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A large battery pack of specified voltage and capacity can be assembled from a plurality of identical small cells by dividing the specified capacity by a nominal battery module capacity to determine a desired number of parallel modules to be provided, dividing the nominal battery module capacity by

A large battery pack of specified voltage and capacity can be assembled from a plurality of identical small cells by dividing the specified capacity by a nominal battery module capacity to determine a desired number of parallel modules to be provided, dividing the nominal battery module capacity by a nominal cell card capacity, to determine the number of cell cards required in each module, connecting the call cards in parallel to a common buswork to form the battery module, and connecting the modules in parallel to obtain the specified battery pack capacity and in series to obtain the specified battery pack voltage Protection circuitry can be implemented at the module level, by disconnecting one or more modules or the entire battery pack if a fault at the module level is identified; at the cell card level, by disconnecting a cell card if a cell within it is determined to be faulty; and/or internally, in each cell.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for assembling a battery pack of specified capacity from a plurality of cells assembled to planar circuit boards in order to comprise at least two substantially identical planar cell cards, comprising the steps of: dividing the specified capacity by a nominal battery

What is claimed is: 1. A method for assembling a battery pack of specified capacity from a plurality of cells assembled to planar circuit boards in order to comprise at least two substantially identical planar cell cards, comprising the steps of: dividing the specified capacity by a nominal battery module capacity, to determine a desired number of parallel modules to be provided, dividing the nominal battery module capacity by a nominal cell card capacity, to determine the number of cell cards required in each module, dividing the nominal cell card capacity by the cell capacity, to determine the number of cells to be provided in each cell card, providing a number of planar circuit boards of fire-resistant material equal to the required number of cell cards, assembling the cells to the planar circuit boards so as to provide the planar cell cards, said cells being generally elongated cylindrical members, having terminals at their opposed ends, and being arranged on said cell cards and connected end-to-end to form at least two series-connected linear arrays on each card, said arrays being disposed physically parallel to one another on each card so as to define at least two rows of side-by-side cells, with the axes of said cylindrical cells parallel to the plane of said planar circuit boards, assembling the at least two substantially identical cell cards to comprise the desired number of cells in a suitable series/parallel circuit, each cell card having positive and negative terminals, by arranging the planar cell cards parallel to one another, and connecting the at least two cell cards in parallel by connecting elongated bus bars to the positive and negative terminals of each card so as to comprise the battery module(s), whereby the bus bars extend orthogonally to the parallel planar cell cards and make electrical and mechanical connection between the cell cards, and whereby passages for ventilating air and/or hot gases resulting from damage to one or more cells are formed between the cylindrical cells and the planar cell cards, each said cell card comprising cell monitoring circuitry for monitoring the condition of the cells on the cell card, and for disconnecting the cell card from the elongated bus bars in response to detection of a fault, connecting the modules(s) in parallel to obtain the specified battery pack capacity and in series to obtain the specified battery pack voltage, and disposing the assembled modules in a closely-fitting enclosure so that the cell cards effectively subdivide the interior of the enclosure, limiting the spread of fire within the enclosure; and wherein the cell cards are notched at their ends to cooperate with said enclosure so as to define ducts extending transverse to said cell cards in communication with said passages between said cylindrical cells and said cell cards for ventilating air and/or hot gases. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of connecting said cell monitoring circuitry in parallel across each row of cells, for monitoring the condition of the cells in each row. 3. A battery pack made up of a number of generally cylindrical elongated cells having terminals at opposed ends thereof, the cells being organized in series/parallel format and assembled to at least two planar circuit boards of fire-resistant material so as to make up a like number of substantially identical cell cards of desired capacity, each said cell card comprising cell monitoring circuitry for monitoring the condition of the cells on the cell card, and for disconnecting the cell card from the elongated bus bars in response to detection of a fault, each cell card comprising at least four cells, the at least four cells on each card being arranged in at least two linear arrays of least two serially-connected cells, said arrays being disposed physically parallel to one another, such that the cells of the at least two arrays form at least two rows, the axes of the cylindrical cells being disposed parallel to the plane of the corresponding planar circuit boards, the cell cards being organized in parallel to form modules of desired capacity, the modules being connected in series and parallel to form the battery pack, and wherein the substantially identical cell cards have positive and negative electrical terminals on their edges, are arranged parallel to one another, and are connected mechanically and electrically by elongated bus bars extending orthogonally to said cell cards and connected to said positive and negative terminals on each cell card, such that passages for ventilating air and/or hot gas are defined between the cell cards and cells, the assembly of cell cards being disposed within an enclosure, such that the cell cards subdivide the interior of the enclosure so as to limit the spread of fire, and wherein the cell cards are formed so as to cooperate with the enclosure to define ducts extending transversely to said planar circuit boards for the passage of ventilating air and/or hot gas in communication with said passages formed between the cells and cell cards. 4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein said cell monitoring circuitry is connected in parallel across the cells of each row.