Apparatus and method for protecting battery pack by detecting destruction of sense resistor in battery pack
View Patent ↗An apparatus for protecting a battery pack includes a fuse and a sense resistor, connected on a circuit path along which a charging or discharging current flows, and a fuse control switch for controlling the fuse. Also, the apparatus further includes a Schottky diode having one end connected to the sense resistor and the other end connected to the fuse control switch. Thus, destruction of a sense resistor serving an important role in the battery pack protecting apparatus is detected to melt and cut the fuse, thereby preventing any element from being damaged due to overcurrent and thus improving the safety of a battery pack at a low cost.
1. An apparatus for protecting a battery pack, comprising:
a fuse and a sense resistor, connected on a circuit path along which a charging or discharging current flows;
a fuse control switch for controlling the fuse; and
a Schottky diode having one end directly connected to the sense resistor and the other end directly connected to the fuse control switch,
wherein the Schottky diode allows electric current to flow to the fuse control switch when a voltage over a predetermined value is applied to both ends of the sense resistor, so that the fuse control switch turns on to melt and cut the fuse.
2. A battery pack, which includes the apparatus defined in the claim 1 .
3. A method for protecting a battery pack, which includes a fuse and a sense resistor, connected on a circuit path along which a charging or discharging current flows, a fuse control switch for controlling the fuse, and a Schottky diode having one end directly connected to the sense resistor and the other end directly connected to the fuse control switch, the method comprising:
(S 1 ) allowing an electric current to flow toward the fuse control switch through the Schottky diode, in case a voltage over a predetermined value is applied to both ends of the sense resistor; and
(S 2 ) turning on the fuse control switch by the electric current to melt and cut the fuse.