Structure of mounting current sensor to battery cable

• US 9,921,250 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Sugimori, Yasuhiro, Harada, Kunihiro, Shimizu, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Minh
• Application Number:
  US14/934,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3462 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/183 using transformers with a magnetic core
• 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: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable includes a battery cable, a thermal fusion bonding tape wound around an outer circumference of the battery cable, and a current sensor. The current sensor includes a housing including a current detecting part configured to detect a current flowing through the battery cable, and a holder configured to hold and compress a thermal fusion bonding tape mounting portion in cooperation with the housing to deform a cross-sectional shape of the thermal fusion bonding tape mounting portion into an elliptical shape. The thermal fusion bonding tape mounting portion is a portion where the thermal fusion bonding tape is wound around the battery cable. Upon a compression between the housing and the holder being released, the elliptical shape of the cross-sectional shape of the thermal fusion bonding tape mounting portion is maintained.

Claims

1. A structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable, the structure comprising:

the battery cable;

a thermal fusion bonding tape wound around an outer circumference of the battery cable; and

the current sensor comprising

a housing including a current detecting part configured to detect a current flowing through the battery cable, and

a holder mounted to the housing with the thermal fusion bonding tape and the battery cable being arranged between the housing and the holder,

wherein

the housing and the holder is configured to sandwich, compress, and deform the thermal fusion bonding tape and the battery cable,

a cross-sectional shape of the thermal fusion bonding tape deformed by the housing and the holder is an elliptical shape,

a cross-sectional shape of the battery cable deformed by the housing and the holder is an elliptical shape, and

the thermal fusion bonding tape with the cross-sectional shape of the elliptical shape is cured.

2. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1,

wherein the housing comprises

a housing body including the current detecting part, and

a cover disposed separated from the current detecting part and mounted to the housing body to cover the current detecting part, and

wherein the thermal fusion bonding tape and the battery cable are held between the holder and the cover.

3. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 2, further comprising a soft filler filled between the current detecting part and the cover.

4. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 3, wherein the soft filler comprises one of:

a soft synthetic resin; and

a soft rubber.

5. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor is mounted near an end in a longitudinal direction of the battery cable.

6. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1, wherein the current sensor is mounted at an intermediate portion of the battery cable.

7. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1, wherein

the battery cable comprises:

a core wire; and

a coating portion, and

the thermal fusion bonding tape is mounted so as to cover the coating portion.

8. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1, wherein the holder, in a condition of holding and compressing, maintains a positional relationship between the battery cable and the current detecting part that is not affected by variation in a thickness or shape of the battery cable.

9. The structure of mounting a current sensor to a battery cable according to claim 1, wherein directions of minor axes of the elliptical shapes of the thermal fusion bonding tape and the battery cable compressed by the housing and the holder correspond to an arranging direction of the battery cable and the current detecting part.