CURRENT SENSOR APPARATUS COMPRISING AN INTEGRATED CLAMPING DEVICE AND A GROUNDING ELEMENT

• US 20150377980A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Frenzel, Henryk, Sauerer, Vinzenz, Weinacht, Michael, Sprl, Christine, Frimberger, Manfred, Weigert, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 10,677,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/374 with means for correcting the measurement for temperature or ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3828 using current integration

Abstract

A current sensor device for measuring a current, in particular for measuring a battery current in motor vehicles. The device includes a clamping device for fixing the current sensor device to a maintaining body, an electric resistance element on which the current can be measured by means of a voltage, and an electric mass element by means of which the current sensor device can be electrically coupled to a zero potential. The clamping device, the resistance element and the mass element are integrally formed.

Claims

1. A current sensor apparatus for measuring a battery current in motor vehicles, comprising:

a clamping device for attaching the current sensor apparatus to a holding body,

an electrical resistor element at which the current can be measured via a voltage, and

an electrical grounding element, via which the current sensor apparatus can be coupled electrically to a defined electrical potential, in particular zero potential,

wherein the clamping device, the resistor element and the grounding element are formed in one piece.

2. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping device, the resistor element and the grounding element are formed from a sheet-metal element in one piece.

3. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistor element is designed to be in the form of a measuring section integrated in the sheet-metal element.

4. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the measuring section has recesses.

5. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the measuring section has trough-shaped recesses at the edge regions.

6. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a measuring unit, wherein the measuring unit has a temperature sensor.

7. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping device is in the form of a battery terminal.

8. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sheet-metal element contains an alloy with the constituents copper, iron and phosphorus, in particular with a composition of CuFeP.

9. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the measuring unit is arranged in the measuring section, wherein the measuring unit is coupled electrically to the resistor element.

10. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a connection device is provided which has connection pins or wireless transmission elements for transmitting measurement data.

11. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current sensor apparatus is produced by a stamping and bending method or a stamping and deep-drawing method.

12. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sheet-metal element has a substantially L-shaped section.

13. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the clamping device is arranged on the short part of the L-shaped section.

14. A motor vehicle comprising a current sensor apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

15. The current sensor apparatus as claimed in in claim 2, wherein the resistor element is designed to be in the form of a measuring section integrated in the sheet-metal element.