Battery current sensor for a motor vehicle

• US 7,671,755 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Lenhard, Holger, Dreiskemper, Heinrich-Wilhelm
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk; Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/788,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/636.1, 455/575.1, 180/65.8, 700/297, 702/63, 320/134, 320/152
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• 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 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: H01H 2001/5877 with provisions for direct mounting on a battery pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/585 Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor

Abstract

A battery current sensing device for the battery of a vehicle includes a current sensor, a substrate having a measuring circuit, and a connecting element having first and second ends. The current sensor is connected to the battery to receive current flow of the battery. One end of the connecting element is electrically and mechanically connected to the substrate and the other end of the connecting element is electrically and mechanically connected to the current sensor such that the connecting element electrically and mechanically connects the substrate in a fixed position to the current sensor with the measuring circuit being electrically connected to the current sensor. The first end of the connecting element includes a press-fit contact for establishing the connection to one of the current sensor and the substrate.

Claims

1. A battery current sensing device for the battery of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a current sensor connected to the battery to receive current flow of the battery;

a substrate having a measuring circuit; and

a connecting element having a first end and a second end, the first end of the connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the substrate and the second end of the connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the current sensor such that the connecting element electrically and mechanically connects the substrate in a fixed position to the current sensor with the measuring circuit being electrically connected to the current sensor, wherein at least one of the first end and the second end of the connecting element includes a press-fit contact for establishing the corresponding connection to the current sensor and the substrate.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the second end of the connecting element includes a connecting section for fixedly establishing the connection to one of the current sensor and the substrate.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein:

the connection between the second end of the connecting element and the one of the current sensor and the substrate is a soldered connection.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein:

the connection between the second end of the connecting element and the one of the current sensor and the substrate is a welded connection.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the press-fit contact includes an elastic eyelet.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the connecting element is a metal part bent at a right angle.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein:

the connecting element has an elastic middle region between the press-fit contact and the connecting section.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the substrate is a printed circuit board.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the substrate is a ceramic substrate.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the press-fit contact is connected to the substrate and the connecting section is connected to the current sensor.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the current sensor includes a measuring resistor.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein:

the measuring resistor is a metal strip.

13. A battery current sensing device for the battery of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a current sensor connected to the battery to receive current flow of the battery;

a substrate having a measuring circuit; and

a plurality of connecting elements, each connecting element having a first end and a second end, the first end of each connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the substrate and the second end of each connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the current sensor such that the connecting elements electrically and mechanically connect the substrate in a fixed position to the current sensor with the measuring circuit being electrically connected to the current sensor, wherein the first end of each connecting element includes an elastic press-fit contact for establishing the connection to the substrate.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein:

the second end of each connecting element includes a connecting section for fixedly establishing the connection to the current sensor.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein:

the connection between the second end of each connecting element and the current sensor is a soldered connection.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein:

the connection between the second end of each connecting element and the current sensor is a welded connection.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein:

the elastic press-fit contact of each connecting element includes an elastic eyelet.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein:

each connecting element is a metal part bent at a right angle.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein:

each connecting element has an elastic middle region between the elastic press-fit contact and the connecting section of the connecting element.

20. A battery current sensing device for the battery of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a current sensor connected to the battery to receive current flow of the battery;

a substrate having a measuring circuit; and

a plurality of connecting elements, each connecting element having a first end and a second end, the first end of each connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the current sensor and the second end of each connecting element being electrically and mechanically connected to the substrate such that the connecting elements electrically and mechanically connect the substrate in a fixed position to the current sensor with the measuring circuit being electrically connected to the current sensor, wherein the first end of each connecting element includes an elastic press-fit contact for establishing the connection to the current sensor, wherein each connecting element has an elastic middle region between the elastic press-fit contact and the second end of the connecting element.