Overcurrent protection apparatus and protection method thereof
AssigneeSamsung SDI Co., Ltd.
InventorKyu Sung Cho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An overcurrent protection apparatus includes a current sensor configured to measure a charging current or discharging current of a battery pack, a switch configured to connect or disconnect the battery pack, and an overcurrent protection circuit configured to receive an output signal of the current sensor as an input voltage to compare the input voltage and a reference voltage, allow the switch to maintain an on state when the input voltage is less than the reference voltage according to a comparison result, and control the switch so that the switch is turned off after a predetermined time delay when the input voltage is greater than or equal to the reference voltage. A corresponding overcurrent protection method for the battery pack is also provided.
Claims17
An overcurrent protection apparatus, comprising:
- a current sensor configured to measure a charging current or discharging current of a battery pack;
- a switch configured to connect or disconnect the battery pack;
- and
- an overcurrent protection circuit configured to receive an output signal of the current sensor as an input voltage to compare the input voltage and a reference voltage, allow the switch to maintain an on state when the input voltage is less than the reference voltage according to a comparison result, and control the switch so that the switch is turned off after a delay of a predetermined time when the input voltage is greater than or equal to the reference voltage
- wherein:
- the overcurrent protection circuit includes a comparison unit configured to compare the input voltage and the reference voltage, and a delay unit configured to delay an output of the comparison unit when a high signal is output from the comparison unit, and
- the overcurrent protection circuit further includes a latch unit including a diode connected to an input terminal of the comparison unit to maintain the output of the comparison unit to be applied to the input terminal of the comparison unit when a delay time of the delay unit elapses.
An overcurrent protection method, comprising:
- comparing, by a comparison unit, an input voltage and a reference voltage when a measurement result for a charging current or discharging current of a battery pack is input as the input voltage from a current sensor;
- outputting, by the comparison unit, a signal to a switch connected to the battery pack to allow the switch to maintain an on state when the input voltage is less than the reference voltage;
- delaying, by a delay unit, an output signal of the comparison unit for a predetermined time when the input voltage is greater than or equal to the reference voltage;
- and
- outputting, by the comparison unit, the output signal to the switch to turn off the switch when a delay time elapses,
- wherein the turning off of the switch further includes continuously applying the output signal of the comparison unit to an input terminal by a diode of a latch unit connected to the input terminal of the comparison unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.