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A battery for a vehicle that includes a housing comprising a top portion and a cover coupled to the top portion. The battery also includes a plurality of containers extending below the top portion and arranged in a plurality of rows, with each of the plurality of rows comprising a plurality of conta

A battery for a vehicle that includes a housing comprising a top portion and a cover coupled to the top portion. The battery also includes a plurality of containers extending below the top portion and arranged in a plurality of rows, with each of the plurality of rows comprising a plurality of containers and being offset from an adjacent row. A portion of the top portion is not provided above one of the plurality of containers and includes at least one rib for providing enhanced strength for the portion of the top portion.

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What is claimed is: 1. A battery for a vehicle comprising: a housing including a top portion and a cover coupled to the top portion; a plurality of cell containers extending below the top portion and arranged in a plurality of rows, each of the plurality of rows comprising a plurality of cell conta

What is claimed is: 1. A battery for a vehicle comprising: a housing including a top portion and a cover coupled to the top portion; a plurality of cell containers extending below the top portion and arranged in a plurality of rows, each of the plurality of rows comprising a plurality of cell containers and being offset from an adjacent row; wherein the top portion includes at least one rib for providing enhanced strength for the top portion, wherein the rib is located in a position that does not overlie one of the plurality of cell containers; wherein the ribs do not extend substantially down the side of the housing. 2. The battery of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of cell containers has a generally cylindrical shape and contains at least one wound electrode. 3. The battery of claim 1 further comprising a network of ribs configured to provide enhanced structural rigidity for the top portion in a location that does not overlie one of the plurality of cell containers. 4. The battery of claim 3 wherein the network comprises a plurality of ribs arranged in a generally rectangular grid. 5. The battery of claim 3 wherein at least two of the ribs are parallel to each other. 6. The battery of claim 1 further comprising a battery terminal coupled to the top portion at a location that does not overlie one of the cell containers. 7. The battery of claim 1 wherein the cover is heat sealed to the top portion. 8. The battery of claim 1 wherein the at least one rib provides enhanced structural rigidity so that the top portion is adapted to resist deformation during a manufacturing operation. 9. The battery of claim 1 wherein the at least one rib provides enhanced structural rigidity such that the top portion may be used as a handle for lifting the battery. 10. A vehicle battery comprising a housing having a first row of generally aligned cell containers adjacent to a second row of generally aligned cell containers, the first row of cell containers being offset from the second row of cell containers; a base integrally formed with the two rows of cell containers and including at least one portion which extends beyond the cell containers due to the offset configuration of the cell containers; and a battery cover coupled to the base, the vehicle battery comprising: a structure for reinforcing the at least one portion which extends beyond the cell containers such that the structure provides enhanced resistance to damage to the at least one portion when a force is applied to the at least one portion and wherein the structure is not provided above one of the cell containers; wherein the reinforcing structure is part of the extending portion and does not substantially extend down the side of the housing. 11. The vehicle battery of claim 10 wherein the cell containers have a generally cylindrical shape and contain at least one wound electrode. 12. The vehicle battery of claim 10 wherein the structure includes a framework of ribs configured to provide enhanced structural rigidity for the at least one portion. 13. The vehicle battery of claim 12 wherein the framework comprises a plurality of ribs arranged in a generally orthogonal grid. 14. The vehicle battery of claim 12 wherein the ribs are non-linear. 15. The vehicle battery of claim 12 wherein at least two of the ribs are parallel to each other. 16. The vehicle battery of claim 10 wherein the structure is integrally formed with at least one of the base and at least one of the cell containers. 17. The vehicle battery of claim 10 further comprising a battery terminal coupled to the at least one portion. 18. The vehicle battery of claim 10 wherein the battery cover is heat sealed to the base. 19. The vehicle battery of claim 10 wherein the structure is configured for use as a handle for lifting the battery. 20. A vehicle battery comprising: a housing having a base configured for coupling to a battery cover; a plurality of containers extending from the base and configured to contain battery electrodes, the plurality of containers comprising: a first row of containers having at least two containers; and a second row of containers having at least two containers and offset from the first row of containers; wherein a first portion of the base extends away from the containers of the first row at an end of the first row of containers and a second portion of the base extends away from the containers of the second row of containers at an end of the second row of containers; and wherein the first portion includes a structure for buttressing the first portion and the second portion includes a structure for buttressing the second portion; whereby the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion are not provided above or to the side of one of the plurality of containers; whereby the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion do not extend out of the first portion or the second portion; whereby the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion provide resistance to deformation of the first portion and the second portion when a force is applied to the first portion and the second portion. 21. The vehicle battery of claim 20 wherein the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion include a plurality of ribs. 22. The vehicle battery of claim 21 wherein the plurality of ribs are arranged in a generally rectangular grid. 23. The vehicle battery of claim 20 wherein the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion are integrally formed with the housing. 24. The vehicle battery of claim 23 wherein each of the plurality of containers include at least one wall and at least one of the structures includes at least one rib extending between a wall of a container and at least one of a wall of another container and a frame of the structure. 25. The vehicle battery of claim 23 wherein the structures for buttressing the first portion and the second portion are provided with a network of ribs for providing enhanced structural rigidity for the first portion and the second portion. 26. The vehicle battery of claim 20 wherein each of the plurality of containers has a generally cylindrical shaper.