fastener hole. The protective cover is frangible and formed, in whole or in part, from a material designed to withstand the temperature at which the weldable material melts.

Protective covers for weld-on fasteners and welding processes using cover-protected weld-on fasteners

A vehicle sensor assembly includes a panel having a first side and a second side. The vehicle sensor assembly also includes a beam spaced from the panel relative to the second side. The vehicle sensor assembly further includes a mount including a first portion fixed to the beam. In addition, the vehicle sensor assembly includes a sensor coupled to the mount. The mount includes a second portion coupled to the first portion and the sensor is fixed to the second portion to define a subassembly unit. The subassembly unit is movable relative to the first portion in response to a force applied to the first side of the panel which causes the second side of the panel to engage part of the mount to move the subassembly unit. A sensor-mount assembly includes the beam, the mount, and the sensor coupled to the mount.

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Milford, MI, United States of America

Christopher A Michaels