초록 ▼

A terminal assembly for measuring electrical current passing to and from a battery post, including an electrically conductive collar for connecting to a post of a battery, and an electrically conductive terminal for receiving a connector of a load. An electrically conductive resistor having a known

A terminal assembly for measuring electrical current passing to and from a battery post, including an electrically conductive collar for connecting to a post of a battery, and an electrically conductive terminal for receiving a connector of a load. An electrically conductive resistor having a known resistance extends between outer surfaces of the collar and the terminal. The terminal assembly is incorporated into a battery, which also includes a volt meter connected between the outer surfaces of the collar and the terminal for measuring the voltage drop across the resistor, memory for storing the known resistance of the resistor, and a processor programmed to receive the measured voltage drop from the volt meter, retrieve the known resistance from the memory, and calculate current flow through the resistor based on the measured voltage drop and the known resistance, whereby current flow to and from the battery can be measured.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A terminal assembly for measuring electrical current to and from a battery, comprising: an electrically conductive collar having an inner surface for coupling to a battery post of the battery; an electrically conductive terminal for coupling to a load; a resistor having a known resistance, t

1. A terminal assembly for measuring electrical current to and from a battery, comprising: an electrically conductive collar having an inner surface for coupling to a battery post of the battery; an electrically conductive terminal for coupling to a load; a resistor having a known resistance, the resistor being connected between the collar and the terminal, wherein current flow from the battery post travels through the resistor in a first direction and current flow to the battery post travels through the resistor in a second direction; a first lead electrically coupled to a first end of the resistor proximate to the outer surface of the collar, and a second lead electrically coupled to a second end of the resistor proximate to the outer surface of the terminal. 2. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage measuring device coupled to the first and the second leads for measuring a voltage when current flows through the resistor. 3. A terminal assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a computer including: A. memory storing the known resistance of the resistor; and B. a processor programmed to, receive the measured voltage from the voltage measuring device, retrieve the known resistance from the memory, and calculate current flowing through the resistor based on the measured voltage and the known resistance. 4. A terminal assembly according to claim 3, further comprising: A. a thermometer for measuring a temperature of the resistor; B. the memory of the computer also storing a temperature coefficient of resistivity for the resistor; and C. the processor of the computer is further programmed to, receive the temperature from the thermometer, retrieve the temperature coefficient of resistivity from the memory, calculate a temperature compensated resistance of the resistor based on the known resistance, the temperature coefficient of resistivity, and the measured temperature, and calculate current through the resistor based on the measured voltage and the temperature compensated resistance. 5. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the resistance of the resistor is between about 50 microOhm and about 200 microOhm. 6. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the resistor material is selected from the group consisting of lead, copper, brass, bronze, manganese and manganin. 7. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the method of forming the resistor is selected from the group consisting of powdered metal, stamped, machined, cast and forged. 8. A terminal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a battery case; a storage cell contained within the battery case for receiving and storing an electrical charge; and an electrically conductive post coupled to the storage cell and extending out of the battery case; wherein the inner surface of the collar is positioned on a portion of the post extending out of the battery case. 9. A terminal assembly according to claim 8, wherein the storage cell includes lead and lead-oxide plates immersed in an acid electrolyte.