A component comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and a sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, wherein the first stiffness is higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component.

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components with integrated polymer parts, methods for making/using such FRP composite components, and vehicles equipped with battery packs sealed inside FRP battery enclosures by integrated elastomeric seals. An FRP composite component, such as a rigid battery tray basin, includes a component body that is formed with a polymer matrix material, such as a fast-curing epoxy resin. A fiber preform, such as a multiaxial-fiber fabric sheet, is encapsulated within the component body and formed with a cluster of fibers bound together in a predefined formation. A polymer seal, such as an elastomeric bulb seal, includes a seal head and a mounting base. The seal's mounting base is stitched to the fiber preform and at least partially encapsulated within the component body. The seal head protrudes from the fiber preform and extends through an aperture in the component body.

A pouch forming method may include: a disposing operation of disposing a pouch sheet between a die portion including a forming lower surface on which a pouch sheet is formed and a forming support portion disposed on the forming lower surface and a punch portion for forming the pouch sheet; a first forming operation of evacuating an internal space of the die portion and lowering the forming support portion in a direction of the forming lower surface to bend the pouch sheet; and a second forming operation of lowering the punch portion in a direction of the forming lower surface to press the pouch sheet.

A pouch forming apparatus includes a die portion having a forming groove, a punch portion disposed to face the forming groove and configured to move relative to the forming groove, and pressurizing a pouch sheet disposed on the die portion into the forming groove, a forming pad disposed to move relative to the punch portion within the forming groove and controlling a depth of the forming groove, and a vacuum pad applying vacuum pressure to the forming groove to be in close contact with the pouch sheet. The vacuum pad is disposed in at least one corner area of the forming pad.

A battery includes a battery element, a housing body, and a valve device. The housing body houses the battery element. The valve device is in communication with the inside of the housing body. Heat-sealable resin layers face each other in a peripheral edge portion of the housing body. A joined edge portion in which the mutually facing heat-sealable resin layers are fused together is formed in the peripheral edge portion of the housing body. The valve device is configured to reduce an internal pressure of the housing body if the internal pressure is increased due to gas generated in the housing body. The valve device includes a first portion that is located on an outer side of an edge of the joined edge portion and a second portion that is sandwiched between the heat-sealable resin layers in the joined edge portion.

A sealing apparatus for a secondary battery is disclosed, the sealing apparatus configured to seal a battery case of the secondary battery with an electrode assembly therein. The sealing apparatus comprises: a pair of sealing blocks which press the outer circumferential surface of the battery case; and a heating unit which is provided in the pair of sealing blocks and heat the pair of sealing blocks. The pair of sealing blocks comprise: lead sealing regions configured to press the lead sealing portion of the battery case; and case sealing regions configured to press the case sealing portion of the battery case. The heating unit heats the lead sealing regions and the case sealing regions of the pair of sealing blocks at different temperatures.

A molded element for arranging on a temperature-controllable element, wherein the temperature-controllable element may preferably be an energy storage element, for example an electrochemical energy storage cell, wherein the molded element comprises: at least one receiving zone for receiving at least one section of the temperature-controllable element in the molded element and a molded element material having a density of at most 0.75 g/cm.sup.3, preferably at most 0.65 g/cm.sup.3, particularly preferably at most 0.55 g/cm.sup.3.

A pouch molding apparatus and method involves deforming a pouch so that a larger amount of clearance is secured to increase the capacity of the pouch, thereby improving the pouch molding process to increase the depth and capacity of a pouch cup part. The pouch molding apparatus includes a die and a punch. The die has a die groove recessed therein in a shape configured to mold a pouch. The punch is disposed above the die groove, wherein the punch includes a body part configured to be inserted into the die groove together with a pouch film disposed between the die and the punch, and pressing parts are provided on opposite sides of the body part to press the pouch film toward an inner surface of the die groove.

A blow molded article of manufacture includes first and second battery enclosures each having respective first and second laterally outward extending flanges, and a parison made of a polymeric material. The first and second battery enclosure components are disposed facing each other and with their respective first and second laterally outward extending flanges registered with each other and spaced apart from each other by an offset. The parison is sandwiched between and connects together the first and second battery enclosure components, such that the parison conforms with interior surfaces of the battery enclosure components and with the parison substantially filling the offset. The article of manufacture may be cut along a cut line through the parison and within the offset around an outer perimeter of the article of manufacture, thereby separating the article of manufacture into first and second battery enclosure assemblies. Methods of formation are also disclosed.

A method for producing a power storage device includes an insert-molding step of making a resin member by insert-molding with respect to a terminal member inserted in an insertion hole of a lid. In this insert-molding step, the insertion hole of the lid is placed in front of a gate, and a molten resin is injected through the gate to flow in an opposite gate-side space in a cavity through the insertion hole, allowing the molten resin to spread over the entire cavity, to form the resin member.