# US 12,014,888 B2 · Circuit assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,014,888 B2 - Document ID: US12014888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/605,417 - Filed: 2020-04-14 - Published: 2022-06-16 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-25 - Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Yusuke Isaji; Ryoya Okamoto; Hitoshi Takeda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014888B2 ## CPC - H01H 45/12: Ventilating; Cooling; Heating (for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013) - H02M 1/36: Means for starting or stopping converters - B60L 3/04: Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) - B60R 16/02: electric {constitutive elements} - H01H 47/00: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current - H02G 3/16: structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box - H02M 7/003: {Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections} - H05K 7/06: on insulating boards {, e.g. wiring harnesses (for printed circuits H05K1/18, H05K3/30)} - B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts - B60L 2270/20: Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery - H01H 50/12: Ventilating; Cooling; Heating (for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013) - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Provided is a circuit assembly including: a main relay that is to be electrically connected between a load and a battery; a pre-charge circuit connected in parallel with the main relay; and a heat transfer member, wherein the pre-charge circuit includes current-carrying portions that are to be connected to the main relay, and the heat transfer member and the current-carrying portions are in contact with each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit assembly comprising: a main relay configured to be electrically connected between a load and a battery; a pre-charge circuit connected in parallel with the main relay; a heat transfer member; and a case that accommodates the main relay and the pre-charge circuit, wherein the heat transfer member includes a planar first heat transfer sheet in contact with the case, wherein the pre-charge circuit includes a current-carrying portion configured to be connected to the main relay, wherein the heat transfer member and the current-carrying portion are in contact with each other, and wherein the heat transfer member includes a planar first heat transfer sheet in contact with the case such that the planar first heat transfer sheet and the case are contiguous. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer member includes a planar second heat transfer sheet disposed opposed to the first heat transfer sheet with the case interposed therebetween. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a holding pedestal configured to be fixed to the case so as to hold the pre-charge circuit, wherein the current-carrying portion and the first heat transfer sheet are disposed between the case and the holding pedestal, and the current-carrying portion and the first heat transfer sheet are pressed against the case as a result of the holding pedestal being fixed to the case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit assembly according to claim 3, wherein the current-carrying portion is formed by a planar bus bar, the bus bar is disposed such that opposite surfaces of the bus bar in a plate thickness direction thereof abut against the holding pedestal and the first heat transfer sheet, an abutment surface of each of the case and the holding pedestal is planar, and the first heat transfer sheet has flexibility.