Current detection apparatus

• US 9,360,532 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Vazquez, Arleen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodak, Lee
• Application Number:
  US13/644,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 324/426, 324/713, 324/126, 324/522, 324/525, 324/544, 324/691, 324/76.11, 324/649, 324/600, 324/433, 439/754, 439/504, 439/522, 439/763, 439/762, 702/63, 702/64, 702/65, 702/57, 702/1, 320/105, 320/104, 361/748, 361/752, 361/753, 361/784, 361/796, 361/668, 361/616
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/287 Intermediate parts between battery post and cable end piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A current detection apparatus for detecting a current from a battery flowing through a harness. The apparatus includes a resistor having a current carrying member disposed between a terminal of the battery and the harness, a circuit board provided thereon with a current detection circuit for detecting a current flowing through the resistor, and a casing having a recessed portion for accommodating the circuit board, a cover for closing an opening of the recessed portion. The circuit board includes a solder junction between the circuit board and a terminal protruding from an inside bottom of the recessed portion and passing through a through hole arranged on the circuit board, and an open end of the recessed portion that can be engaged with the cover is non-parallel to the circuit board so that at least a portion of the circuit board including the solder junction lies outside of the recessed portion.

Claims

1. A current detection apparatus for detecting a current from a battery flowing through a harness, comprising:

a resistor having a current carrying member disposed between a terminal of the battery and the harness to provide a current carrying path therebetween;

a circuit board provided thereon with a current detection circuit for detecting a current flowing through the current carrying member on the basis of a potential difference between two positions along the current carrying member; and

a casing having a recessed portion for accommodating therein the circuit board;

a cover for closing the recessed portion of the casing to form an enclosure;

wherein the circuit board includes solder junctions between the circuit board and respective terminals of a plurality of terminals protruding from an inside bottom of the recessed portion and passing through respective through holes arranged on the circuit board, one of the plurality of terminals being electrically connected to the current carrying member at one of the two positions along the current carrying member, another one of the plurality of terminals being electrically connected to the current carrying member at the other of the two positions along the current carrying member, and

an open end of the recessed portion that is engaged with the cover lies in a single pane tilted relative to the circuit board so that a portion of the circuit board that includes the solder junctions lies completely outside the recessed portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the open end of the recessed portion that is engaged with the cover comprises a groove surrounding the recessed portion, a depth direction of the groove being perpendicular to the plane, and

the cover comprises a protrusion arranged on the cover to be circumferentially engaged with the groove so that the recessed portion is closed by the cover to form an enclosure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the open end of the recessed portion that is engaged with the cover comprises a protrusion surrounding the recessed portion, a height direction of the protrusion being perpendicular to the plane, and

the cover comprises a groove arranged on the cover to be circumferentially engaged with the protrusion so that the recessed portion is closed by the cover to form an enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solder junctions are positioned in one end portion of the circuit board that lies completely outside the recessed portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the circuit board is disposed and vertically oriented on a side of the battery and the current carrying member is disposed on a top surface of the battery, and

the solder junctions are positioned in a top end portion of the circuit board that lies completely outside the recessed portion.