Battery post connector
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A battery post connector for use in sensing current flow of a vehicle battery, the connector comprising:
- a terminal adapter configured for compressively connecting to a battery post of the vehicle battery and establishing an electrical connection thereto;
a shunt in communication with the terminal adapter and configured for directing current flow between the terminal adapter and a vehicle element;
a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to calculate current flow through the shunt as a function of a voltage drop across a portion of the shunt;
a plate overlaying at least a portion of the PCB and shunt and configured to ameliorate shunt vibrations; and
wherein the plate is an independent element fastened to both of the terminal adapter and shunt.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A connector suitable for establishing an electrical connection with any number of batteries. The connector including any number of features for assessing operating characteristics associated with the battery, such as but not limited to current, voltage, and temperature. The connector optionally being of a robust design and configured to ameliorate vibrations and sustain hammer tests.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A battery post connector for use in sensing current flow of a vehicle battery, the connector comprising:
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a terminal adapter configured for compressively connecting to a battery post of the vehicle battery and establishing an electrical connection thereto; a shunt in communication with the terminal adapter and configured for directing current flow between the terminal adapter and a vehicle element; a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to calculate current flow through the shunt as a function of a voltage drop across a portion of the shunt; a plate overlaying at least a portion of the PCB and shunt and configured to ameliorate shunt vibrations; and wherein the plate is an independent element fastened to both of the terminal adapter and shunt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A battery post connector for use in sensing current flow of a vehicle battery, the connector comprising:
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a terminal adapter configured for compressively connecting to a battery post of the vehicle battery and establishing an electrical connection thereto; a shunt in communication with the terminal adapter and configured for directing current flow between the terminal adapter and a vehicle element; a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to calculate current flow through the shunt as a function of a voltage drop across a portion of the shunt; a plate overlaying at least a portion of the PCB and shunt, wherein the plate is fastened to the terminal adapter and the shunt; a pair of connecting pins configured for establishing an electrical connection between the shunt and PCB, the electrical connection suitable for use by the PCB in determining the voltage drop; a network interface for communicating signals between the PCB and a remote network element, the network interface being separate from the electrical connection between the shunt and vehicle element; and a resin encapsulating the shunt, plate, PCB, and at portion of the terminal adapter. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A connector for use in sensing current flow of a battery, the connector comprising:
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a terminal adapter configured for connecting to the battery and establishing an electrical connection thereto; a shunt in communication with the terminal adapter and configured for directing current flow between the terminal adapter and another remote element; a printed circuit board (PCB) in electrical communication with the shunt and configured for determining operating characteristics associated with the battery as a function thereof; and a plate overlaying at least a portion of the PCB and shunt, the plate being sufficiently thick to protect the PCB against a hammer test; wherein an entire bottom side of the plate is flat such that the outer edges of the plate rest against and are coplanar with a top side of the terminal adapter and the shunt. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification