Sensor shield for an electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488676-B2
Application number	US-201414249827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

An example electric vehicle component includes a current sensor shield that blocks magnetic fields of a contactor from influencing a current sensor. An example method of improving current sensor measurements includes blocking magnetic fields moving from a contactor toward the current sensor.

First claim

I claim:

1. An electric vehicle component, comprising:
a current sensor shield that blocks magnetic fields of a contactor from influencing a current sensor, the current sensor shield extending directly from a bus bar that electrically connects a first component of an electric vehicle to a second component of the electric vehicle.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the current sensor shield and the bus bar are portions of a common continuous structure.

3. The component of claim 1 , wherein the current sensor shield is a flange of the bus bar.

4. The component of claim 3 , wherein the flange extends transversely from a primary portion of the bus bar.

5. The component of claim 3 , wherein the flange is spaced apart from both the contactor and the current sensor.

6. The component of claim 3 , wherein the flange is a folded portion of the bus bar.

7. The component of claim 3 , wherein the flange and the bus bar comprise copper.

8. The component of claim 1 , wherein the current sensor shield is partially housed within the contactor.

9. The component of claim 8 , wherein the current sensor shield is disposed about at least three distinct sides of a coil of the contactor.

10. An electric vehicle assembly, comprising:
a contactor;
a bus bar electrically connected to the contactor;
a current sensor to measure current on the bus bar; and
a current sensor shield, wherein the contactor generates magnetic fields and the current sensor shield blocks at least a portion of the magnetic fields from reaching the contactor, wherein the current sensor shield is a flange extending directly from the bus bar.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein a magnetic field emanates from the contactor toward the current sensor along a path, and the current sensor shield is disposed within the path.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the path is a linear path.

13. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the contactor, bus bar, current sensor, and current sensor shield are housed within a bussed electric center (BEC).

14. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the contactor selectively breaks an electrical connection between a load and a high voltage battery of an electric vehicle.

15. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the current sensor shield is housed within the contactor.

16. A method of improving current sensor measurements, comprising:
blocking magnetic fields moving from a coil of a contactor toward the current sensor; and
using a flange of a bus bar that is spaced from both the contactor and the current sensor for the blocking.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising blocking by covering at least three sides of a coil within the contactor with a metallic plate.

18. The component of claim 1 , wherein the current sensor is configured to detect current in the bus bar.

19. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the current sensor is configured to detect current in the bus bar.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the current sensor is configured to detect current in the bus bar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Wand Thomas Joseph

Classifications

• B60L2270/147

  electro magnetic [EMI] · CPC title

• G01R1/18 Primary

  Screening arrangements against electric or magnetic fields, e.g. against earth's field · CPC title

• B60L3/00

  Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption (methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00) · CPC title

• G01R31/006

  on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks (testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00) · CPC title

• B60L2240/549

  Current · CPC title