This is one of the reason why patents are actually good, https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en... takes you to a list of stuff like this http://www.google.com/patents/US8286743 which happens to be my personal favorite, since it's this battery placement that gives Tesla cars an edge. (handling, acceleration and all that good stuff.)

It's one of the examples of patents being done right, to protect innovation.