Resistor assembly and method for producing same

Abstract

A resistor assembly including at least two connector elements and at least one strip-like or plate-like resistor element arranged between the connector elements. The resistor element has an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides parallel to each other. The at least one resistor element is of a material of which the electrical conductivity is lower than the electrical conductivity of the material of the connector elements. The resistor element has, on at least its upper side or at least its lower side, at least one shaped element as a positioning aid.

Claims

1. A resistor assembly comprising: at least two connector elements; and at least one resistor element arranged between the at least two connector elements, the at least one resistor element having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides running parallel to each other, the at least one resistor element comprising a material having an electrical conductivity lower than an electrical conductivity of a material of the at least two connector elements, the at least one resistor element having, on at least the upper side or on at least the lower side, at least one shaped element as a positioning aid, the at least one shaped element comprising a recess in the material of the at least one resistor element for receiving an end of an electrical conductor.

2. The resistor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a groove extending parallel to the two longitudinal sides of the at least one resistor element.

3. The resistor assembly according to claim 2, wherein the groove has a cross-section in the shape of a V.

4. The resistor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recess is at least partially filled with solder.

5. The resistor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recess is arranged centrally between the two longitudinal sides of the at least one resistor element.

6. A method for producing a resistor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a first strip made of a first material, the first strip having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides, the first strip having, at least on an upper side or at least on a lower side, at least one shaped element, the at least one shaped element being a recess; setting a width of the first strip; longitudinal seam welding the first strip on each of its two longitudinal sides with a further strip made of a material of which an electrical conductivity is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material, thus forming a material composite; and cutting the material composite to produce a resistor assembly, a resistor element of the resistor assembly being formed from the material of the first strip.

7. A method for producing a resistor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a first strip made of a first material, the first strip having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides; setting a width of the first strip; forming at least one shaped element on at least the upper side or on at least the lower side of the first strip, the at least one shaped element being a recess; longitudinal seam welding the first strip on each of its two longitudinal sides with a further strip made of a material of which an electrical conductivity is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material, thus forming a material composite; and cutting the material composite to produce a resistor assembly, a resistor element of the resistor assembly being formed from the first material of the first strip.

8. A method for producing a resistor assembly including at least two connector elements and at least one resistor element arranged between the at least two connector elements, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a first strip made of a first material, the first strip having an upper side and a lower side and two longitudinal sides; setting a width of the first strip; forming at least one shaped element as a positioning aid on at least the upper side or on at least the lower side of the first strip; longitudinal seam welding the first strip on each of its two longitudinal sides with respective further strips each made of a second material of which an electrical conductivity is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material, thus forming a material composite; and cutting the material composite to produce the resistor assembly, the at least one resistor element of the resistor assembly being formed from the first material of the first strip and the at least two connector elements being respectively formed from the second material of the further strips.

9. A resistor assembly comprising: at least two connector elements; and at least one resistor element arranged between the at least two connector elements, the at least one resistor element having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides running parallel to each other, the at least one resistor element comprising a material of which an electrical conductivity is lower than an electrical conductivity of a material of the at least two connector elements, the at least one resistor element having, on at least the upper side thereof or on at least the lower side thereof, at least one shaped element as a positioning aid, the at least one shaped element comprising an elevation constructed of the material of the at least one resistor element, the elevation having a height and projecting beyond a flat surface of the upper side or beyond a flat surface of the lower side.

10. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the elevation is at least partially coated with solder.

11. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the material of the elevation is monolithically bonded to the material of the at least one resistor element.

12. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the height of the elevation is such that a region of the elevation protrudes beyond the at least two connector elements.

13. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the elevation is cylindrical or conical in shape.

14. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the elevation is triangular in shape and extends parallel to the two longitudinal sides of the at least one resistor element along an entire length thereof.

15. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the elevation is a ridge and extends parallel to the two longitudinal sides of the at least one resistor element along an entire length thereof.

16. The resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the elevation is disposed centrally between the two longitudinal sides of the at least one resistor element.

17. A method for producing a resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a first strip made of a first material, the first strip having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides; setting a width of the first strip; forming at least one shaped element from the first material of the first strip on at least the upper side or on at least the lower side, the at least one shaped element being an elevation having a height and projecting beyond a flat surface of the upper side or beyond a flat surface of the lower side; longitudinal seam welding the first strip on each of its two longitudinal sides with a further strip made of a material of which an electrical conductivity is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material, thus forming a material composite; and cutting the material composite to produce a resistor assembly, a resistor element of the resistor assembly being formed from the first material of the first strip.

18. A method for producing a resistor assembly according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing a first strip made of a first material, the first strip having an upper side, a lower side and two longitudinal sides, the first strip having, at least on the upper side or at least on the lower side, at least one shaped element, the at least one shaped element being an elevation having a height and projecting beyond a flat surface of the upper side or beyond a flat surface of the lower side; setting the width of the first strip; longitudinal seam welding the first strip on each of its two longitudinal sides with a further strip made of a material of which an electrical conductivity is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material, thus forming a material composite; and cutting the material composite to produce a resistor assembly, a resistor element of the resistor assembly being formed from the first material of the first strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly with a shaped element;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly with an alternative shaped element;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly with a groove;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a side view of a resistor assembly with two shaped elements;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a side view of a resistor assembly with three shaped elements; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a side view of a resistor assembly with a solder-filled groove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

(12) FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly 1 with a shaped element 4. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 1. The resistor assembly 1 comprises two connector elements 21, 22. A resistor element 3 is arranged between the connector elements 21, 22 and has a main body in the form of a strip or plate. The resistor element 3 has a substantially flat upper side 31 and a substantially flat lower side 32 opposite the upper side. It has a thickness D, a length L and a width B. These dimensions are defined as shown in the figures. The resistor element 3 is electrically conductively connected to connector elements 21, 22, one on each of its two longitudinal sides 33, 34. This defines in the resistor element 3 a current flow direction which is oriented perpendicular to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34, i.e., along the width direction. The connector elements 21, 22 can have connection means for incorporating the resistor assembly 1 into an external circuit. These connection means are not shown for reasons of clarity.

(13) On its upper side 31, the resistor element 3 has a centrally arranged shaped element 4, which is formed as a local cylindrical elevation 43. Alternatively, the elevation 43 can also be formed as a cone or truncated cone. The elevation 43 is limited both in the current flow direction and transversely to the current flow direction. The size of the shaped element 4 is not shown to scale within the resistor assembly 1. By means of the shaped element 4, 43, a position is defined on the upper side 31 of the resistor element 3, at which position the end of an electrical conductor, not shown, can be attached. Preferably, the height of the elevation 43 is selected such that the elevation 43 has a region that protrudes beyond the two connector elements 21, 22. This facilitates, for example, the contacting of a conductor track of a printed circuit board. The surface of the shaped element 4, 43 facing away from the resistor element 3 can be coated with solder. This simplifies the subsequent soldering of a conductor track.

(14) FIG. 3 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly 1 with an alternative shaped element 4. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 3. The resistor element 3 is electrically conductively connected to connector elements 21, 22, one on each of its two longitudinal sides 33, 34. This defines in the resistor element 3 a current flow direction which is oriented perpendicular to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34, i.e., along the width direction. The connector elements 21, 22 can have connection means for incorporating the resistor assembly 1 into an external circuit. These connection means are not shown for reasons of clarity.

(15) On its upper side 31, the resistor element 3 has a shaped element 4, which is formed as an elevation 43. The elevation 43 extends in the form of a triangular profile or a ridge parallel to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 over the entire length L of the resistor element 3. The elevation 43 is thus spatially limited in the current flow direction, but not transversely to the current flow direction. By way of its spatial limitation in the current flow direction, the shaped element 4, 43 defines a region which serves as a positioning aid for the end of an electrical conductor. Preferably, the height of the elevation 43 is selected such that the elevation 43 has a region that protrudes beyond the two connector elements 21, 22.

(16) FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of a resistor assembly 1 with a further alternative shaped element 4. FIG. 6 shows a side view of the resistor assembly according to FIG. 5. The resistor element 3 is electrically conductively connected to connector elements 21, 22, one on each of its two longitudinal sides 33, 34. This defines in the resistor element 3 a current flow direction which is oriented perpendicular to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34, i.e., along the width direction. The connector elements 21, 22 can have connection means for incorporating the resistor assembly 1 into an external circuit. These connection means are not shown for reasons of clarity.

(17) On its upper side 31, the resistor element 3 has a shaped element 4, which is formed as a recess 41 in the material of the resistor element 3. The recess 41 is embodied as a V-shaped groove 42 and is arranged centrally between the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 of the resistor element 3. The groove 42 extends parallel to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 over the entire length L of the resistor element 3. The groove 42 is thus spatially limited in the current flow direction, but not transverse to the current flow direction. Due to its spatial limitation in the current flow direction, the groove 42 defines a region that serves as a positioning aid for the end of an electrical conductor. The V-shaped cross-section allows the end of the electrical conductor to be centered. Thus, a very precise positioning of the measuring tap can be achieved.

(18) FIG. 7 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of a resistor assembly 1. The resistor element 3 is electrically conductively connected to connector elements 21, 22, one on each of its two longitudinal sides 33, 34. This defines in the resistor element 3 a current flow direction which is oriented perpendicular to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34, i.e., along the width direction. The resistor element 3 has, on its surface 31, two shaped elements 4 embodied as an elevation 43, each of which is arranged close to one of the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 of the resistor element 3. The height of each of the elevations 43 is selected such that the elevations 43 each have a region which projects beyond the two connector elements 21, 22. The shaped elements 4 are each formed as a narrow rectangular profile and extend parallel to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 over the entire length of the resistor element 3. The elevations 43 are thus spatially limited in the current flow direction, but not transverse to the current flow direction. Due to their spatial limitation in the current flow direction, the shaped elements 4, 43 each define a region that serves as a positioning aid for the end of an electrical conductor. Thus, the voltage dropping exclusively across the resistor element 3 can be detected, without this voltage signal being influenced by additional partial voltages caused by the resistance of the connector elements 21, 22. Since the electrical resistance of the resistor element 3, unlike the resistance of the connector elements 21, 22, does not vary with temperature, the resistor assembly shown in FIG. 7 makes it possible to very precisely determine the current intensity from the measured voltage, even with changing temperature. The surface of the shaped elements 4, 43 facing away from the resistor element 3 can be at least partially coated with solder.

(19) FIG. 8 shows a side view of a particularly preferred embodiment of a resistor assembly 1. The resistor element 3 has three recesses 41 in the form of V-shaped grooves 42 on its surface 31. The grooves 42 each extend parallel to the two longitudinal sides 33, 34 over the entire length of the resistor element 3. The two grooves 42 located outermost (in the width direction of the resistor element 1) are each arranged close to one of the longitudinal sides 33, 34 of the resistor element 3. The third groove 42 is arranged centrally between the two longitudinal sides 33, 34. The grooves 42 serve as a positioning aid for measuring taps. By means of such measuring taps, both the voltage dropping across the entire resistor element 3 and the two partial voltages each dropping across one half of the resistor element 3 can be detected in the illustrated resistor assembly 1. By comparing the current intensity determined from the various voltages, the reliability of the measurements can be assessed.

(20) FIG. 9 shows a side view of a resistor assembly 1 with a groove 42 that is partially filled with solder 6. This is a further development of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The solder 6 present in the groove 42 allows the end of an electrical conductor to be connected to the resistor element 3 without additional effort.

(21) The features described in each of the embodiments shown can be combined with each other and modified. For example, both raised shaped elements and shaped elements embodied as recesses, in particular as grooves, can be provided next to each other on a resistor element.