DEVICE FOR MEASURING A CURRENT FLOWING IN A CABLE

• US 20100066351A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings, LLC, Kromberg & Schubert GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc), Kromberg & Schubert GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Muis, Pascal, Bages, Ghislain, CONDAMIN, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/126
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/203 Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/913 Condition determining device, e.g. oxygen sensor, accelerometer, ionizer chamber, thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/957 Auxiliary contact part for circuit adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment relates to a measuring device for measuring a current flowing in a first cable. The measuring device includes a measuring shunt in the form of a plate connected in series with the first cable and associated with a measuring electronic card connected to a data transmission cable. The measuring shunt further includes a measuring portion of resistive alloy coupled to connection portions on either side of the measuring portion. The connection portions are integrally formed with the measuring portion, and the first cable is secured to at least one of the connection portions of the measuring shunt.

Claims

1. A measuring device for measuring a current flowing in a first cable, the measuring device comprising:

a measuring shunt in the form of a plate connected in series with the first cable and associated with a measuring electronic card connected to a data transmission cable, the measuring shunt comprising a measuring portion of resistive alloy coupled to connection portions on either side of the measuring portion;

wherein the connection portions are integrally formed with the measuring portion, and the first cable is secured to at least one of the connection portions of the measuring shunt.

2. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein a cable end of the first cable is secured to the corresponding connection portion by autogenous welding.

3. The measuring device of claim 2, wherein a connection portion remote from the cable end is secured directly to a battery cable terminal by welding.

4. The measuring device of claim 3, wherein the battery cable terminal includes a conductive tab integral with the battery cable terminal.

5. The measuring device of claim 4, wherein the conductive tab extends perpendicularly to an axis of the battery cable terminal.

6. The measuring device of claim 5, having a total thickness less than battery cable terminal thickness.

7. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein the measuring shunt includes holes defining the measuring portion of the measuring shunt, and the electronic card includes connection pins configured to engage the holes.

8. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein cable segment ends are secured to each of the connection portions.

9. A measuring shunt for installation between a battery cable terminal and an end of a conductive cable, the measuring shunt for monitoring a load on a battery, the measuring shunt comprising:

a plate having a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being configured to connect to the end of the conductive cable, the second connection portion being configured to connect to the battery cable terminal; and

a measuring portion integrally formed from the plate and defined by an area between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, the measuring portion including studs that extend from the measuring shunt and are configured to be inserted into an electrical measuring circuit.

10. The measuring shunt of claim 9, wherein a block of resin is molded around the measuring device, a portion of the cable and a portion of the battery cable terminal to strengthen a mechanical connection between the cable, the measuring shunt, and the battery cable terminal.

11. The measuring shunt of claim 9, wherein the second connection portion is configured to securably engage a connection tab of a battery cable terminal, the connection tab extending parallel to the axis of the battery cable terminal.

12. The measuring shunt of claim 9, wherein the studs extend from a top edge of the measuring shunt.

13. The measuring shunt of claim 9, wherein the electrical measuring circuit is carried by an electronic card and the electronic card is mounted perpendicular to the measuring shunt when the studs are inserted into the electrical measuring circuit.

14. A method of making a measuring device for measuring a current flowing in a cable, the method comprising:

forming a measuring shunt from a resistive alloy, the measuring shunt comprising a measuring portion disposed between a first connection portion and a second connection portion;

coupling a conductive core of the cable to the first connection portion;

coupling the second connection portion to a conductive material; and

coupling a measuring electronic circuit to the measuring shunt, the measuring electronic circuit being coupled to a data transmission cable.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of coating the measuring shunt with a resin.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductive core of the cable is coupled to the first connection portion by autogenous welding.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductive material coupled to the second connection portion is a battery cable terminal.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductive material coupled to the second connection portion is a second segmented end of the cable and the conductive core coupled to the first connection portion is a first segmented end of the cable.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the measuring shunt is in the form of a plate and made of a single piece of resistive alloy.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the resin is molded around the measuring device, a portion of the cable, and a portion of the conductive material coupled to the second connection portion to strengthen a mechanical connection between the cable, the measuring shunt, and the conductive material.